aerial crews have been bombarding the flames with water to hold back the palisades fire — which is menacing one of la's most exclusive neighbourhoods. winds are picking up again, further fanning the flames — 166,000 more people have been warned they may have to flee. this is the scene live in la where the fires are burning into a fifth night. thousands of pets are missing or affected by the wildfires. we'll speak to the founder of an animal shelter which has been rescuing pets from the la wildfires. hello and welcome. i'm nicky schiller. we start in los angeles where it is nine o'clock in the evening and firefighters continue to battle the wildfires that have devastated huge swathes of the city. the number of people killed has

risen to 16 and a dozen are missing after five days of devastating fires. the two biggest blazes in the city remain largely you can see the blazes are still there. the two biggest blazes in the city remain largely uncontained and more strong winds are forecast over the coming days. those two fires have destroyed an area more than twice the size of new york's manhattan. no cause has yet been established for the fires. firefighters have made some progress against the worst of the infernos, the palisades fire, which has scorched nearly 35 square miles and is 11% contained, but it is now menacing brentwood, one of la's most exclusive neighbourhoods, where arnold schwarzenegger and basketball star lebron james have homes. there've been dramatic scenes of aircraft dropping thousands of gallons of fire retardant on the hills and scrub, in an attempt to put

out the blazes. but if the winds do pick up it will be harder to get those aircraft and helicopters into the air. more than 12,000 homes and other buildings have been destroyed. the second—biggest blaze, the eaton fire, has destroyed more than 20 square miles and was 15% contained, that means they've got barriers around that much of the perimeter. firefighters have mostly contained two smaller blazes, the kenneth and hurst fires. but the national weather service warned that the santa ana winds that whipped up the fires at the outset would increase again on saturday and into sunday. seven neighbouring states, the federal government and canada and mexico have rushed resources to california. we'll be live with our correspondent in the city shortly, but first this report from john sudworth who's been out watching the firefighting efforts. they're throwing everything

they've got at these fires. in multiple waves, the aircraft swoop in — the helicopters dropping thousands of gallons of water every run. so, we've seen these planes now coming in time and time again. this one is dropping fire retardant right on top of the fire there in a desperate bid to stop these flames reaching the communities on the other side of the hill there. this latest flare—up poses a major threat to new neighbourhoods. new evacuations have been ordered, with more property and lives in the reach of this disaster. this is what they're trying to prevent. 0n the other side of the city, an eerie silence. but amid the devastation and grief, questions are being asked, too. how were firefighters

left without water? did budget cuts hamper the response? the city's fire chief has directly criticised city officials. in her latest press conference, though, the mayor pushed back. let me be clear about something. the fire chief and i are focused on fighting these fires and saving lives, and any differences that we might have will be worked out in private. but right now, our first and most important obligation to angelenos is to get through this crisis. for the past few days, the weather's been on their side, but winds are forecast to pick up again, and this city's fight is far from over. john sudworth, bbc news, los angeles. let's get the latest from la and our correspondent, david willis.

i assume the big concern is about the wind picking up again. about the wind picking up aaain. , . ,., again. very much so. there is a dusk to dawn _ again. very much so. there is a dusk to dawn curfew _ again. very much so. there is a dusk to dawn curfew in - again. very much so. there is a dusk to dawn curfew in place i dusk to dawn curfew in place here in order to prevent looting at sites such as this. enforced by members of the californian national guard, some of whom lined up behind me here. an organisation is under way to prevent the largest wildfire from encroaching on one of the most upscale parts of the city of los angeles. that is the brentwood area were currently the evacuation orders have been widened to include the getty centre, a hilltop museum home to thousands of priceless works of art. firefighters have been bombing

