live from london. this is bbc news. new wildfires in los angeles — more than 130,000 people have now fled their homes and at least five have been killed. this is the scene live in los angeles, where firefighters are struggling to contain six major fires — the worst in the city's history. this is literally where i live, the schools my kids go to, friends, many, many friends have lost their homes. also this hour, the state funeral of former us president jimmy carter begins shortly. president biden will deliver the eulogy. this the winter crisis in england's hospitals, latest figures show more than 5000 people are being treated for flu each day and that number is rising. new allegations against the former harrods owner mohamed alfayed —

a security guard tells the bbc that black staff left the shop floor when he came to visit. some of the most iconic landmarks in hollywood are at risk as the worst wildfires in the history of los angeles continue to rage — forcing tens of thousands of residents to flee their homes and killing at least five people. there are six separate blazes — the latest here in the hollywood hills. this is the moment a house in studio city collapses. you can see the flames completely engulf the structure as it falls. more than 137,000 people have been evacuated — thousands more — have been told to pack up their things and be ready to go. paris hilton and billy crystal are among the hollywood stars who've lost their homes — here in the heart of the american film industry. the firebrigade in california has

flock told the bbc the fires raging in the los angeles area are rapidly expanding. the firebrigade in california has told the bbc the fires raging in the los angeles area are rapidly expanding. they are in these areas — palisades, eaton, hurst, lidia and sunset. the worst of those — and the first fire to erupt on tuesday — is in palisades. the only thing that is basically standing is the chimney and now it is nothing. everybody, no justice community, the everybody, nojustice

community, the community next door, everybody up there who have lost everything, it is pretty devastating, i don't think la has seen anything like this before.— this before. full stop with the fire still burning _ this before. full stop with the fire still burning more - this before. full stop with the fire still burning more people| fire still burning more people are being told to evacuate their homes, pay to the agonising decision of what to take and what to leave behind. you look at something, and you think_ you look at something, and you think i_ you look at something, and you think i can — you look at something, and you think i can let that go. i can let it — think i can let that go. i can let it go _ think i can let that go. i can let it go. and i took photographs and things that meant — photographs and things that meant something, little figurine my daddy bought me when — figurine my daddy bought me when i — figurine my daddy bought me when i was five.— when i was five. january is sunposed _ when i was five. january is sunposed to _ when i was five. january is supposed to bring - when i was five. january is supposed to bring rain - when i was five. january isj supposed to bring rain and instead the ground is tinder dry. hurricane strength winds

are fanning the flames, some desperately trying to protect their homes. i desperately trying to protect their homes.— desperately trying to protect their homes. i know this looks re their homes. i know this looks pretty stunid _ their homes. i know this looks pretty stunid but _ their homes. i know this looks pretty stupid but if _ their homes. i know this looks pretty stupid but if i _ their homes. i know this looks pretty stupid but if i can - their homes. i know this looks pretty stupid but if i can save l pretty stupid but if i can save one emberfrom burning down my house, i will take the risk. the downtown of pacific palisade is nearly wiped out but celebrity filled suburbs to tom hanks, ben affleck and reese witherspoon are now deserted. vice president kamala harris�*s residence is also affected. what residence will return to, no one knows. i will be ok. return to, no one knows. i will be 0k- i _ return to, no one knows. i will be 0k- i am — return to, no one knows. i will be ok. i am tough, _ return to, no one knows. i will be ok. i am tough, even - return to, no one knows. i will. be ok. i am tough, even though iam 91 be ok. i am tough, even though i am 91 years old, i will start over again. i am 91 years old, i will start over again-— over again. on the ground, there is _ over again. on the ground, there is limited _ over again. on the ground, there is limited water- over again. on the ground, i there is limited water supply. wildfires have caused massive issues for power supply, affecting 1.5 million people. it is surreal. it is without words that i can even explain to you what is taking place. my heart is heavy but i have to say resources both financial

but also resources for routes on the ground —— muck boots on the ground are here and we will continue to fight this fight. promises of help will do little to calm fears. scientists warn that white greek wildfires in the region are growing faster and more unpredictable, fuelled ijy and more unpredictable, fuelled by climate change. as residents watch their orange haze on the horizon, all they can do is wonder what the next hours will bring. we have been. the city's fire chief said as many resources as possible were being brought in to try to stop the spread of the fires, but so far, that task had proved impossible. the fire has been mapped this afternoon at 10,600 acres, and it is still growing. we have 0% containment. we have over 750 firefighting personnel assigned on the line, and mutual aid resources from out of state, including arizona, have arrived to assist us with this firefight.

