In pictures | Los Angeles wildfires and harrowing escapes

Fierce wildfires are raging in the Los Angeles area, fuelled by powerful Santa Ana winds, sending residents fleeing from burning homes through flames, ferocious winds and towering clouds of smoke.

Thousands of people fled wildfires in the Los Angeles area that turned picturesque neighbourhoods into the smoldering wasteland, with chimneys or wrought-iron staircases about all that remained of homes.

Driven by powerful Santa Ana winds, the flames obliterated more than 1,000 structures, scorched landmarks, made famous by Hollywood, and killed at least five people. One of the fires was the most destructive in the modern history of the city of Los Angeles.