The Los Angeles Department of Water & Power has strongly advised people in the Pacific Palisades and adjacent communities to "only use boiled water or bottled water for drinking and cooking purposes until further notice".

The alert, issued on 8 January, was triggered due to low water pressure in the water distribution system, which was caused by high water usage to respond to the Pacific Palisades wildfire, the department said in the notice.

The LADWP suggests that people bring all tap water to a boil for one minute and cool it before use. The advice also applies to water that is used for brushing teeth, making ice cubes and food preparation.

The notice remains effective until further notice as the LADWP re-pressurises the system and conducts tests on water quality. The test will take at least 48 hours, according to the Department.

John Sudworth
Reporting from Los Angeles

Image source, John Sudworth

More homes are burning into a second night in the Pacific Palisades as the fire crews stand back, telling us they don't have enough water to fight the flames.

With whole blocks ablaze, the crews use their hoses sparingly, training them every now and again on the roofs of those properties still standing in the hope of stopping the fire from spreading.

But the wind is strong up here above the ocean, and the flames and sparks leap high into the night air.

The fire seems set in everywhere you look, illuminating the surrounding ridges and hilltops with an eerie orange glow.

Image source, John Sudworth

It was just days ago that married actors Leighton Meester and Adam Brody were celebrating at the Golden Globes, where the latter was nominated for his work in hit Netflix show Nobody Wants This.

But the couple are now among the growing list of Hollywood stars who have lost their homes to the fires raging in LA, according to US media reports.

Image source, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

There are now at least seven fires in Los Angeles and some of its neighbouring counties.

The largest two, in the Palisades and Eaton, first ignited on Tuesday and have collectively burned nearly 27,000 acres since.

At least 137,000 people have been forced to evacuate from these fires alone.

Among the other blazes is the Hurst Fire, which broke out in the Sylmar neighbourhood north of San Fernando, and the Sunset Fire, which recently erupted in the Hollywood Hills, near Runyon Canyon.

Ben Derico
BBC News, North America

I’ve just landed in Las Vegas after leaving, well, Las Vegas.

My flight to Los Angeles’ Burbank airport was scheduled to land at 18:55 but after a bumpy attempt at touching down the landing was abandoned. The captain told us the winds were just too strong.

As we circled back over the city, we could see the eerie burning of what we suspect is the Hollywood Hills fire that sparked up just a few hours ago.

AccuWeather, a commercial weather forecasting service, estimates the California wildfire caused between $52bn (£42bn) and $57bn (£46bn) in damage. The private weather forecaster also warned the economic losses could increase.

"Should a large number of additional structures be burned in the coming days, it may become the worst wildfire in modern California history based on the number of structures burned and economic loss," AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said.

The fires have so far killed at least five people and destroyed a large number of buildings including some of the most valuable real estate in the US.

On top of the material damage, AccuWeather says there will be a significant economic hit from business interruptions, job losses and long-term medical costs from widespread exposure to smoke.

Christal Hayes
Reporting from Los Angeles

Image source, Christal Hayes

While driving in Hollywood, I saw many people running away from their homes with whatever belongings they could carry.

As I pulled over, some of them responded to me in fear and anxiety.

"Are you here to help people? Where do I go?" Anna Waldman asked as I got out of my car. "Where is it safe?"

Above us, sirens had gone off and helicopter blades were whipping.

As I helped her get to a safe area, she told me she was walking her dogs and had planned to stop by a grocery store when she smelled heavy smoke.

She went back home, looked out her windows, and watched the fire move quickly through the Hollywood Hills to within a block from her home.

She packed what she could: food, clothes, blankets, food for her three small dogs. "I can't believe this," she said in exhaustion.

Makayla Jackson, 26, held her 2-year-old son Ramari on the corner of a street as they waited for a ride. They had been evacuated from a homeless shelter that was in danger of burning.

"They just told us to get out and go," she told me. She said she was heading toward Hollywood High School, where more help was being offered.

Image source, Christal Hayes

Night has fallen in Los Angeles, but there's little reprieve for firefighters, who are now battling a sixth blaze.

At least five people have died and more than 1,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed since the wildfires first ignited on Tuesday.

More than 100,000 people have been evacuated so far.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Getty Images

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) will cancel classes and close its campus on Thursday and Friday "given the expected change in wind patterns in the hours ahead", Chancellor Julio Frenk says in a statement, external.

UCLA, located in the Westwood neighbourhood of Los Angeles, is one of the largest universities in the city, with an enrolment of about 31,600 undergraduates and 14,300 graduate and professional students each year.

"The first week of classes is typically a joyous occasion, and I am deeply sorry that the fires in our region have instead brought so much pain and caused so much devastation," Frenk says.

Meanwhile the University of Southern California, located two miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles, is keeping its campus open, external, but has asked students and faculty to work "from the safest place that gives you greatest flexibility to respond to any personal/family needs".

The US government is "prepared to do anything and everything, as long as it takes" to contain the wildfires in and help reconstruct in southern California, President Joe Biden said.

"But we know it'll be a hell of a long way," he added.

The president said he had earlier approved California governor Gavin Newsom's request for a major disaster declaration, and has also ordered federal assistance to supplement response efforts in affected areas.

