“Damage assessments are ongoing at the Palisades fire. Preliminary reports estimate the damage or destroyed structures to be in the thousands,” Los Angeles city Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said during a news conference Thursday morning.

A new wildfire broke out on Wednesday evening in the Hollywood Hills, an area of central Los Angeles indelibly associated with the American film industry, as emergency crews struggled against several other devastating blazes that were raging out of control and forcing desperate evacuations.

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.