Wildfire burns near hilltop homes in coastal Los Angeles

A wildfire is burning near hilltop homes in Los Angeles as crews attack the flames from the air and ground.

The blaze broke out this morning in a coastal canyon of the affluent Pacific Palisades neighborhood. The flames quickly churned uphill through dry brush as helicopters made water drops to keep it from reaching large houses at the top of a bluff. Firefighters in backyards are using water hoses to protect structures.

A huge plume of smoke is visible across the city.

The cause is unknown.