Wildfires rage out of control near Los Angeles, killing at least 2

A terrifying wave of wildfires squeezing Los Angeles on multiple fronts pushed closer to the symbolic heart of the US film industry on Thursday after a new blaze ignited in the hills overlooking Hollywood Boulevard and its Walk of Fame.

The crescent of flames squeezing Los Angeles – including a huge fire between Santa Monica and Malibu on the city’s western flank and a conflagration in the east near Pasadena – was so expansive that it was visible from space as a huge pincer.

More than 100,000 people have been ordered to evacuate as dry, hurricane-force winds spread flames across parched ground that has seen no rain for months. At least five people have died since the fires erupted on Tuesday.

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, and in the case of the Hollywood Hills fire, above showbiz landmarks instantly recognisable around the world.

“This firestorm is the big one,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass told a press conference after rushing back to the city, cutting short an official trip to Ghana.