At least 5 people died in a wildfire in the city of Los Angeles

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More than 100,000 residents in Southern California were ordered to evacuate and five people were confirmed dead as wildfires raged in the Los Angeles region for a second day.

The fire spread into the Hollywood Hills on Wednesday, forcing the evacuation of densely populated hillside neighborhoods overlooking popular attractions including the Hollywood Bowl and the Walk of Fame.

The Hollywood fire has put more pressure on the firefighters who are struggling to contain many things It burns Starting Tuesday in Pacific Palisades, one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in the U.S. in and around the city.

Insurers are bracing for what is expected to be one of the costliest natural disasters in California history.

Strong winds have fueled the fire in at least four separate locations on more than 25,000 acres, sending black smoke and ash over the city. Wind gusts ranged from 50 to 80 miles per hour in the region, the National Weather Service said, adding that efforts to contain the fire were frustrating.

Air quality in much of Los Angeles is rated “very unhealthy,” with parts of the city far from the fire smelling of smoke. At a news conference on Wednesday, officials admitted they were struggling to keep up with the rapidly unfolding events.

Little is known about how the fires started, but the windy conditions that allowed them to spread are expected to continue. Low humidity and dry conditions are expected to continue in Los Angeles and Ventura counties through at least Friday.

California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency, allowing him to deploy the National Guard. President Joe Biden on Wednesday released federal funds to cover temporary housing, home repairs and uninsured property losses. Los Angeles County said schools will be closed Thursday.

More than 1,000 buildings were destroyed on Tuesday in Pacific Palisades, home to high-profile Hollywood stars including comedian Billy Crystal and Paris Hilton.

Fires quickly spread north to Malibu and threatened buildings south of Santa Monica, where embers carried by storms engulfed highways. That fire spread over 15,800 acres.

Areas north and east of Los Angeles were also engulfed in flames, in the San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita, Altadena and Pasadena.

Efforts to bring the fire under control were hampered by high winds, which were used by so-called super-scooper planes that lift water from the ocean. However, in the evening, helicopters were dropping water on the Hollywood fire.

Residents of Pacific Palisades, who fled on foot on Tuesday, were still calling friends and family to find out whose homes were still standing. Many who moved to nearby Santa Monica were told to relocate in the wake of the fire.

“This is a sad moment in our history in Los Angeles,” said Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell. “It’s imperative that we stay patient, come together and stay focused on saving lives.”

The fire halted work in Hollywood and forced the postponement of pre-Oscar screenings and celebrations. Warner Bros. shut down production in Burbank because of a fire, and Paramount postponed the premiere of the new film. A better person. Universal has canceled a Friday party hosted by NBCUniversal Studios & Entertainment Chairman Donna Langley.

Early predictions of the financial devastation are starting to come in, AccuWeather estimates that the total damage and economic loss could reach up to $57bn.

In the Palisades area, home values ​​average around $3.5mn, meaning billions of dollars could be claimed for that neighborhood.