Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna said it looks as though an atomic bomb has dropped in parts of the city hit by devastating fires.

Late on Thursday (local time), he confirmed five deaths from this week’s blazes, although Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley reported two more deaths from the Palisades blaze.

“Even as I’m telling you that, it’s leaving my lips, I’m nervous about that number,” Luna said.

He said he was praying the death toll didn’t increase, “but based on the devastation that is clear” he said he “doesn’t expect good news”.

In addition, there have been 20 arrests for looting.

“Individuals who chose to go into areas and deprive these poor people who have been through so much,” Luna said.

“Absolutely unacceptable. If you are in one of these areas where you do not belong, you are going to be arrested.”

Luna said he would impose a 6pm-6am curfew in fire-affected areas.

The latest update came amid a brief respite from the fierce winds that have fanned flames for two days, allowing crews to slow their explosive spread on Thursday.

Two massive wildfires menacing Los Angeles from the east and west are still burning uncontained and a new blaze, dubbed the Kenneth Fire, sparked on Thursday. It is pushing into Ventura County, and expected to spread rapidly.

LA Police later said they had detained a suspected arsonist in that fire.

The Palisades Fire between Santa Monica and Malibu on the city’s western flank and the Eaton Fire in the east near Pasadena already rank as the most destructive in Los Angeles history, consuming nearly 12,500 hectares and turning entire neighbourhoods to ash.

As well as the deaths, thousands of homes and businesses have been incinerated and nearly 180,000 people have been ordered to evacuate their homes, with another 200,000 under evacuation warnings, officials said.

Luna said the Eaton Fire alone had damaged or destroyed 4000 to 5000 structures. Officials said the Palisades Fire destroyed an estimated 1000 more.

Some Pacific Palisades residents ventured back to areas the fire had already swept through, where brick chimneys were left looming over charred waste and burnt-out vehicles. The remnants of a tattered and scorched American flag flapped from a pole.

Mayor Victor Gordon urged people to stay away until the all-clear was given to return.

“We’re starting to see people go back in those areas and our message to you is: Stay out of those areas until you hear officially that the orders have been lifted,” he said.

Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles no longer exists.

It has officially experienced the worst fire destruction in LA history. pic.twitter.com/HGRYIeHVMg

— Loveless 2026 🇺🇸 (@JohnnyLoveless) January 9, 2025

Thousands of Angelenos fleeing the flames sought refuge in temporary shelters.

While still strong, winds were quieter than the 160km/h gusts seen earlier in the week, permitting crucial aerial support for crews on the ground.

Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said firefighters were in a “much better posture” to battle the fires on Thursday.

“It is safe to say the Palisades Fire is one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles,” Crowley said.

The Los Angeles City Fire Department said residents should be prepared to evacuate if ordered.

In Pacific Palisades, an upscale and picturesque enclave where many celebrities reside, once-palatial homes stood in ruins, while downed power lines and abandoned cars littered the roadways. The smell of heavy smoke filled the air, and residents wearing masks rode bicycles, hoping to catch a glimpse of their damaged houses.

Aerial video showed block after block of levelled homes, while satellite images showed thick plumes of smoke from the fires being blown in a southwesterly direction out over the Pacific Ocean.

The two biggest conflagrations – the Palisades and Eaton fires – formed a pincer around the city so enormous that it was visible from space.

Firefighting crews managed to beat back a third blaze, known as the Sunset Fire, which had forced mandatory evacuations in Hollywood and Hollywood Hills – including famous show-business locations such as the TCL Chinese Theatre and the Hollywood Walk of Fame – late on Wednesday.

The fire was fully contained, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said on Thursday. No buildings were lost in the area, a city fire department spokeswoman said, and the evacuation order was lifted.

It was one of at least five separate wildfires burning in Los Angeles County on Thursday as powerful winds spread flames across parched ground that has seen no rain for months. Bass described it as a “perfect storm” of dangerous conditions.

🚨 The West Hills Fire in Los Angeles is exploding at an alarming rate!
Firefighters are STILL struggling to get water from hydrants.
Stay safe, follow evacuation orders, and pray for those on the frontlines.pic.twitter.com/WkBpj76mFl

— Peter Parker (@PeterParke955) January 10, 2025

President Joe Biden, who declared a major disaster in California, met top administration officials to discuss the federal response.

The homes of movie stars and celebrities were among those consumed by flames, which tore through some of the world’s most lavish real estate.

Chef Jose Andres, the Spaniard known for providing free food to disaster victims around the world, set up a food truck near the Palisades Fire on Pacific Coast Highway.

“Everybody needs support and love in these moments, wealthy or not, poor or not. It’s he right thing to do. So you try to make sure nobody is left behind,” he said.

Actress Jamie Lee Curtis on Thursday said her family would donate $US1 million ($A1.6 million) to relief efforts.

-with AAP