LA burns as fires rage unchecked

The most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles' history have razed neighborhoods, forced desperate evacuations and threatened wealthy, iconic parts of the city -- and they appear far from being contained as firefighters strain against fierce winds and dry conditions.

The sight of beloved landmarks set against thick columns of smoke and eerie orange skies have created a new sense of vulnerability among residents used to fires, but not so much destruction, or so many burning at the same time so close to them.

A new wildfire in the Hollywood Hills threatened a densely populated part of the city before it was contained. Other major fires -- in the coastal Pacific Palisades neighborhood, in the suburban Pasadena area and in a rural stretch of the San Fernando Valley -- were still burning out of control Thursday. Anxieties grew as more small fires flared up, though many were quickly snuffed out.

Here's the latest on the blazes:

Where are the fires burning?

Five fires are threatening Los Angeles area residents from the north, east and west.

The largest and most destructive, the Palisades fire along the Pacific coast, had scorched more than 17,000 acres and was zero percent contained as of Thursday afternoon, according to Cal Fire. The fire forced evacuations along the Pacific Coast Highway, including the Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Santa Monica.

The next largest fire lies to the east: the Eaton fire, raging north of the city of Pasadena in the San Gabriel Mountains. It has burned more than 10,000 acres, destroyed hundreds of homes and placed tens of thousands of people under evacuation orders. An official said Thursday that the fire's growth had been "significantly stopped," though the fire was still zero percent contained.

North of the Palisades fire and west of the Eaton fire, the Hurst fire in the San Fernando Valley has extended to more than 800 acres. And in the Angeles National Forest, a vast area spread across the San Gabriel Mountains and Sierra Pelona, firefighters managed to contain 40% of the Lidia fire, which has consumed more than 300 acres.

The Sunset fire, which ignited Wednesday in the Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles and threatened landmarks including the Hollywood Bowl and the TCL Chinese Theater, was fully contained by Thursday, after consuming 43 acres.

How many homes have been destroyed?

Preliminary reports indicate that the Palisades fire has damaged or destroyed thousands of structures, officials said Thursday.

If confirmed, the Palisades fire would rank among the five most destructive fires in California history. The residences in these areas include iconic mansions on bluffs that tower over the Pacific, as well as tract homes in beachside neighborhoods.

The fire has destroyed beloved local institutions, including the Palisades Charter High School, the alma mater of numerous celebrities as well as the filming location of many TV shows, including "Modern Family."

The ranch house that Will Rogers, a popular entertainer and movie star, owned until his death in 1935 has been destroyed, as has the Topanga Ranch Motel, which was used as a location in a number of films over the decades.

The Eaton fire has burned over 1,000 buildings, officials said. Flames had seriously damaged at least part of the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center, which has been operating for more than a century.

The extent of the damage caused by the other fires remained unclear.

Have there been any fatalities?

Officials have confirmed that the Eaton fire killed at least five people. But the number of fatalities will likely be higher, according to Robert Luna, the Los Angeles County sheriff.

"Frankly, we don't know yet," he said of the death toll.

While there haven't been any fatalities reported from the Palisades fire, some firefighters suffered injuries while battling the blaze.

And there have been a "high number of significant injuries" among people who didn't evacuate their homes when they should have because of that fire, said Anthony C. Marrone, the fire chief for Los Angeles County.

Why did these big fires break out at the same time?

Forecasters for days had warned of damaging wind gusts that would reach 50-80 mph, and even above 100 mph in the mountains. The winds, combined with dry air, created a critical fire-weather event in Southern California. The hills are also covered in vegetation after two rainy winters that preceded this one.

Late fall and winter tend to spawn catastrophic fires in California. In periods without significant precipitation, as has been the case this winter, the vegetation becomes extremely parched. And cooler weather in California coincides with the Santa Ana winds, the strong and dry gusts that blow west from Nevada and Utah into Southern California -- and are linked to the region's most devastating fires.

The deadliest and most destructive fire in California's history, which destroyed the Northern California town of Paradise, broke out in mid-November 2018.

Are the fires expected to keep growing?

The Santa Ana winds that fueled the fires' rapid spread eased slightly Thursday morning, allowing firefighters to continue air operations and make incremental progress against some of the blazes. New water supplies replenished fire hydrants that ran dry in some areas after excessive demand early in the battle against the fires.

The most destructive fires, however, remain out of control. City and county fire officials said their priority is saving lives and protecting property, rather than establishing containment lines.

The reprieve from the worst of the winds is expected to be short-lived. Winds are forecast to intensify Thursday night and again over the weekend, which could further fuel the fires and hamper containment efforts.

Fire officials are asking people who have not evacuated but live near the fires to stay alert, as the blazes are likely to move fast and unpredictably. And they are asking everyone in Southern California to beware of new fires.