Two deaths have now been reported in the Palisades Fire, which has grown to nearly 20,000 acres, Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley announced at a late afternoon news conference Thursday. The two deaths included one body that was removed from the rubbleof a home along Pacific Coast Highway,

A central part of the city was under threat as a new fire broke out in the Hollywood Hills. Firefighters were already struggling to fight the worst blaze in Los Angeles history, and more than 100,000 people were under mandatory evacuation orders.

A number of wildfires are spreading across the Los Angeles area, fuelled by strong winds, engulfing homes, forcing tens of thousands to flee and killing five people. A state of emergency has been declared in California.

Massive wildfires roaring through the Los Angeles area left neighborhoods in ruins Wednesday, killing at least five people and threatening landmarks made