As wildfires spread across Los Angeles, mandatory evacuation orders were issued in the Hollywood Hills.

The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) said there was an “immediate threat to life” in the area and it was closed to the public by law.

There are currently at least five fires burning in Los Angeles, with five confirmed deaths.

More than 130,000 people have been forced to evacuate, and the homes of many celebrities, including Paris Hilton and Billy Crystal, have been destroyed.

The first fire started Tuesday in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood near Malibu, and others have since broken out in the city’s north.

As of 20:15 local time (04:00 GMT), four fires in the Palisades, Pasadena, Sylmar and Hollywood Hills areas covered more than 27,000 acres (42 sq mi; 109 sq km) and had 0 containment rates %according to LAFD.

One fire in the Acton area has been partially contained and two other fires have been fully contained.

The fire in Hollywood Hills, a residential area overlooking the city’s historic Hollywood district, started around 18:00 local time on Wednesday.

Less than two hours later, much of downtown Hollywood was shrouded in thick smoke, with the canopies of palm trees lining the streets barely visible.

People covered their faces with sweatshirts to help breathe, while others were visibly surprised by the fire and wore only pajamas. Many people are carrying bags and suitcases and planning where to go while talking on the phone.

Many roads near the fire — including Hollywood Boulevard, home to the Hollywood Walk of Fame — were clogged with traffic. Some people even drove on the wrong side of the road as they tried to leave the area.

Resident Anna Waldman told the BBC she had planned to walk her dog but smelled smoke almost immediately when she went outside.

She returned inside, looked out the back window and saw the fire, watching it quickly move through the Hollywood Hills to a block from her home.

She packed what she could: food, clothes, blankets, food for her three puppies.

“I can’t believe it,” she said tiredly, pulling down her mask.

Makayla Jackson, 26, and her 2-year-old son Ramari were evacuated from a homeless shelter that was in danger of catching fire and now stood on the street waiting for a ride to a high school. Help is being provided there for the homeless. people.

“They just told us to go out and walk,” she said.

Firefighters fighting the blaze encountered a water shortage and had to get water from swimming pools and ponds.

Officials said three separate 1 million-gallon water tanks were full before the fire, but the rising intensity of the fire meant water couldn’t flow fast enough to hydrants in the affected areas.

The city also doesn’t typically experience fires of this size — the Palisades Fire was already the most destructive in its history — and its systems are designed for urban use, not to fight wildfires.