High winds and exceptionally dry conditions are causing wildfires to spread across thousands of acres of land in various parts of Los Angeles.

Many of them are still growing quickly, according to a fire official who told the BBC on Thursday, and firefighters are still struggling to contain them.

The most destructive fire in Los Angeles history is the biggest one, which is located in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood, where many celebrities reside. Over 5,300 structures have been demolished.

These maps and images show how the fires have spread, where they are, and how they appear from space. The situation is changing quickly.

Among the buildings already destroyed are many of the exclusive properties that line the Malibu waterfront.

Slide your cursor across the image above to see an aerial view of what the area used to look like and what it looks like now.

Five fires are still burning in the Los Angeles area.

• Palisades fire: The largest active fire is burning between Santa Monica and Malibu. Burnt area: more than 20,000 acres. More than 5,300 structures destroyed. At least 30,000 people evacuated.

• Eaton fire: Second largest fire burning north of Pasadena. Burnt area: at least 13,690 acres. Potentially more than 4,000 structures damaged or destroyed. Five deaths reported.

• Hurst fire: To the north east of the city. Burnt area: 850 acres.

• Lidia fire: Reported in the hills north of Los Angeles. Burnt area: 350 acres.

• Kenneth fire: In the West Hills area, just north of the Palisades. Began on Thursday afternoon and has so far burned 960 acres.

Three fires have been contained.

Beachfront and hillside homes in Malibu, CA burn in the Palisades Fire on Wednesday, January 8, 2025

Olivas fire: Small fire first reported in Ventura county about 50 miles (80km) east of Los Angeles. Burnt area: 11 acres.

Sunset fire: Reported in the historic Hollywood Hills area near many famous landmarks, including the Hollywood sign. Burnt area: 43 acres.

The map above shows how rapidly the Palisades fire spread, intensifying in a matter of hours. At just after 14:00 on Tuesday it covered 772 acres and within four hours it had approximately tripled in size.

It now covers almost 20,000 acres and thousands of people have been forced to evacuate the area, as more than 1,400 firefighters try to tackle the blaze.

The Eaton fire has also grown rapidly from about 1,000 acres on Tuesday to more than 13,000 acres, forcing thousands more people to flee.

Largest fires have burnt thousands of buildings

As the maps below show, about 20,000 buildings may have been damaged or destroyed already - and many more could be at risk depending on how the fires spread.

How does the Palisades fire compare in size with New York and London?