these flames from above using air tankers. these flames from above using airtankers. it these flames from above using air tankers. it is a tactic proved successful to an extent but the wind you mentioned have continued to prove tricky and there is of course there is a very small window of pop opportunity for firefighters here because on tuesday and onwards for next week the wind is expected to whip up quite substantially. cadaver dogs have been brought in for human remains and a couple hours ago the los angeles coroner office announced it was investigating 16 fire —related deaths and the expectation is that death toll is expected to grow possibly quite considerably.— is expected to grow possibly quite considerably. where are the peeple — quite considerably. where are the people who _ quite considerably. where are the people who are _ quite considerably. where are the people who are having - quite considerably. where are the people who are having to| the people who are having to get out of those areas that have been raised to the ground

going at the moment?- have been raised to the ground going at the moment? some have one the going at the moment? some have gone the evacuation _ going at the moment? some have gone the evacuation centres - going at the moment? some have gone the evacuation centres set . gone the evacuation centres set “p gone the evacuation centres set up by gone the evacuation centres set up by local charities. some have gone to relatives. there are people here whose homes have been here for generations and lost everything. no relatives homes to go to. some of those have gone to hotels and to some left the state altogether. the question is will they return? they have very little to come back to, some of them.— very little to come back to, some of them. ~ ., ~ ., some of them. we now know the olitical some of them. we now know the political repercussions _ political repercussions continue and the mayor under a lot of pressure at those news conferences to answer questions. conferences to answer questions— conferences to answer questions. conferences to answer cuestions. . , questions. that is right. the ma or questions. that is right. the mayor interestingly - questions. that is right. the mayor interestingly enough | mayor interestingly enough appeared alongside the fire chief this morning at a news conference. displaying some sort of solidarity in public

but there is very little doubt they are not seeing eye to eye on private at least because yesterday the mayor and the fire chief had a behind closed doors meeting following the fire chief criticism of the mayor �*s decision to cut the budget for the los angeles fire department by $17 million. she said that contributed to the problems firefighters faced in combating these two very devastating fires. not a person who likes to be criticised in public and so it was a rather tense meeting suggesting the fire chief may have been fired, it was later refuted but it is clear this is a tense relationship that they will tough out and saw the fires are out. i tough out and saw the fires are out. ~' ., tough out and saw the fires are out. ~ ., , .,

out. i know you lived in the ci for out. i know you lived in the city for more _ out. i know you lived in the city for more than - out. i know you lived in the city for more than 20 - out. i know you lived in the city for more than 20 yearsi out. i know you lived in the - city for more than 20 years and been talking to people today. can you see how the city is going to be able to rebuild, when you think of the number of buildings totally destroyed. but something i was thinking about very much today because you have areas like pacific palisades virtually wiped off the map. i spoke to one man a couple of days ago whose house had survived the wildfire but it was the only one in the street that had done so. the local church, local grocery store completely destroyed. while his house had enjoyed, he had nothing to go back to and that begs the question what are you going to do with his communities? are you going to rebuild? and what sort of cost will people want to do that? an incredible task that faces

authorities here and one that will be confronting them for quite some time. that said, one does not forget, this is the capital of reinvention. the centre of dreams and many people have been through nothing quite like this but have been through very serious earthquakes and other natural disasters on the to rebuild to where they were before. fin disasters on the to rebuild to where they were before. on that rebuildin: where they were before. on that rebuilding it— where they were before. on that rebuilding it will _ where they were before. on that rebuilding it will cost _ where they were before. on that rebuilding it will cost and - where they were before. on that rebuilding it will cost and i - rebuilding it will cost and i assume people will struggle to get insurance going forward with the thought this could happen again. with the thought this could happen again-— with the thought this could happen again. there was an insurance — happen again. there was an insurance crisis _ happen again. there was an insurance crisis before - happen again. there was an insurance crisis before this| insurance crisis before this charge of the, this disaster happened. insurance companies were very unwilling to ensure properties here anyway but because of the risk of earthquakes and floods and

fires, now there will be even less willing to do so. maybe impossible almost to get insurance for your property here. another question people will be mulling as they left their homes and are considering possibly going back or not. i final thought for the emergency services who have been working around the clock for five days now with no sign of these fires being totally contained. they must be, to put it bluntly, knackered.— must be, to put it bluntly, knackered. , , knackered. absolutely. many have been — knackered. absolutely. many have been working _ knackered. absolutely. many have been working around i knackered. absolutely. many| have been working around the clock. they have been augmented today by more than 70 firefighters from neighbouring mexico arrived here today. firefighters from canada and the northern border have been

