Health bosses warned people living in Los Angeles on Saturday to stay indoors because of dangerous wildfire smoke wreathing the area.

Monster blazes tearing through America’s second largest city are pumping toxic clouds into the air, blanketing a vast region with choking fumes.

“We are all experiencing this wildfire smoke, which is a mix of small particles, gasses and water vapors,” Anish Mahajan of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health told a press conference.

“It’s those small particles that get into our noses and throats and cause those sore throats and headaches.

“Everyone in the areas where there’s visible smoke or the smell of smoke, and even where you don’t see that, we know that the air quality is poor, so you should limit outdoor exposure as much as possible.” (AP)

California fire live updates: The Los Angeles county, which is suffering due to multiple fires raging in the region, has extended a smoke advisory till 10 pm local time due to “unhealthy air quality” across the region, reported CNN.

Anish Mahajan, chief deputy director of the Los Angeles public health department told CNN that residents of Los Angeles should stay indoors and only venture out wearing an N-95 or P100 mask to reduce the risks of exposure to the smoke coming from the fires.

California fire live updates: On Saturday, California governor Gavin Newsom took to X to respond to Elon Musk sharing claims that looting had been decriminalised by Democrats, amid several cases emerging as fires rage in Los Angeles.

“Stop encouraging looting by lying and telling people it’s decriminalized. It’s not. It’s illegal as it always has been. Bad actors will be arrested and prosecuted,” Newsom said.

California fire live updates: Los Angeles county’s fire chief Anthony Marrone on Saturday warned that high winds and low humidity could keep the threat of fires high till Wednesday, reported Reuters.

California fire live updates: Governor of California, Gavin Newsom announced on Saturday in a post on X that the number of National Guardsmen deployed to deal with the Los Angeles wildfires would be doubled.

“We will be doubling the California National Guard on the ground to help fight the Los Angeles fires and keep our communities safe,” he said.

He added, “We will now have 1,680 service members on the ground. We are grateful for their continued bravery and commitment to be of service to others.”

California fire live updates: The Palisades fire in Los Angeles has been contained up to 11 per cent but is still growing and has spread over 22,660 acres.

It has moved into the Brentwood neighbourhood on one end and is spreading into the Valley, Encino, and Sherman Oaks neighbourhoods of Los Angeles.

California fire live updates: Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass and Los Angeles city fire department chief Kristin Crowley assured residents they were on the same page regarding battling fires in the city after the latter claimed the department was underfunded.

“My message is the fire department needs to be properly funded,” said Crowley on Friday to a local Fox News television channel. On Saturday the two leaders addressed rumours of a rift and stated they were on the same page about dealing with the fires currently ravaging the Los Angeles region.

California fire live updates: During a news conference on Saturday, California’s attorney general Rob Bonta said that all families were welcome at Los Angeles evacuation shelters irrespective of their immigration status.

“I want to remind our immigrant communities that they are welcome at shelters regardless of immigration status,” Bonta said as quoted by CNN.

California fire live updates: Rob Bonta, California’s attorney general warned those taking advantage of the Los Angeles fire victims with exploitative pricing, stating that they could be punished with jail time and fines, during a press conference on Saturday.

“Unfortunately, we’ve seen before that emergencies like this, in addition to bringing out the best in so many, also bring out bad actors who seek to use the trauma, the chaos of moments like this, for their own gain,” Bonta said.

“They see an opportunity to prey and take advantage … of vulnerable and hurting families to make a quick buck,” he added.

California fire live updates: Los Angeles police department chief Jim McDonnell announced on Saturday that they would launch a new investigative task force in response to the wildfires, reported CNN.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) will take the lead in the investigation, he said.

California fire live updates: The Walt Disney company has pledged $15 million for “initial and immediate response and rebuilding efforts,” reported the Hollywood Reporter.

“As this tragedy continues to unfold, The Walt Disney Company is committed to supporting our community and our employees as we all work together to recover and rebuild from this unbelievable devastation,” said Disney CEO Bob Iger.

