whole neighbourhoods burned to the ground — devastation in los angeles with wildfires still raging completely uncontained. at least five people have died and nearly 200 thousand people are fleeing their homes. and former us presidentjimmy carter will be buried in his hometown of plains, georgia — after a state funeral in washington. hello, i'm sumi somskanda. officials in los angeles are warning they expect the number of people killed in a series of devastating wildfires to rise as emergency crews struggle to contain the powerful blazes. five people are confirmed to have died as flames fanned by strong winds tear through homes and businesses. you through homes and businesses. can see the smoke above you can see the smoke rising above los angeles in these pictures here.

the body of one man was found outside his levelled home; a garden hose in his hand. about one hundred and eighty thousand people have been ordered to flee their homes. strong winds are predicted to continue overnight. many neighbourhoods have been left unrecognisable. residents have described the firestorm as "apocalyptic". there are still 5 fires alight around the city 7 2 completely uncontained. one is the palisades fire, which was the first to erupt on tuesday. it spread rapidly to become one of the most destructive in the history of los angeles — burning 17 thousand acres. officials have given an update to say more than 5—thousand structures in palisades have been destroyed. before—and—after pictures show the impact on buildings, like this cafe that's been burnt to the ground. the banij morgan chase estimates $50 billion in damage, which would make it one of the costliest natural disasters in american history. but authorities say they are hopeful "the tide is turning", with one of the fires now contained. emma vardy reports from la. still, they burn — the most catastrophic fires los angeles has ever seen.

overnight, the hollywood hills resembling a disaster movie. a huge crescent of flame engulfing an iconic community of california. more than 130,000 people have been told to evacuate their homes. here just one of many properties engulfed turned to a shell. at least five major fires have been burning across los angeles county. the scale and spread has stretched firefighting crews on the ground, and in the air. 16,000 acres and counting consumed by the inferno. one street filmed by a local resident moments before he left.

i thought maybe i would be able to get some extra stuff that we didn't take and come to see that the whole street is just gone. it's like a war zone. and we had so many memories in here that cannot be replaced. i had these great old pictures of my grandfather from world war two, both grandfathers, and i was going to get them framed. and now they're gone and they're lost. and i had so many things that are just lost forever. itjust — i know we're safe, but i don't i don't understand. the scale of this disaster is clear to see. this is pacific palisades, block after block a blanket of destruction. more than a thousand buildings burned in this community alone. emergency services unable to save them. we had everything, like the sentimental things.

like, my mum passed away, we had only a few things of hers left. my wedding dress, our wedding album, we left everything. ouralbums, our... we have just whatever we're wearing. we're wearing the same thing for the last two days. copy that. fuelled by hurricane force winds, these fires have struck at a vulnerable time. la hasn't seen any significant rainfall for months abandoned rainfall for months. abandoned neighbourhoods are now falling prey to crime. prey to crime. in the midst of the emergency in the midst of the emergency we've all seen individuals we've all seen individuals who are targeting vulnerable who are targeting vulnerable communities by burglarising and looting homes. communities by burglarising and looting homes. this is simply unacceptable. this is simply unacceptable. as dawn came in the palisades, as dawn came in the palisades, it revealed the grim it revealed the grim reality of what the fire reality of what the fire has left behind. has left behind. there are miles and miles there are miles and miles of streets like this and utter of streets like this and utter shock at the devastation here. shock at the devastation here. communities just vanished now communities just vanished now

ghost towns and once dream ghost towns and once dream homes turned to dust. homes turned to dust. no one is immune, mansions now ash. the homes ofjennifer aniston, adam sandler and paris hilton among those evacuated. and this was filmed by the wife of take that star, mark owen, as they escaped through the flames. a scene that will be repeated in this ravaged city over the coming days. emma vardy, bbc news, los angeles. joining me live now is la fire department public information officer, christopher thomas. thank you so much forjoining us tonight. i know it's a very busy time. what is the latest you can tell us on efforts to contain these fires?-

you can tell us on efforts to contain these fires? right now our biggest — contain these fires? right now our biggest concern _ contain these fires? right now our biggest concern is - contain these fires? right now our biggest concern is the - contain these fires? right now| our biggest concern is the wind coming and the red flag warning. wejust had coming and the red flag warning. we just had another fire start outside the area, i'm only concerned with palisades but the ordering evacuations now. it's a red flag warning. people want to get back in their homes in palisades and would like to let them go in but we've had others starts go in there and we don't want to have to pull people out again. start in bell canyon,

