At least five people killed as six fires burn across the Los Angeles County with officials expecting the death toll to rise, writes Euronews.

Wildfires that have ravaged some of the city’s most picturesque areas are continuing to grow. Firefighters responding to the emergencies say at least five people were killed in three major out of control blazes.

As winds eased and firefighters from across the state arrived to relieve exhausted crews, many thought the situation would begin to fall under control, but the danger was far from over. A sixth fire broke out in the Hollywood Hills, prompting evacuation orders to thousands of residents that extended to some areas in the neighbouring Santa Monica.

Officials say more than 1,000 structures, mostly homes, were destroyed so far and some 130,000 people remain under evacuation orders in the metropolitan area, a number that continues to change as new fires erupt.

A thick smoke wafted over many parts of Los Angeles. At least seven school were either damaged or destroyed.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said firefighters from different parts of California arrived to assist local units along with air operations in dousing the flames.

Bass warned they continued to face “erratic winds”, though much calmer than Tuesday evening’s, which are causing the fires to spread at a more rapid rate.

In Pasadena, one of the affected areas, Fire Chief Chad Augustin said that an estimated 200 to 500 structures were damaged or lost from the Eaton fire that started Tuesday night as a result of what were described as “hurricane force winds”.