'The worst is yet to come': Deadly wildfires engulf Los Angeles
Uncontrollable wildfires, produced by recent dry weather, are being directed by hundred mile an hour gusts towards Los Angeles, from where ITV News Correspondent Robert Moore reports on mass evacuations and widespread devastation.
At least two people have died and tens of thousands ordered to evacuate their homes in Los Angeles after wildfires tore through neighbourhoods, with city officials saying the "worst is yet to come".
Fanned by strong winds, there are currently four fires burning in and around Los Angeles - the first of which broke out in the the city's Pacific Palisades area on Tuesday.
All four fires are currently at 0% containment and have burned thousands of acres of land.
Around 37,000 people have been issued evacuation orders due to the Palisades fire, with a further 32,500 told to evacuate their homes owing to the Eaton blaze.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone confirmed two people had died as a result of the fires, in a press conference on Wednesday.
Dozens of elderly and disabled residents from a care home were evacuated as the fire approached, forcing them to temporarily shelter in a nearby car park
Mr Marrone said the wildfires had drained resources in Los Angeles County, adding the area's fire department was "prepared for one or two major brush fires, but not four, especially given these sustained winds and low humidities".
The city's Police Chief, Jim McDonnell, who spoke alongside Mr Marrone, described the situation facing emergency services as a "tragic time in our history".
US President Joe Biden visited a fire station in Santa Monica on Wednesday, where he pledged government support to the area "as long as it takes".
"It's going to be a hell of a long way. It's going to take time, but we're in it, the federal government is here to stay as long as you need us," he said.
A number of landmarks in the city, including the Hollywood Sign and Los Angeles Zoo, have been closed for safety reasons as a result of the blazes.
The fires began shortly after the start of a Santa Ana windstorm that the National Weather Service said was the strongest to hit Southern California in more than a decade.
The head of the service described the fires as "one of the worst situations that we've ever seen".
Speaking to ITV News' US partner, CNN, Ariel Cohen said that "volatile" weather conditions had come together "with some of the most extreme, destructive, life-threatening wind storms that we're getting across the area, with bone-dry conditions".
"Everyone needs to be thoughtful, thinking ahead, make sure you're planning… I'm pleading with you, if you get the evacuation order from emergency management, take it seriously and evacuate," he said.
"Your life will depend on it."
Some 1,400 firefighters have struggled to make any significant progress to quell the blazes due to the winds.
"Gusts that are reported into the 60s, 70s and 80s, you're not going to control that," California Professional Firefighters President Brian Rice said.
"These men and women are going to put in 24-, 36-, 40-, 48-hour shifts. They're not going off the fire line anytime soon.
"Everyone is at the mercy of the wind right now. And until we see a shift in the wind, or a drop in the wind, it's just not going to let up."
The fire department said the winds have made it impossible for aircraft to drop water on the flames.
"We are unable to fly our rotor-wing aircraft, which is one of the main methods we use to attack a wind-driven brush fire," Los Angeles Fire Department Captain Jacob Raabe said.
California Governor Gavin Newsome said on X: "I've proclaimed a state of emergency to support the communities impacted by the #PalisadesFire.
"Southern California residents: stay vigilant, take all necessary precautions, and follow local emergency guidance."
Wildfires are seen from a flight above Los Angeles International Airport
Credit: Mark Viniello
Residents and stars speak of horror
The Screen Actors Guild Awards have cancelled a live nominations announcement due to the fires, while several A-list celebrities from Pacific Palisades have shared their ordeals.
Star Wars actor Mark Hamill said he left Malibu, writing on Instagram: "Personal Fire Update: 7pm - Evacuated Malibu so last-minute there small fires on both sides of the road as we approached PCH [Pacific Coast Highway]."
Local resident Kelsey Trainor told the Associated Press the only road in and out of her neighbourhood was completely blocked, with ash falling around them and fires burning on both sides of the road.
"We looked across and the fire had jumped from one side of the road to the other side of the road," she said.
Actor James Woods shared footage on X of flames engulfing a nearby home and at the bottom of his balcony.
"We were blessed to have LA fire and police depts doing their jobs so well. We are safe and out… Can not speak more highly of the LA fire and LAPD," he wrote.
Actor Steve Guttenberg, who lives in the Pacific Palisades, urged people who abandoned their cars to leave their keys behind so they could be moved to make way for fire trucks.
Eugene Levy, known for his role in the sitcom Schitt's Creek, told the Los Angeles Times that he got stuck while evacuating.
"The smoke looked pretty black and intense over Temescal Canyon," he said. "I couldn't see any flames but the smoke was very dark."
Star of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sarah Michelle Gellar, criticised the handling of the situation by Los Angeles officials.
"City of LA you want everyone to evacuate yet you have complete gridlock and not one traffic cop on the roads helping @cityoflosangeles @karenbassla," she posted on Instagram.
Several other stars, including Billie Eilish, Chris Pratt, Khloé Kardashian, Vanessa Hudgens, Zoe Saldana, Hailey Bieber, and Paris Hilton, have thanked emergency services on social media for their efforts to help those affected by the fires.
Subscribe free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning.
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know