Five people have been killed in wildfires that have been ripping through the mountains and foothills around Los Angeles.

Hurricane-force winds have sent fireballs from house to house, torching entire streets and destroying more than 1,000 buildings.

Celebrities including actor Billy Crystal and heiress Paris Hilton are among the residents whose homes have burnt down across several affluent suburbs, where tens of thousands more people have been forced to evacuate. 

Today, LA-based meteorologist Jonathon Porter explains what’s making the fires so destructive, and reality TV estate agent Jason Oppenheim explains the neighbourhoods most affected.

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Jason Oppenheim, LA-based real estate agent

Jonathon Porter, AccuWeather Chief meteorologist Jonathon Porter