California wildfires turns deadly, five dead

At least five people have been killed and more than 150,000 evacuated as two big wildfires rage in California, officials say.

The fast-moving wildfires have destroyed thousands of structures and prompted thousands of residents to flee, sometimes through jam-packed flame-lined streets that forced evacuees to chose whether to try to drive to safety or to get out and run.

The large Camp Fire in Northern California left the mayor of Paradise, population 26,000, in shock.

"There's really not much left. There are very few homes still standing and we've been in multiple different neighborhoods this afternoon," Mayor Jody Jones said.

She estimated only 10 to 20% of homes are left.

Five people were found dead in vehicles that were overcome by flames, the Butte County Sheriff's Office said.

Two major fires in Southern California are just miles from the Thousand Oaks and evacuations were ordered for nearby Malibu, a seaside city popular with celebrities.

Fanned by high winds and fueled by low humidity and dry vegetation, the fires spread rapidly Thursday and overnight into Friday. The threat continued Friday, with millions of Californians under "red flag" warnings portending windy arid and warm conditions that pose extreme fire risks.