Welcome to the NewsHour. Firefighters continue to battle multiple major fires today in Los Angeles, with much of the county under a red flag warning. At least five people have been killed. A number officials expect to rise, and 180,000 people are currently under evacuation orders.

The fires that started on Tuesday are now among the most destructive

in California state history. More than 2,000 buildings and structures have already been destroyed.

Stephanie Sy is on the ground and has this report.

This is your street. This is it. The scenes along 86-year-old Roosevelt Pullum's Altadena Street were apocalyptic as we drove

him back to his house today.

The sight of its remains overwhelmed him.

He recalled where he was when the flames started approaching,

working on one of his cars. This was my lady. That house was home for nearly 40 years.

That was my peach tree. As the sun rose this morning over Los Angeles, thick smoke filled the air and the scale of devastation became clear.

Good morning.

Today, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said the damage was catastrophic.

Some of them looked like a bomb was dropped in them, where we will be able to bring in canines and other things to help us, hopefully not discover too many fatalities. That's our prayer.

Winds subsided enough Wednesday and overnight to allow firefighters to attack from the sky, dropping water and retardant in the burning hills and mountain ranges that semicircle Los Angeles.

But dangerous wildfires continue to burn across L.A. County.

Let me just say that today, the city's mayor, Karen Bass, responded to criticism that fire hydrants used to fight the massive palisades fire ran dry.

The fire hydrants are not constructed to deal with this type of massive devastation,

and that the number one problem, especially, was the fact that we weren't able to do the air support

because of the winds. And so, of course, I am absolutely frustrated by that.

Los Angeles Fire Chief Christian Crowley said extreme fire behavior is still possible.

Today, it is absolutely imperative that as we move into day three of this firestorm,

all members of our Los Angeles community maintain vigilance.

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