another start in bell canyon, which is outside near ventura county photo i want to let you know we had six fires go in la county right now. we want to remind everybody that we're doing everything we can to keep you safe and to get in there and get this taken care of. what about for the firefighters working to battle these blazes? what are the biggest challenges they are facing right now? right now again it is the wind. the wind can push fire and embers three, four miles with winds going at 70, 80 mph. and we had that here. that will carry the fire way out of the way. because of the challenges we have with the wind we can always use our aircraft because at a certain era speed they can't fly. it's not safe and we

don't want to crash any helicopters. those are some of the challenges. these firefighters are here are amazing. some of these guys have been working 48 hours straight. that's how much these people are invested in this. all of these firefighters really care about what they do. it is truly remarkable. can you tell us, for those under red flag warning about what is the clear message that you want to you want to send to people right now? if clear message that you want to send to people right now? if you are asked to evacuate you are asked to evacuate please do so. if we have people please do so. if we have people out of the area then we can out of the area then we can concentrate on protecting your concentrate on protecting your homes. but your life is more homes. but your life is more important than anything. we important than anything. we understand the things in your understand the things in your house mean a lot. but if you house mean a lot. but if you are not there to enjoy them, we are not there to enjoy them, we just don't want that to happen. just don't want that to happen.

we're getting calls all the we're getting calls all the time of relatives that are calling us because they can't get a hold of family members. we don't know... we want to make sure everybody is safe. christopher, thank you for joining us tonight on bbc news. presidentjoe biden says he is surging all federal resources possible to southern california, including 400 additional federal firefighters and over 30 firefighting helicopters. he and vice president kamala harris have been speaking in the past couple hours. here's some of what they had to say. what we're seeing is a situation that is extremely dynamic. it's very much in play. and to some degree unpredictable. because we're literally waiting to see which way the wind blows. to the families who have been impacted by this disaster, you're living through a nightmare. i know. and i promise you, we're going to help you get through this and eventually

recover and rebuild. joining me live is congressman brad sherman representing the area in california that is currently burning. thank you so much forjoining us. i understand you're out in your district. tell us what you have been witnessing. it is devastating _ have been witnessing. it is devastating here _ have been witnessing. it is devastating here at - have been witnessing. it 3 devastating here at the car have been witnessing. it 1 devastating here at the car two fire command center at malibu. ijust got off fire command center at malibu. i just got off the phone fire command center at malibu. ijust got off the phone right before this with president biden. so pleased that he would express his concerns but even more pleased with his disaster declaration at the fullest possible level to provide federal help not only to put out this fire and keep people safe but help us rebuild in the months and years to come.

safe but help us rebuild in the months and years to con another homes. you've just seen another fire break out in different part of my district in the san fernando valley. these wins are horrific. —— wind. you wonder why other fires are breaking out in other parts of the county was up such as the ones that just county was up such as the ones thatjust broke out in an hour orso thatjust broke out in an hour or so ago. thatjust broke out in an hour or so age-— thatjust broke out in an hour or so ago-— or so ago. you said you “ust not or so ago. you said you “ust got off the i or so ago. you said you “ust got off the phone i or so ago. you said you “ust got off the phone with h got off the phone with president biden. we looked at the fact that is promising federal resources. what more do these firefighting teams need now as these blazes are uncontained?— now as these blazes are uncontained? ~ , uncontained? we need the winds to die down- _ uncontained? we need the winds to die down. and _ uncontained? we need the winds to die down. and we're _ uncontained? we need the winds to die down. and we're getting . to die down. and we're getting help but soon we will be getting help arriving from both canada and mexico. we're getting help from states across this country but especially from our neighboring states. we've got a lot of people on the lines. we have to respond

to additional fires as they break out, as long as these wins are gusting.— break out, as long as these wins are gusting. what about for those who _ wins are gusting. what about for those who have _ wins are gusting. what about l for those who have evacuated? so many people in immediate need right now. can you tell us about the assistance that will be needed for them as well? some are at the evacuation centers where they can eat for free, the westwood recreation center, most fire insurance policies will reimburse them for hotels they just policies will reimburse them for hotels theyjust met with the fema director who reminds me that fema will reimburse for hotels. it is tough to leave your home but there are beds for people. as the last guest magic, yes, it is hard to put

