LA residents rushing to flee wildfires this week faced choke points, gridlock and the tough decision of whether to abandon their cars to the fire.

Iconic landmarks such as the Hollywood Sign were engulfed in smoke from the LA wildfires. See before and after photos of famous tourist hotspots.

Firefighters are battling to control a series of major fires in the Los Angeles area that have killed five people, ravaged communities from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena and sent thousands of people frantically fleeing their homes.