live from singapore, this is bbc news. fires burn across the hollywood hills as wildfires burn out of control across los angeles. firefighters say they are short of water as the fires remain completely uncontained. at least 137,000 people have been forced to evacuate, and tens of thousands more told to pack and be ready to go. we start in los angeles where at least 137,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes due to spreading wildfires. the death toll from california's wildfires has risen to five. these are live pictures from los angeles. four fires are continuing

to burn out of control in the suburbs of los angeles and others popping up, including hollywood hills — where in the last hour, the la fire department has issued a mandatory evacuation order for people there to leave now. earlier, officials said despite best efforts, the fires are 0% contained due to the strong winds and shortage of water. at least 137,000 people have evacuated so far. tens of thousands more have been told to pack and be ready to go. the city's police chief says that the fire conditions are unpredictable with no possibility of bringing them under control. more than 1,000 firefighters have been deployed including some from other states. 1,000 builds have been destroyed in one area alone, the pacific palisades. us presidentjoe biden has promised additional personnel and assets from the

us department of defence. he's also cancelled his upcoming trip to italy to remain focused in the days ahead. earlier, we heard the mayor of los angeles give us this update on the situation.— on the situation. hurricane force winds _ on the situation. hurricane force winds are _ on the situation. hurricane force winds are usually - force winds are usually accompanied by rain storms, but these are hurricane force winds that are combined with extremely dry drought conditions. to provide context, at 10:20am yesterday, the palisades fire was at 10 acres. 12 minutes later, it was at 200 acres. to those who fled their homes, especially those who have lost your homes — our hearts are breaking for you and we stand with you. i know the world is looking at images of our city's devastation. i have seen the front lines of the palisades fire, and it is

staggering. we also heard from kathryn barger, chair of la county's board of supervisors. we are prone to wildfires. but nothing like what i witnessed today. the eaton canyon fire is ripping through a community like i have never seen. it's like a third world country out there. i would ask that anyone listening, if you do not need to be in the area and you've been evacuated, please hear the evacuation warning and if you don't live in the area, please stay away. well for more on the rapid spread of the fire and its damage, here's our correspondent emma vardy. as dawn broke, la awoke to an apocalyptic site. smoke blocking out the skies over santa monica beach after a terrifying 2a hours. the fire grew at an extraordinary speed, flames raging out of control as hurricane force winds battered the coast. and the fire continues to grow with 0% containment.

we have over 500 personnel assigned and unfortunately, we have two reported fatalities to civilians. la county and all 29 fire departments in our county are not prepared for this type of widespread disaster. there are not enough firefighters in la county. along this coastal road, we have been seeing the fires destruction. there is power lines down, patches still smouldering and the air is so thick with smoke that we can barely see more than a few metres in front of us. this was the moment two residents found their house engulfed by flames. see more than a few metres in front of us. this was the moment two residents found their house it's going to be ok, all right? we are going to be ok. thousands made homeless, a state of emergency called in a situation out of control.

some abandoning their cars to the mercy of the flames. 0thers made attempts to stay and save their homes. fire crews struggled against a terrifying inferno causing utter destruction. flights continued to land into la's main airport. passengers witnessed the frightening scenes below. oh, my god. emergency services have been stretched to their limit, battling the unpredictable fires on multiple fronts. at least 1,000 buildings have been destroyed as the situation took many people by surprise. my sister called and she was like, "are you 0k?" and at that moment, a helicopter flew over my house and just dropped water and i was like, "it's raining." she was like, "no, it's not

raining, your neighbourhood "is on fire, you need to get out." in one of the worst—hit areas, a reporter described the carnage. we're here at the heart of the pacific in a neighbourhood that is completely lost. another home loss. when we go over this way, home's out in the street gone. as the second fire broke out, elderly residents of a care home huddled in a car park. a lot of these people are terrified and they don't have a blanket, they have nothing. in some of la's most exclusive neighbourhoods, hollywood stars left their homes to the flames. none of the fires have yet been brought under control. some returned to their neighbourhoods now turned to ash. i'm ok, i'll be ok. i am tough and we will start over, even though i am 91 years old, i will start over again. this afternoon, president biden visited teams on the ground

to get an update. we will do anything and everything as long as it takes to contain these fires and help reconstruct, make sure we get back to normal. it will be a hell of a long way. many still unsure where to go in this fast changing situation. look at this. beyond comprehension. a dark day for los angeles. the californian dream becoming a nightmare. emma vardy, bbc news, los angeles. for more, let's speak to ken pimlott, retired director of the california department of forestry and fire protection, or cal fire. thank you forjoining us and for your time today. have you seen fires like this move this quickly before? i seen fires like this move this quickly before?— seen fires like this move this quickly before? i think this is really showing _ quickly before? i think this is really showing the _ quickly before? i think this is really showing the extreme l really showing the extreme conditions that we face here in california with the impacts of drought and you know, climate change on weather patterns.

