President Biden has announced that the federal government will cover "100% of the cost of measures to protect lives and property in Southern California for six months".

"I’ve told the Governor and officials to spare no expense and do whatever they need to contain the fires and protect families," he wrote on X.

We earlier reported that Biden approved a slew of emergency measures, including a major disaster declaration allowing residents to request cash for necessities, increased federal funding for disaster relief and the deployment of firefighting helicopters and military planes to help fight the fires.

John Sudworth
North America Correspondent, reporting from Los Angeles

Image source, John Sudworth / BBC

Down the block, 70-year-old Stephanie Hunt-Graves is looking over the remains of her small home with her family.

She’s lived here for four decades.

Like so many in this neighbourhood, when she got the warning to leave she thought it was a precaution. She never expected something like this.

But she used to work in the insurance industry and, as a result, has always kept her premiums up to date.

“We do plan to rebuild, bigger and better,” she says.

“We’re praying for everybody,” her sister Jamille adds.

“Altadena is the number one place to live. It’s friendly, family oriented. Just a wonderful community.”

John Sudworth
North America Correspondent, reporting from Los Angeles

Image source, John Sudworth / BBC

We’ve been hearing more stories of residents returning to find their homes devastated.

Pete and Angela Mitchell choke up as they get out of the car in front of the charred embers where their Altadena home used to be.

Pete, an electrician with Disney, finds a few objects in the rubble – some of his woodworking tools, part of a new chandelier the couple had only recently installed, one of Angela’s sewing tins with some needles inside.

Almost everything else is gone.

The couple talk of how lucky they feel to have lived in the neighbourhood since 2013.

Altadena is a place of special community spirit they tell me, and they’re sure it will be rebuilt.

We've just heard Los Angeles county Sheriff Robert Luna say the death tally from all of the fires currently stands at five people.

He says there are two deaths from the Palisades fire, and three deaths from the Eaton fire in Altadena.

Previously, it was reported that there had been five deaths in the Eaton fire. But the sheriff has just advised that number is actually three.

"Even as I'm telling you that, it's leaving my lips, I'm nervous about that number," he says.

"And the obvious question is do you think it's going to grow? I'm praying it doesn't, but based on the devastation... (it looks like) an atomic bomb dropped on these areas.

"I don't expect good news, and we're not looking forward to those numbers."

Asked what it will take to stop the fires and whether the city has enough resources, Mayor Bass says support is coming from all over the country as well as Canada.

"We have certainly seen Los Angeles firefighters deployed around the country [in the past]," she says. "So just as we have provided mutual aid, I am getting calls from [state governors] who have offered to send people."

"I think we have been rich in support. I don't know if we ever have enough resources."

Image source, Getty Images

LA fire chief Kristin M. Crowley answers a question on how firefighters and first responders are holding up.

"Our firefighters are working to the highest efforts," she says.

They're "absolutely tired," but "they will never ever give up," she says.

All schools have been closed in the LA unified school district, and the closure will go into tomorrow, says the district's superintendent Alberto M Carvalho.

Students will rely on digital devices for learning. The closures, which affect over 1,000 schools, will be reviewed again heading into Monday.

Authorities made this decision after "reviewing air quality data", he says.

Subsiding winds make it easier to combat fire, but they also lead to lingering smoke in the communities, he says. "Smoke for us is the enemy, as it compromises the air quality around our schools."

LA County Sheriff Robert Luna says there are almost 500 sheriff deputies throughout the county working on evacuations, traffic control, and preventing looting.

He says that, following conversations over recent days about how they could be used, the California National Guard is now being deployed to specific missions, starting at the Palisades and Eaton fires.

He adds that he hopes to see a curfew enforced tonight in the evacuated areas, but that it may not be in place until Friday night.

We're hearing some details on one of the deaths recorded in the Palisades fire.

We just learned two people have died in that Palisades fire, and five people have died in the Eaton fire.

The Los Angeles Police Chief says one body was found in the Palisades area about 10:00 local time today. The coroner's office determined the death to be fire related.

No information was given on the other death confirmed in the Palisades.

O'Brien also says that while their resources have increased significantly and they're in a "much better position", powerful winds could affect fires in the counties of LA and Ventura next week.

The national weather service predicts warnings will remain in effect for LA county and the majority of Ventura county through Friday.

There's the possibility of "another likely event impacting both counties earlier next week", he says.

Jon O'Brien, chief deputy emergency operations of Los Angeles County Fire Department, is now giving an update on the Eaton fire in Pasadena.

He says the fire is now over 13,609 acres and remains 0% contained, and that it has destroyed an estimated 5,000 structures.

A number of firefighters have been injured while tackling the blaze, he adds.

Image source, US Pool

More now on the Kenneth fire, which started just after 14.30 local time and has already grown to be more than 800 acres in about three hours,

The number of firefighters involved has increased, Jon O'Brien, chief deputy emergency operations of Los Angeles County Fire Department, says.

LA county supervisor Lindsey Horvath is warning about the potential danger of the Kenneth fire, which started two hours ago.

"At the rate of spread and density of communities in this area, it is serious," she says in an emphatic tone. "Please act swiftly, move quickly, evacuate now."

Mental health professionals have been deployed to support people in shelters, Horvath says.

"I know it is hard to walk away from everything that you have invested yourself in," she says. "But you don't, it puts us all at risk."

California Senator Adam Schiff says Los Angeles may yet see more fires.

"We are not through this by any means," he says. "We keep seeing these fires pop up in different places. We may see more before this is over.

"If you're told to evacuate then get the hell out. You might think you can outrun a fire. You are not going to outrun these fires.

"The way they are moving, the unpredictably, the swiftness with how they're moving. If you stay, you're going to die in them."

He adds that, even once the fires are out, there will remain a risk that rains will trigger mudslides.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administrator Deanne Criswell outlines how people impacted by the fire can get assistance and access resources they might need.

She says there will be temporary schools, which FEMA will help organise.

"We know recovery is complicated... we know this recovery is complicated, but it is doable," Criswell says.

Image source, US Pool

LA Mayor Karen Bass says that the city is looking to "aggressively rebuild" the homes, roads and businesses destroyed by the fires. Authorities would clear the red tape and unnecessary delays to do that.

"LA has to be strong, united," LA mayor Karen Bass said, adding that they would "reject" those who sought to divide and misinform.

Los Angeles Mayor Bass says the national guard are taking on non-emergency roles to keep burn areas secure and ensure that frontline firefighters and police officers can focus on their work.

"Let me be clear," she says. "There's going to be zero tolerance for anybody... that would dare to enter houses or loot property."

Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley says firefighters are now tackling a new fire, dubbed the Kenneth Fire, in Ventura County.

She says the fire was over 50 acres when teams arrived and has the "potential for rapid growth over the next hour".

Over 60 fire companies from regional departments have been dispatched to the fire, she says.

Image source, US Pool

Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley says two deaths have been recorded in the Palisades fire. These are the first deaths confirmed for that fire. We do not yet have a total death toll from all of the fires, stick with us while we find out more details on that.

Crowley says the Palisades fire was more than 19,000 acres in size, and more than 5,300 structures have been destroyed.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is now speaking to media. She says there is a new fire in West Hills, and they expect it to rapidly spread because of the high winds.

She urges people to follow evacuation orders.