Footage from the Mandeville Canyon area showed one home consumed, with a wall of flame licking up a hillside to menace others.
A brief lull in the wind was rapidly giving way to gusts that forecasters warned would feed the blazes for days to come.
“Critical fire-weather conditions will unfortunately ramp up again today for southern California and last through at least early next week,” the National Weather Service said.
“This may lead to the spread of ongoing fires as well as the development of new ones.”
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The Palisades fire was 11 per cent contained on Saturday but had grown to 23,600 acres (9,500 hectares), while the Eaton Fire was at 14,000 acres and 15 per cent contained.
Official figures show more than 12,000 structures burned, but Cal Fire’s Todd Hopkins said not all were homes, and the number would also include outbuildings, recreational vehicles and sheds.
The sudden rush of people needing somewhere new to live in the months ahead looked set to make life hard for already-squeezed renters in the city.
“I’m back on the market with tens of thousands of people,” said a man who gave his name as Brian, whose rent-controlled apartment has burned.
“That doesn’t bode well.”
With reports of looting and a nighttime curfew in place, police and National Guard have mounted checkpoints to prevent people getting into the disaster zones.
But that has left residents frustrated as they queue for up to 10 hours to try to get back in and see what, if anything, is left of their homes.
Source: CNA
