Wildfires burning in Los Angeles County have left five people dead and burned thousands of structures to the ground this week, becoming some of the most destructive the area has seen in decades.

Los Angeles police said they arrested up to 20 suspected looters around properties evacuated due to the fires. At a Thursday press conference, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna outlined the security efforts around the fires,

Los Angeles officials said on Thursday they had arrested 20 people for looting as vast swaths of the city have been left abandoned due to the wildfire evacuations.