Firefighters battle devastating Los Angeles wildfires as winds ease a little

Smoke from the Palisades Fire is seen during a commercial flight to Los Angeles, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Firefighters in the US were continuing to try and control a series of major fires in the Los Angeles area that have killed five people, ravaged communities from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena and sent thousands of people frantically fleeing their homes.

Ferocious winds that drove the flames and led to chaotic evacuations have calmed somewhat and were not expected to be as powerful during the day.