No stranger to natural disasters, Pasadena resident Pedro Rojas keeps a safety bag in his car with essentials like a jacket, gloves and running shoes in case he needs to flee at a moment’s notice.

TELL US WHAT YOU KIND OF SAW YESTERDAY AND WHAT YOU’RE SEEING NOW THIS MORNING WHEN WE FIRST DESCENDED INTO THE AREA, WE CAME OFF THE GRAPEVINE CAME INTO THE GREATER LOS ANGELES, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA,

Firefighters are making progress, officials said, but residents must be ready for a return of powerful winds that could spread flames.

Wind-driven flames are pushing through the greater Los Angeles area, forcing residents to flee their homes by the tens of thousands. At least five major wildfires present an unprecedented disaster for rescue and relief officials,

A video montage on Facebook opens with a clip of burning land. It cuts to another clip showing several buildings bathed in red. It cuts to another video showing a swath of burning structures. A social media user claimed these clips show the destruction of the greater Los Angeles area wildfires,

The scale of the effort will be vast — the area scorched by the major fires is equal to three times the size of Manhattan.