Ferocious winds that drove the flames and led to chaotic evacuations have calmed somewhat and are not expected to be as powerful during the day, possibly allowing firefighters to make progress reining in blazes that have hopscotched across the sprawling region,

Major fires have killed five people, ravaged communities from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena, and sent thousands of people frantically fleeing their homes.

Scientists said the wind-whipped wildfires tearing across the arid Los Angeles landscape mark the latest in climate-fuelled weather extremes that are likely to escalate further as global temperatures continue to climb.