Wildfires raged for the third straight day, destroying swaths of America’s most populated county and displacing tens of thousands of residents, with firefighters struggling to contain the biggest blazes.

Fierce wildfires are raging in the Los Angeles area, with fast-moving flames burning through homes and businesses. Residents are fleeing smoke-filled canyons.

Two massive wildfires menacing Los Angeles from the east and west were still burning uncontained on Thursday, but a brief respite from the fierce winds that have fanned the flames for two days allowed crews to slow their explosive spread.