In pictures: Dramatic scenes as wildfires sweep through west LA

The blaze started in the wealthy Pacific Palisades neighbourhood, and quickly spread with strong winds and dry conditions

Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg via Getty Images Silhouetted firefighters gather in front of a fire engine next to a burning house in the Pacific Palisades area — The blaze started in the wealthy Pacific Palisades neighbourhood, and quickly spread with strong winds and dry conditions

A wildfire that started in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles on Tuesday morning has spread across the west of the city at an alarming rate throughout Tuesday and overnight.

High winds and very dry conditions further fuelled the flames, causing the blaze to rip through neighbourhoods at alarming speeds. The fires reportedly spread from a size of 10 acres to nearly 3,000 in a matter of hours.

Firefighters have been battling the flames throughout the night, as residents were forced to flee amid evacuation orders affecting tens of thousands of people.

Photographers have captured dramatic scenes across the west of the city as firefighters work to control the fires.

Thick smoke has engulfed huge areas of the city as wind gusts of more than 80mph (126km/h) fanned the flames

David Swanson/AFP A helicopter drops water over burning hills, with a huge plume of smoke rising above them, in Pacific Palisades. — Thick smoke has engulfed huge areas of the city as wind gusts of more than 80mph (126km/h) fanned the flames

The BBC’s Regan Morris reported on fires raging out of control, leaving those without power and phone signal unable to receive updates on the latest evacuation alerts.

Meanwhile, CBS reporter Jonathan Vigliotti said firefighters were no longer “trying to save” houses in the Palisades, “they’re trying to prevent these flames from jumping to other neighbourhoods”.