In the region of the Sunset fire, winds are blowing from the north at 8 -15mph (19 - 24km/h), according to the National Weather Service.

Gusts are as high as 40km/h (25mph), weather officials say.

Later tonight they are expected to decrease to around 9 - 14 km/h (6 - 9mph).

President Joe Biden has cancelled his trip to Italy to focus on directing the federal response to the Los Angeles wildfires, his press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

The president met with police, fire and emergency personnel while he was in Los Angeles earlier today, she added.

Biden was originally scheduled to visit Rome from 9 to 12 Jan to meet with Pope Francis, Italy's President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

It would have been the final trip of his presidency.

Christal Hayes
Reporting from Los Angeles

Image source, Christal Hayes

Much of the heart of Hollywood is blanketed in thick smoke. You can barely see the tops of the towering palm trees that line streets here.

It’s utter chaos on the streets near the fire. People are using sweatshirts to cover their faces so they can breathe. Many are carrying bags and suitcases looking for a place to go. Some are wearing pyjamas, clearly taken by surprise.

Many of the roads near the blaze - including the iconic Hollywood Boulevard, which includes the Hollywood Walk of Fame - are gridlocked with traffic.

Some are even driving on the wrong side of the road to escape.

The inferno could be seen from nearby freeways, lighting up the dark with bright red hues.

On the outskirts of the legendary city though, it’s as though nothing is happening. People are eating dinner, shopping and going about their evenings.

A new brush fire broke out in the Hollywood Hills, near Runyon Canyon, on Wednesday evening. Here's a look at how the blaze has been spreading.

The Los Angeles Fire Department says it has grown to at least 20 acres.

The latest mandatory evacuation zone caused by a new fire in the Hollywood Hills is affecting several famous landmarks.

The Dolby Theatre, where the Academy Awards ceremony is held, is in the evacuation zone, as is as the Hollywood Bowl outdoor amphitheatre and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The zone is between the 101 Freeway on the east and Laurel Canyon on the west, Mulholland Drive on the north and Hollywood Boulevard on the south.

It's also affecting Runyon Canyon, an area popular with hikers and outdoor enthusiasts.

Image source, Getty Images

There are at least six fires raging in Los Angeles and its neighbouring Ventura County at the moment:

• Palisades: This is the first fire to erupt on Tuesday. It has scorched a sizable part of land in the Los Angeles, covering nearly 16,000 acres, including Pacific Palisades
• Eaton: This is the fire that has struck the northern part of Los Angeles country. Authorities said earlier that it has now burned 10,600 acres with 0% containment
• Hurst: This is located just north of San Fernando. It began burning on Tuesday night and has grown to 700 acres
• Woodley: This fire broke out on Wednesday and is the only one to have decreased in size throughout the day
• Olivas: A fifth fire erupted in Ventura County, northwest of Los Angeles, and is currently burning about 11 acres of land
• Hollywood Hills: A sixth fire broke out Wednesday evening in Hollywood Hills, near Runyon Canyon. It has grown to about 20 acres in less than an hour, and is officially being called the Sunset Fire by the LA Fire Department

At least 311,000 homes and businesses in southern California have lost electricity, according to the latest estimates from Poweroutages.us.

Earlier today, officials in Pasadena said that issues with power hampered their ability to fight the deadly Eaton fire. That is in addition to the issues with water pressure that have left some fire hydrants dry.

Image source, Getty Images

The nominations announcement for the upcoming Oscars will be postponed from 17 January to 19 January, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has said.

The voting period, which opened on 8 January, will also be extended by two more days to close on 14 January.

"We want to offer our deepest condolences to those who have been impacted by the devastating fires across southern California," the academy told its members in the letter.

"So many of our members and industry colleagues live and work in the Los Angeles area, and we are thinking of you."

The fire in the Hollywood Hills that broke less than one hour ago is officially being called the Sunset Fire by the LA Fire Department.

It's current size is approximately 10 acres, according to the LAFD.

It is burning in the area between Runyon Canyon and Wattles Park, and has triggered more mandatory evacuations.

Parts of Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Mulholland Drive, all the way south to Hollywood Boulevard - a route dotted with celebrity homes - are now in the evacuation zone.

Image source, Getty Images

Paris Hilton and Billy Crystal are among the celebrities who have lost their homes in the wildfires.

In an Instagram post, Hilton wrote: "Sitting with my family, watching the news, and seeing our home in Malibu burn to the ground on live TV is something no one should ever have to experience.

"This home is where we built so many precious memories... My heart and prayers are going out to every family affected by this fires."

Actor Billy Crystal told the CNN that his family is "heartbroken" by the loss of their home. "Words cannot describe the enormity of the devastation we are witnessing and experiencing," he said.

Actor Cameron Mathison also shared a clip of his home being reduced to smouldering ruins.

"We are safe. But this is what's left of our beautiful home," he wrote.

"Our home where our kids were raised and where they wanted to raise their own someday."

Earlier today, singer-songwriter Diane Warren posted a picture of the beachfront near her house, adding that the property she's had for close to three decades was lost in the fire.