At least five people are dead and many more injured as several fires broke out across Southern California amid historically dry and windy conditions.

Multiple wildfires, including the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire, are raging across Southern California Thursday, leaving at least 10 dead and burning more than 27,000 acres, officials say. Police have arrested 20 suspected looters.

The wind-driven wildfires burning out of control in the Los Angeles area couldn't have emerged at a more perilous moment for California's homeowners, as officials try to rehab what they concede is a deepening "insurance crisis.

The community has already raised thousands of dollars for a St. Louis native and his family who lost their home and all of their belongings in a California wildfire.

The state of California announced a one-year moratorium on the cancellation or non-renewal of homeowners insurance policies in zip codes affected by the Los Angeles-area wildfires.

The California fires are highlighting a serious issue across the nation as insurance carriers drop coverage or decide not to renew policies based on risk.

In 2019, the number of homeowners’ policies in California that were not renewed jumped by more than thirty per cent. In 2023, two giant insurers, State Farm and Allstate, announced that they would stop writing new policies for various forms of property insurance in California.