California fire live updates: “A miracle has happened. We managed to get to our property and our home, that we were told is gone forever, is still standing. In this hellish landscape ‘standing’ is relative, but smoke and other damage is not like the utter destruction around us,” tweets actor James Woods.

California fire live updates: The fire in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood, the largest among six active wildfires in the Los Angeles area, has destroyed more than 5,300 structures since it began on Tuesday, according to officials.

California fire live updates: While Palisades, the largest of the six active wildfires, has been 8% contained, Lidia Fire has been 98% contained. Among other fires, Hurst has been controlled 70%, Kenneth (50%), Eaton (3%) and Archer, the latest is yet to be contained.

California fire live updates: “This is NOT an evacuation alert. An evacuation warning has been issued to a zone adjacent to UCLA due to the Palisades fire. We are asking Bruins on campus to remain vigilant and be ready to evacuate, should the alert be extended to our campus,” says University of California, Los Angeles.

California fire live updates: California Governor Gavin Newsom has invited President-elect Donald Trump to visit California. The suggestion came at a time when Newsom is facing massive flak in the wake of horrific flames that have ravaged Los Angeles County. On his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump blasted the Democratic Governor over the havoc caused by massive wildfire and demanded his resignation. Read more

California fire live updates: “California is preventing insurance companies from canceling home coverage for LA wildfire victims in impacted zip codes over the next year. The folks in these communities have suffered enough. They should not have to deal with the stress of home insurance on top of it all,” California governor Gavin Newsom tweets.

California fire live updates: A blind Australian former child actor, Rory Callum Sykes, was killed when flames from the Palisades Fire, one of the massive wildfires in California, engulfed his family’s Malibu cottage, with his mother alleging that water supplies ran out, The New York Post reported. Read more

California fire live updates: Sean “Diddy” Combs, the disgraced rapper who is awaiting trial in his sex trafficking charge in May, seems to be unaffected at a time when several celebrities are losing their houses to the raging wildfires in southern California.

The singer’s house, which is situated 200 South Mapleton Drive, is not in the line of the fires raging across Southern California, Newsweek reported.

California fire live updates: According to the US Storm Prediction Center, dry winds will raise the risk of critical fire weather conditions across Southern California late Saturday and likely persist through the first half of the coming week, leaving millions in peril.

California fire live updates: Wildfires raging in the Los Angeles have turned thousands of structures into ashes and rubble, and forced more than 100,000 people to flee their homes.

Powered by the Santa Ana winds, the fires started on January 7, Tuesday, and quickly spread to an area larger than the size of San Francisco. Of the four major blazes, the one in the upscale Pacific Palisades area has proved to be the most destructive one so far. Read more

California fire live updates: According to reports, the two Hollywood stars have donated clothes to The Coop, a Beverly Hills store collecting essentials for those affected

California fire live updates: Amid the raging wildfires in Los Angeles, Hollywood star Angelina Jolie and her 16-year-old son, Knox, have been seen taking proactive steps to help those in need.

On Thursday, the mother-son duo was photographed shopping for supplies, such as food and water, to assist those affected by the devastating fires, as per Page Six. Read more

California fire live updates: Kim Kardashian has recently come under fire for promoting her clothing line SKIMS as Los Angeles wildfires continue to wreak havoc across the city. The 44-year-old was dubbed “tone deaf” after her company shared multiple posts about its winter sale on Instagram just hours after the initial Pacific Palisades fire broke out. Read more

California fire live updates: “I hope you are all doing OK !!! I had to evacuate my home and I’m driving 4 hours to a hotel !!! I’m posting these adorable shoes to lift people’s spirits !!! Most people may not even be on their phones !!! I wasn’t the past two days because I had no electricity to charge and I just got my phone back !!! I pray you’re all doing well and I send my love,” singer Britney Spears wrote on Instagram.