Two massive wildfires menacing Los Angeles from the east and west were still burning uncontained on Thursday, but a brief respite from the fierce winds that have fanned the flames for two days allowed crews to slow their explosive spread.

Fierce wildfires are raging in the Los Angeles area, with fast-moving flames burning through homes and businesses. Residents are fleeing smoke-filled canyons.

Multiple wildfires, including the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire, are raging across southern California Thursday, leaving at least 5 dead and burning more than 27,000 acres, officials say. Police have arrested 20 suspected looters.

The wildfires that destroyed homes in multiple sections of the Los Angeles area will test California’s efforts to stabilize the state’s insurance marketplace after many insurers stopped issuing residential policies due to the high fire risk.

The massive Palisades Fire broke out in Los Angeles on Tuesday afternoon, prompting mandatory evacuations affecting tens of thousands of people and highway closures. Later Tuesday, the Eaton Fire broke out in the foothills of Pasadena on the other side of Los Angeles County.

The Eaton Fire destroyed homes in Altadena Calif., a town northeast of Pasadena. The image was captured Jan. 8 by Maxar Technologies' shortwave infrared sensor. This sensor has the ability to see through the dense smoke of an active fire to the ground beneath, as well as locating the flame front and hot spots in the fire, according to Maxar.

As fires raged from the seaside enclave of Pacific Palisades to the hillsides above Pasadena — with at least five dead and thousands of homes and other buildings leveled or damaged — residents accusto

With flames driven by hurricane-force winds, “it feels like Armageddon,” said one woman who was forced to evacuate. “It’s just smoke and darkness.”

Firefighters are making progress slowing the major fires in the Los Angeles area that have killed five people, ravaged communities from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena and caused thousands of people to