At least five people are dead and several injured as multiple fires burn, including most destructive in city’s history

• California wildfires: live updates

Los Angeles firefighters were already stretched thin on Tuesday night, as a ferocious, fast-moving fire engulfed mansions and businesses in the Pacific Palisades, one of southern California’s most luxurious coastal neighborhoods.

Then, just after 6 pm local time, a second fire broke out, this one on the opposite side of the city, near Pasadena, home to universities such as CalTech and Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.