At least five people are dead and many more injured as several fires broke out across Southern California amid historically dry and windy conditions.

Two people are confirmed dead Wednesday and a thousand structures have been destroyed by four southern California wildfires in Los Angeles County as windstorms up to hurricane strength continue to fan the deadly flames.

The Eaton Fire burns vehicles and structures Wednesday in Altadena, Calif. The Palisades Fire burns a Christmas tree inside a residence in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. A resident of a senior center is evacuated as the Eaton Fire approaches Tuesday in Altadena, Calif.

It would take four days before firefighters could establish even a short line of containment around it. And yet, well before the Palisades Fire ignited Tuesday morning, preparations had begun for aggressive firefighting.

Pacific Palisades appeared more like a moonscape of destruction than an upscale neighborhood known for its ocean views, beautiful vistas and celebrity denizens.

Fire crews gathered around a roof here, a fence there. But mostly, everything was just gone. The inferno had torn down the cliffs, destroyed the scarps, hopped the Pacific Coast Highway and ignited almost every last structure until it reached the sand.

At least five people have been killed and thousands of structures have burned in wildfires raging in the Los Angeles area