let's show you the seen live. this is a city of los angeles. you can see the smoke, huge smoke there over the city of los angeles and this is a scene, a shopping centre off sunset boulevard which has been completely bound to the ground, just one of the many buildings across la that has been utterly destroyed. (pres) let's speak to derrick townsend, a resident in santa monica who has been evacuated. thank you for being with us at this difficult time. tell us what happened to you. irate this difficult time. tell us what happened to you. we came to a hue what happened to you. we came to a huge plume _ what happened to you. we came to a huge plume of _ what happened to you. we came to a huge plume of smoke - to a huge plume of smoke covering over pacific palisades. i don't have open

access to the ocean right there to see where the fire had started. we are kind of used to fires. they continue to grow. i returned home and as of now i had to evacuate because the fire has been continually moving because of the wind and it had shifted to my neighbourhood santa monica, there was a large warning. ah, there was a large warning. a mandatory evacuation. how does that work? how much time do you have to get out? what kind of things are you able to take with you from your home? the warninus with you from your home? the warnings come _ with you from your home? tie: warnings come pretty with you from your home? tt;e: warnings come pretty quickly. with you from your home? "tt9: warnings come pretty quickly. i can say for instance yesterday i went back home yesterday because we had a warning two nights ago, went back home, went to work and by the afternoon it shifted into an evacuation order again and that is all due to the uncertainties of the winter. myself, i have

my paperwork, small family mementos, everything else is replaceable. it mementos, everything else is replaceable-— replaceable. it is pretty terrifying- _ replaceable. it is pretty terrifying. are - replaceable. it is pretty terrifying. are some . replaceable. it is pretty - terrifying. are some people ignoring the evacuation orders? are some people staying in their homes? fir are some people staying in their homes?— are some people staying in their homes? or is everybody caettin their homes? or is everybody getting out? _ their homes? or is everybody getting out? there _ their homes? or is everybody getting out? there is - getting out? there is definitely people staying back and there are elderly who i'm trying to stay in touch with from my neighbourhood, from my building, my neighbours, some people don't have access but we tried to get everybody out as we can but there are people staying. i am we can but there are people staying. iam not we can but there are people staying. i am not taking that risk right now. i will try to go back today if i can to get some more stuff but i don't think it is worth the risk. these fires are being called the worst in the history of los angeles. to what extent, there have been fired in la many times, but to what extent is it taking you and everybody else

there by surprise? it is taking you and everybody else there by surprise?— there by surprise? it is really bad. i there by surprise? it is really bad- iwon't _ there by surprise? it is really bad. i won't take _ there by surprise? it is really bad. i won't take it _ there by surprise? it is really bad. i won't take it is - bad. i won't take it is apocalyptic. i drive daily through the city, it is part of myjob. i went from santa monica towards where the fire is in the pasadena area and there is just is in the pasadena area and there isjust smoke is in the pasadena area and there is just smoke across the entire city. there are small spout of blue haired, blue sky, but it smelled and there is ashes. it is almost like it is snowing —— all over the city. you can't really get away from it and if you go south because now the west side, including the north—east side, pasadena and altadena, and now studio city, they are all engulfed. you can't really run from it and if you go south.- you can't really run from it and if you go south. very good luck to you _ and if you go south. very good luck to you and _ and if you go south. very good luck to you and do _ and if you go south. very good luck to you and do stay - and if you go south. very good

luck to you and do stay safe. l luck to you and do stay safe. an evacuated santa monica resident. we have also been hearing from cbs. they spoke to a couple in palisades who had just escaped from the flames. the video is intense. it just escaped from the flames. the video is intense.— the video is intense. it was like a vortex _ the video is intense. it was like a vortex of _ the video is intense. it was like a vortex of embers. . the video is intense. it was i like a vortex of embers. there was no oxygen. i couldn't breathe, i barely made it to my car. ~' car. he said he felt like it was up — car. he said he felt like it was up again. _ car. he said he felt like it was up again. some - car. he said he felt like it l was up again. some people car. he said he felt like it - was up again. some people say i was up again. some people say i was lucky to _ was up again. some people say i was lucky to be _ was up again. some people say i was lucky to be alive. _ was up again. some people say i was lucky to be alive. as - was up again. some people say i was lucky to be alive. as he - was lucky to be alive. as he ran to his — was lucky to be alive. as he ran to his car— was lucky to be alive. as he ran to his car through - was lucky to be alive. as he ran to his car through a - was lucky to be alive. as hej ran to his car through a wall of smoke and flames are closing in. , , ., ., of smoke and flames are closing in. , , . ., ., , in. this is all that remains. he and his _ in. this is all that remains. he and his girlfriend - in. this is all that remains. l he and his girlfriend showed in. this is all that remains. - he and his girlfriend showed me what he escape from. in a stunning sad eco he was trying to do what he did just a month ago when he saved his malibu house and five other home from the raging franklin wildfire. it is just not real. less then a month, my lungs went even

