Wildfires threatening Los Angeles have killed at least 10 people and devoured nearly 10,000 structures, with five fires burning into a third night on Thursday, as desert winds fanning the flames again gathered strength.

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 more than 34,000 acres (13,750 hectares) – or some 53 square miles – turning entire neighbourhoods to ash.

The death toll from the blazes rose to 10, Los Angeles County’s Medical Examiner said in an update late on Thursday, without providing identities or other details.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna told an earlier news conference that he expected the number to grow.

“It looks like an atomic bomb dropped in these areas,” said Mr Luna. “I don’t expect good news, and we’re not looking forward to those numbers.”

Private forecaster AccuWeather estimated the damage and economic loss at between $135 billion and $150 billion, portending an arduous recovery and soaring homeowners’ insurance costs.

Southern California Edison said on Thursday it had received notices from insurance companies to preserve evidence related to the Eaton Fire but said no fire agencies have pointed to the utility’s connection to the fire.

“We’re already looking ahead to rebuild the city of Los Angeles aggressively,” said Mayor Karen Bass, a Democrat, who faced criticism from President-elect Donald Trump and other Republicans over her handling of the disaster.

President Joe Biden, who declared a major disaster on Tuesday, promised on Thursday that the federal government would reimburse 100 per cent of the recovery for the next 180 days to pay for debris and hazard material removal, temporary shelters, and first responder salaries.

A large Super Scooper aircraft on loan from Canada was damaged and grounded after hitting an unauthorised civilian drone near the Palisades fire, the L.A. County Fire Department said. There were no injuries.

One rapidly growing blaze broke out on Thursday near Calabasas, one of the wealthiest cities in the U.S. and home to numerous celebrities and gated communities.

The so-called Kenneth Fire expanded to 960 acres (388 hectares) in hours.

With nerves on edge, Los Angeles County mistakenly sent an evacuation notice countywide to a population of 9.6 million, even though it had been meant only for the area of the Kenneth Fire, officials said. A correction was quickly sent.

Officials said the Eaton Fire had damaged or destroyed 4,000 to 5,000 structures, while the Palisades Fire destroyed or damaged another 5,300.

School was cancelled for a second day on Friday due to the contaminated air, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said.

In Altadena, a racially and economically diverse community nearby, many residents told Reuters they were concerned government resources would be channelled towards high-profile areas popular with A-Listers, while insurance companies might shortchange less affluent households that don’t have the financial means to contest fire claims.

“They’re not going to give you the value of your house … if they do, you really have to fight for it,” said Kay Young, 63, her eyes welling up with tears as she stared at a sprawl of smoking rubble, the remnants of a home that had been in her family for generations.

Firefighting crews managed to fully control the Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills after flames raged atop the ridge overlooking Hollywood Boulevard’s Walk of Fame on Wednesday night.

(Reuters/NAN)