certainly, california, and especially southern california, is no stranger to big wind events over the decades. but what we're really seeing is that the extremes are becoming more extreme. the mayor talked about the strength of the winds and the dryness of the vegetation due to the drought. we're seeing those level of conditions that we haven't seen before. �* ., , conditions that we haven't seen before. �* _, ., , before. and those conditions are coming _ before. and those conditions are coming when _ before. and those conditions are coming when typically i before. and those conditions| are coming when typically it's winter in california?— winter in california? yeah, normally... _ winter in california? yeah, normally... fires - winter in california? yeah, normally... fires in - winter in california? yeah, | normally... fires in january winter in california? yeah, i normally... fires in january in normally... fires injanuary in southern california aren't unprecedented, but they're very rare. and really, we've entered now a fire year. it's no longer a fire season defined by certain months. we're getting this kind of fire activity any time — all 12 months of the year. time - all 12 months of the ear. �* , , time - all 12 months of the ear. ~ , , , ., year. and help us understand what firefighters _ year. and help us understand what firefighters are - year. and help us understand what firefighters are up - what firefighters are up against with this particular fire, or these particular series of fires? it really comes _ series of fires? it really comes right _ series of fires? it really comes right down - series of fires? it really comes right down to i series of fires? it really| comes right down to the series of fires? it really - comes right down to the basic wind, weather and the topography. and the fact that there is a large urban population. many homes and

people living in these areas. 70 mph plus winds. humidities that are in the teens — the low teens. and just critically dry fuels and you've had drought. we've had almost no rain in southern california during this rainfall period. all of that combined to create a perfect disaster and a perfect storm. firefighters and aircraft can't be effective in 75 mph winds. so they're just trying to save people and homes.— so they're just trying to save people and homes. how worried are ou people and homes. how worried are you about — people and homes. how worried are you about the _ people and homes. how worried are you about the situation - are you about the situation given that firefighters can only, as you say, evacuate people and try to protect homes as much as they can and almost delay the fire to give people time to get to safety. could this be unprecedented in terms of scale of damage that los angeles has seen? it certainly is auoin angeles has seen? it certainly is going to _ angeles has seen? it certainly is going to rank— angeles has seen? it certainly is going to rank very, - angeles has seen? it certainly is going to rank very, very - is going to rank very, very high. right now, already in the top in the top 20 most destructive fires in state's history and is certainly very high ranked in terms of the destruction for a fire in

southern california. we'll see! you know, the damage estimates obviously are just initial estimates as the fire has become more contained and folks can get in there and do more damage assessment. i think we're going to see the full extent of the damage and realise how many homes have been destroyed. find realise how many homes have been destroyed.— realise how many homes have been destroyed. and what will have to happen _ been destroyed. and what will have to happen for— been destroyed. and what will have to happen for these - been destroyed. and what will have to happen for these fires| have to happen for these fires to die down — to get under control? these are things that are, perhaps, beyond what the fire services in los angeles actually have the capability of impacting?— actually have the capability of im-aactin? . , i~ impacting? really, the next 48 hours is going _ impacting? really, the next 48 hours is going to _ impacting? really, the next 48 hours is going to be _ impacting? really, the next 48 hours is going to be the - impacting? really, the next 48 hours is going to be the key. i hours is going to be the key. the red flag critical fire weather conditions will be in place through friday. as these winds start to subside, we'll see firefighters be able to take more direct action on the fires. we're already beginning to see aircraft come back to the fire and be more effective as the winds are diminishing. so that will be the key is getting more containment on each of these fires, and getting in there. and then the long process of mopping up and

overhauling the burning structures and then the real challenge and long test begins of the recovery for all of these communities, because it's really now about the people. schools have been closed. roads, infrastructure, are damaged or destroyed. so all of that process is really nowjust beginning, but right now, the goal is ensure the evacuation zones continue to be established to get people out of harm's way. get fire fighting resources in there as you've discussed in your reporting. fire fighting resources are coming from all over the western united states. the resources are getting in there. now theyjust have to be deployed and you know, get those resources in there where they can be most affective. find they can be most affective. and 'ust they can be most affective. and just quickly. _ they can be most affective. and just quickly. going _ they can be most affective. and just quickly, going forward — resources are going to have to be increased and buffeted, aren't they, if fires like this aren't they, if fires like this are going to become more common?— are going to become more common? yeah, and this is something _ common? yeah, and this is something that _ common? yeah, and this is something that certainly i something that certainly california has prepared for over the last several years. the state has really bolstered