better from the last time, i am still coughing from the last fire. , ., �* fire. try today, he couldn't save this _ fire. try today, he couldn't save this home. _ fire. try today, he couldn't save this home. she - fire. try today, he couldn't save this home. she lost l save this home. she lost everything she owned, including a lifetime ofjournal. i everything she owned, including a lifetime ofjournal.— a lifetime of “ournal. i lost all a lifetime of “ournal. i lost an writing. — a lifetime ofjournal. i lost all writing, all— a lifetime ofjournal. i lost all writing, all my - a lifetime ofjournal. i lost all writing, all my books. | a lifetime of journal. i lost| all writing, all my books. it is all writing, all my books. it must— all writing, all my books. it isjust hard. i remembered that after. _ isjust hard. i remembered that after. but — isjust hard. i remembered that after, but everything i had written _ after, but everything i had written through my whole life, i have — written through my whole life, i have a — written through my whole life, i have a journal and i write a lot so — i have a journal and i write a lot so it _ i have a journal and i write a lot so it is _ i have a journal and i write a lot so it isjust a little thing _ lot so it isjust a little thing she remembered afterwards.— thing she remembered afterwards. ., afterwards. looking at the smouldering _ afterwards. looking at the smouldering rubble, - afterwards. looking at the smouldering rubble, she l afterwards. looking at the | smouldering rubble, she is afterwards. looking at the i smouldering rubble, she is in thinking of the things that are gone, she thinking of who she could have lost and smiling through the pain. it could have lost and smiling through the pain. it reminds me ofthe through the pain. it reminds me of the value _ through the pain. it reminds me of the value of _ through the pain. it reminds me of the value of what _ through the pain. it reminds me of the value of what is _ through the pain. it reminds me of the value of what is not - of the value of what is not tangible. of the value of what is not tangible-— of the value of what is not tanuible. ~ , , tangible. as some wildfires ra . e, tangible. as some wildfires rage, several— tangible. as some wildfires rage, several celebrities i tangible. as some wildfires | rage, several celebrities are among those who have been sharing their personal experiences.

this actor billy crystal and his wife, actor and television host cameron mathison shared "sending so many prayers to everyone being affected a video on instagram of his burnt down house writing

the 0scar winning actor jamie lee curtis has been speaking on nbc�*s tonight show withjimmy fallon. jamie lee curtis, actor: "it's gnarly, you guys. it's just a catastrophe in southern california. obviously, there have been horrific fires in many places. this is literally where i live. everything, the market i shop in, the schools my kids go to. friends — many, many, many, many, many friends — now have lost their homes. jamie lee curtis air. let's show you the seen live, and apocalyptic scene, the smoke hanging over los angeles. at least six fires still raging, wildfires and huge destruction on the ground as we have been hearing. plenty more to come on the situation in los angeles

but do stay tuned. you are watching bbc news.

you are watching bbc news. let's update you on those remarks by donald trump, the president elect in the united states, about greenland when he was asked about the possibility of even military action to take greenland which he has long coveted. we are hearing that the danish prime minister is to gather party leaders to discuss what donald trump was saying about greenland at the other day. donald trump's son also visiting greenland in the last day also. the danish prime minister is to gather party leaders to discuss what donald trump has been saying greenland. let's turn our attention to the uk. let's turn our attention to the uk. a major story here in the uk and the number of people in hospital with flu

in england continues to rise, with staff reporting they are under the same pressure as at the height of the covid pandemic. with me is is our health editor hugh pym. just talk it through the latest numbers. , ., numbers. there is always flew every year _ numbers. there is always flew every year and _ numbers. there is always flew every year and health - numbers. there is always flewj every year and health systems around the world have to cope with that but the nhs, around the uk, but we are talking about england today, is running at pretty full occupancy rate. 95% or so. it doesn't take much to budget close to capacity so a bad flu winter as we are seeing now is what has caused problems. last week in england there were just over problems. last week in england there werejust over 5000 there were just over 5000 patients in hospital with a clue. that was up from the previous week, about 3.5 times higher than last year which wasn't such a bad flu year. what that means is, in essence, getting on for 5% of beds in the whole system in england where being occupied by flu patients. we have had other viruses 15