Firefighters getting relief from high winds after hurricane-like conditions, says California fire chief

Firefighters battle the Palisades Fire during a windstorm in Los Angeles on January 8. 

Ringo Chiu/Reuters

Firefighters battling the Palisades fire — which has burned more than 17,000 acres — are getting a break from yesterday’s extraordinarily high winds that fanned flames and tossed embers for miles.

It was just trying to fight this fire like in a hurricane with fire all around you.

Wind gusts of up to 80 miles per hour were reported Wednesday, but Pascua told CNN’s Kate Bolduan that palm trees in the area are barely swaying this morning.

“What a welcome sight,” Pascua said. “What this fire so desperately needed was a break in these winds so that we can actually get some containment now on this fire.”