the fire fighting resources of cal fire along with supporting many of the local government fire fighting agencies. in california, we have the most robust mutual aid system anywhere in the world. there are over 1,000 fire departments in california — large and small — that come to bear and support each other during emergencies like this. and it's really about the pre—planning. there were resources pre—staged in southern california well ahead of these fires starting, because the fire professionals, the weather forecasters, all recognised the severity of the wind event and the conditions of the vegetation before the wind started blowing.- wind started blowing. ken, thank you _ wind started blowing. ken, thank you so _ wind started blowing. ken, thank you so much - wind started blowing. ken, thank you so much for- wind started blowing. ken, j thank you so much for your insights today. really appreciate your time. ken pimlott, retired director at cal fire. the area of los angeles hit by the fires is a particularly wealthy neighbourhood, and celebrities have been reacting. among those directly affected is paris hilton — who said she is heartbroken beyond words, writing,

"sitting with my family, watching the news, and seeing "our home in malibu burn to the ground on live tv "is something no one should ever have to experience." actor billy crystal also lost his home. he and his wife released a statement saying words cannot describe the enormity of the devastation they are witnessing and experiecing. they said they ache for others who have also lost homes and businesses. mandy moore, star of television series �*this is us�*, was one of the thousands forced to flea her home. she shared her gratitude on instagram for getting her family and pets out to safety and to friends for taking them in. guardians of galaxy star chris pratt appealed for people to send prayers and strength to everyone affected by these devastating fires in a post on instagram. khloe kardashian shared her reaction and devastation to the fire on her instagram story — she thanked the fire services for their incredible work. and zoe saldana, who picked up a golden globe on the weekend for her role in the netflix musical emilia perez, posted on her instagram story "thoughts and sympathies "with all those affected by the fire". around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

you're live with bbc news. back to our top story in la. four massive wildfires continue to spread in the suburbs of los angeles and more fires are still popping up. the latest has broken out in the hollywood hills. it is burning in the area between runyon canyon and wattles park, and has triggered more mandatory evacuations. so far five people are confirmed to have been killed and more than 1,000 structures burnt. more than 137,000 people have been forced to evacuate. officials say despite best efforts, the fires are 0% contained due to the strong winds and shortage of water. for the latest, let's speak to cbs reporter ashley sharpe. ashley, thank you forjoining us. more can you tell us about the fires that continue to rage across los angeles? hi. the fires that continue to rage across los angeles? hi, steve. well, of those _ across los angeles? hi, steve. well, of those major _ across los angeles? hi, steve. well, of those major fires - across los angeles? hi, steve. well, of those major fires that l well, of those major fires that are burning here across los angeles, i'm covering the eaton fire currently. we're in alto

dina just outside of la. the eaton fire is the second largest in size but has proven the most fatal. we've reported five fatalities so far that the eaton fire has been responsible for. and right now, that fire fight is active around me. you're seeing a spot fire behind me where a structure has burned to the ground. and just up burned to the ground. and just up the hill from where i'm standing, dozens of fire trucks and crews are actively fighting the eaton fire up on the hill. you'll hear off and on fire alarms that are sounding around me as well, and smoke has filled the air. what i can tell you, steve, is the difference is the wind. what were hurricane force gusts yesterday have calmed, which is a help to those firecrews tonight. and those firecrews tonight. and s - eakin . those firecrews tonight. and speaking of _ those firecrews tonight. and speaking of those _ those firecrews tonight. and speaking of those firecrews — how have they been coping? have they been on the move and fighting the fires for well over a day now?- fighting the fires for well over a da now? ,, f over a day now? steve, they're exhausted- _

over a day now? steve, they're exhausted. we're _ over a day now? steve, they're exhausted. we're stand - over a day now? steve, they're exhausted. we're stand right i exhausted. we're stand right across from a fire hydrant where the crews have been coming down the hill, filling up coming down the hill, filling up with water and going right back up. it's an all hands on deck situation. crews from across the state, from northern california where we are very familiar with fighting wild land fire. crews have made their way down south. so it's an all hands on deck situation. and as you can imagine, too, the emotional weight of seeing a lot of what they're seeing. you're seeing families flee their homes with their pets in their homes with their pets in their arms. you're seeing people having to watch their homes burn to the ground all across los angeles county. it weighs heavily on these firefighter, and they, too, know that firefighter, and they, too, k