Thousands of people in the wealthy Pacific Palisades neighbourhood in Los Angeles have been forced to evacuate after strong winds fuelled a massive wildfire.

The inferno has levelled homes while it rages on – exploding from 10 acres to more than 2,900 acres in mere hours.

At the scene, CBS reporter Jonathan Vigliotti said firefighters were no longer “trying to save” houses in the Palisades, “they’re trying to prevent these flames from jumping to other neighbourhoods”.