brought in as firefighters from seven neighbouring states. men and machinery arriving. very valuable in the days ahead of some of the most tricky days. monday in the tooth, into wednesday whether wins are expected to pick up. posing a real problem to the firefighters all over again. thank you. that is david live in los angeles. here you can see it is now 12 minutes past nine o'clock in the evening. hundreds of firefighters working around the clock to try and contain the fires. would speak to liz.

let's speak to liz lin, president of the los angeles fire department foundation, which is assisting firefighters in la. how tough is it for the firefighters? the firefighters are now on day five or six. they have been there since day one. normally during fire season which happens, very rarely do we have something injanuary. there is something injanuary. there is something like six fires and they keep popping up on what even more usual as the fire behaviour and the wind is something we have never seen. as of this and who i a couple years ago. and now we cdf was unpredictable behaviour, could trouble when driving the fires. unprecedented in the city of la and the nation for what we see. firefighters are trying their best. ~ . ., firefighters are trying their best. ~ , , . , best. we can see the pictures of firefighters _ best. we can see the pictures of firefighters getting - of firefighters getting extremely close. what can you

do to help them?— extremely close. what can you do to help them? what we do as a non-profit _ do to help them? what we do as a non-profit organisation, - do to help them? what we do as a non-profit organisation, my i a non—profit organisation, my only mission is to serve the fire department. anything the budget did not support, anything that helps them do the job they do, we will find and ourfunding depends on job they do, we will find and our funding depends on the general public. this morning i was at palisades and what technology equipment. some computers and things were failing. here are wiebes, goggles, something as simple as i dropped, making sure they have everything they need to keep them safe and keep them healthy and keep them doing thisjob. i healthy and keep them doing this 'ob. , , , ., this “oh. i suppose it is not 'ust this job. i suppose it is not 'ust the this job. i suppose it is not just the physical _ this job. i suppose it is not just the physical strain i this job. i suppose it is not just the physical strain but| just the physical strain but emotional strain on them as well. ~ ., , emotional strain on them as well. ~ . , ., , well. when i was in palisades this morning _ well. when i was in palisades this morning touring - well. when i was in palisades this morning touring the i well. when i was in palisadesj this morning touring the sites we had a couple canine therapy dogs available. not only for

the firefighters but families starting to come in. and seeing their homes and devastation. a street and a block completely decimated and then there is one house standing. you ask yourself why. it is very emotional and fortunately we have some resources we can use to help in on the firefighters by the public as well.- to help in on the firefighters by the public as well. what has been the response _ by the public as well. what has been the response from - by the public as well. what has been the response from the i been the response from the community and around the world? i am overwhelmingly shocked by the level of gratitude, humanity and positivity. sure, there has been a lot of coverage of others fire the outpouring of support, we have been so inundated with food, water from all over the world, comments about unity, france, england, germany. i have seen

messages from budapest. everywhere across the world. frankly that is what keeps me going. i see that and it makes me feel very good when you put in 15, 16 hour days, getting that message means the world and to make sure i share it with the firefighters. thank ou for with the firefighters. thank you forjoining _ with the firefighters. thank you forjoining us _ with the firefighters. thank you forjoining us and i with the firefighters. thank l you forjoining us and sparing the time on bbc news. let me show you the life pictures as the fires continued to burn in los angeles. the scale of the fire as the camera zooms out with la, you can see it in the hills as they are tackling these blazes. 2a hours a day at these blazes. 2a hours a day at the moment. we will return to the moment. we will return to the latest from la. we talked about the human cost but there are a lot of pets affected by these wildfires. we will talk about that later on bbc news. the lawyer who was in charge of two federal investigations into donald trump has resigned.

us special counseljack smith was due to release a report on hi