Brush fire scorches 200 acres and counting, prompts mandatory evacuation in SoCal

One of those on high alert is the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades off Pacific Coast Highway.

Getty spokesperson Alexandria Sivak told Fox News Digital the Getty Villa is now closed to non-emergency staff. 

"It is already closed to the public on Tuesdays, so there were no [members of the] public on site," Sivak said. "The villa site is currently safe, and we are in ongoing contact with LAFD and closely monitoring the situation."

An evacuation center has been opened at Westwood Recreation Center, located at 1350 South Sepulveda Blvd. in Los Angeles.

A fire that started at about 1:30 p.m. near Piedra Morada and Monte Hermoso drives quickly escalated by 2 p.m., with nearly 20 acres burned, according to the department.

The fire impacted roughly 200 acres by 3 p.m., demolishing several buildings in the Pacific Palisades Highlands.

The National Weather Service in Los Angeles warned of a "life-threatening and dangerous windstorm" rolling through the area late Tuesday through Wednesday. Red flag warnings are expected to remain in place until Thursday evening.