Thousands of people have been forced to flee after "unprecedented" Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires ravage Los Angeles County.

When the air is warm and dry, transpiration and evaporation also suck water out of the plants and soil. That leaves dry vegetation that can provide fuel for flying embers to spread wildfires, as the Los Angeles area saw in early January.

Fueled by powerful winds and dry conditions, a series of ferocious wildfires erupted Tuesday and roared across the Los Angeles area.

Firefighters are continuing to battle a series of major fires ravaging the Los Angeles area that have left at least 10 people dead and devastated communities.

Wildfires which have killed at least 11 people and left behind widespread destruction in Los Angeles County continue to burn Friday while more strong winds and challenging weather conditions are forecasted for the coming days.

The first sign of worry for many was thick smoke blowing down from the hills of the affluent Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles, which borders Santa Monica and the famous Malibu coast. LA residents are accustomed to wildfires but the Palisades fire spread rapidly out of control.