Evacuees sought refuge and medical care at a Red Cross-run evacuation shelter at the Westwood Recreation Center in Los Angeles. In the hilly areas east and north of downtown off Sunset Boulevard, many homes were almost completely destroyed by the Palisades fire.

Stars including Paris Hilton, Milo Ventimiglia, Tina Knowles, and Jeff Bridges have confirmed the loss of their homes amid thousands in the southern California area.

The biggest threat to Los Angeles remains the strong winds, which reduced in speed early Thursday morning, allowing firefighters to better take control of the fires. Stronger winds, however, are expected to return later in the day.