A ferocious fire tore through Malibu, California, on Tuesday, destroying homes and forcing thousands to evacuate one of the most sought-after areas in the United States.
Multimillion-dollar properties, some owned by Hollywood celebrities, were in the path of the blaze, which exploded overnight, fanned by powerful winds and tinder-dry brush.
Firefighters were struggling to get a foothold in the steep canyons that surround the tony enclave just outside Los Angeles, where towering flames were devouring hillsides, blanketing the air in choking smoke.
Around 2,000 buildings in the eastern half of Malibu were under a compulsory evacuation order. People living in another 6,000 properties in the city were being advised to leave.
Deputies had gone door-to-door urging people to get out as the flames began to spread on Monday night.
