Wildfires burning in Los Angeles County have left five people dead and burned thousands of structures to the ground this week, becoming some of the most destructive the area has seen in decades.

National Guard troops join wildfire response as looting arrests rise and nearly 180,000 residents remain under evacuation orders in Los Angeles County.

Out-of-control wildfires are ripping across parts of Los Angeles, leading to at least five deaths, burning down hundreds of buildings, and prompting more than 130,000 people to flee their homes in America's second-largest city.