your keepsakes in danger because you have left but it's much more important to keep yourself safe.— yourself safe. had you ever imagined — yourself safe. had you ever imagined something - yourself safe. had you ever imagined something like i yourself safe. had you ever. imagined something like this could happen in your district, this level of devastation? ho. this level of devastation? no. this is the _ this level of devastation? no. this is the most _ this level of devastation? iirm this is the most expensive this level of devastation? iiru this is the most expensive fire in the history of america for the it's as expensive as the fire losses. there is some criticism as to what about this or what about that, i don't think anybody could imagine this level of wind and devastation. i will say this, as i was just speaking to governor gavin newsom, he repositioned the firefighting capacity several days before the first spark. he did so on the first spark. he did so on the basis of the meteorological

reports indicating we might be facing wind like this. most people when they hear there might be wind, maybe they don't pay attention, in this case he went to the expense of moving a lot of firefighting from northern california down to southern california, that needs to be commended.— southern california, that needs to be commended. thank you so much forjoining _ to be commended. thank you so much forjoining us _ to be commended. thank you so much forjoining us tonight - much forjoining us tonight from los angeles without wishing the best for you and your district. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. the pound fell .9% against the us dollar on thursday — to its lowest level in more than a year — as uk borrowing costs hit their highest level for 16 years. economists warn rising costs could lead to further tax increases or spending cuts. treasury minister darrenjones has played down economic concerns — saying there is "no need for an emergency intervention". former health secretary

jeremy hunt has apologised to the families of lucy letby�*s victims at the thirlwall inquiry at liverpool town hall. the inquiry is looking into how letby was able to kill seven babies while working at countess of chester hospital. mr hunt said letby�*s crimes had been committed "on his watch" — and apologized "for anything that didn't happen that could potentially have prevented such an appalling crime". temperatures in parts of the uk could fall below minus i6—degrees celsius overnight as a major cold front continues. fresh weather warnings have been issued with snow, ice and fog forecast across southern england, wales, northern ireland and northern scotland. disruption to road and rail services is expected. you're live with bbc news. staying in los angeles— where about 200,000 la residents are under evacuation warnings — meaning they may have to flee at a moments notice. many have had to make their way to evacution centres, like this one in pasadena. while others are cramming into

friends and familys apartments. that includes the family of caitlan doran, an influencer who lives in the los angeles neighborhood of marina del rey — not under an evacucation order. but her whole family has a home in the pacific palisades, where they keep her internet—famous tortoise tiptoe. that home — which you see here — is now gone, and much of herfamily including grandparents, aunt, uncle, brother and two cousins are now staying with her in marina del rey. and we can speak live now to caitlan from her apartment in marina del rey. thank you forjoining us. how are you and yourfamily doing? we're doing the best weekend. i feel are given the circumstances we're very happy to all be together. but, i mean we're looking at pictures, my dad and my grandfather went back up to the palisades to just check it out that our entire neighborhood gone. all of ourfriends entire neighborhood gone. all of our friends houses, entire neighborhood gone. all of ourfriends houses, it's devastating for the grocery stores, the whole town. did you

cu s stores, the whole town. did you guys have _ stores, the whole town. did you guys have any — stores, the whole town. did you guys have any warning - stores, the whole town. did you guys have any warning in - guys have any warning in advance or something like this could happen?— could happen? where we're situated at _ could happen? where we're situated at the _ could happen? where we're situated at the pacific - situated at the pacific palisades is at the bottom of the santa monica mountain range, it is so overgrown. we've been dried, we've been dry, we had crazy wind, we've never had a fire like this before ever though. it went from blue skies to black skies in a matter of minutes because the wind had shifted. all of the wind had shifted. all of the resources we take it to is side of the fire and then the wind shifted and our entire neighborhood caught for that and the resources weren't there and the resources weren't there and we ran out of water. my family has been in the palisades since the 1930s i'm a fifth generation palisade ian. i grew up in a beautiful pink brick house across the street from my grandparents when my

mother grew up. her brother lives down the street with his wife, two kids, all three of us lost their houses. there is nothing left. we were watching the smoke billowed over. when they say pack your things ago, we packed tiptoe, hundred and £75 tortoise for the it went pretty slow so that we take a minute. again, we have 11 adults here for that we have six dogs, cat, a tortoise where just so happy to all have each other and be able to spend unfortunate time together but we're together.— we're together. how is tiptoe co - in: ? we're together. how is tiptoe coping? he — we're together. how is tiptoe coping? he is— we're together. how is tiptoe coping? he is doing - we're together. how is tiptoe coping? he is doing the - we're together. how is tiptoe coping? he is doing the best| we're together. how is tiptoe i coping? he is doing the best he can. he coping? he is doing the best he can- he is _ coping? he is doing the best he can- he is in — coping? he is doing the best he can. he is in good _ coping? he is doing the best he can. he is in good spirits. we i