Los Angeles like 'war scene' after wildfires, says US president

US President Joe Biden on Friday likened Los Angeles to a "war scene" as multiple major wildfires continued to devour neighbourhoods around the city.

Biden added that there was "clear evidence" of looting during the mayhem, while also slamming "demagogues" for spreading rampant disinformation about the deadly blazes.

"It reminded me of more of a war scene, where you had certain targets that were bombarded," Biden said as he received a briefing on the fires in the Oval Office of the White House.

Joe Biden whistles to get the attention of the press during a briefing on the federal response to the Los Angeles wildfires. AFP

"It's almost like a battle scene." Authorities have imposed a nighttime curfew in parts of Los Angeles hit by the fires amid fears of looting, and Biden said the government was providing security from the military to the National Guard.

"There's clear evidence that there's looting. There's clear evidence that people are going into these survivors' communities... and looting,"Biden said.

An aerial view shows destroyed homes as the Palisades Fire continues to burn in Pacific Palisades, California.. AFP

Biden also took a veiled swipe at incoming president Donald Trump, who has spread misinformation over the flames that has then been amplified on social media. "You're going to have a lot of demagogues out there trying to take advantage of it," Biden said of the fires.

Agence France-Presse