Firefighters battled Thursday to control a series of major fires in the Los Angeles area that have killed seven people, burned at least 10,000 structures from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena and sent thousands of people frantically fleeing their homes.

The most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history Thursday have burned more than 27,000 acres, destroyed 1,000 structures, killed five people and upended the lives of tens of thousands of people forced to flee.

A fast-moving series of fires beginning Jan. 7 has devastated areas of Southern California, causing thousands of residents to have to flee their homes — including many stars, such as Cobie Smulders and Taran Killam,