Lawyers, judges and courthouse workers pushed ahead with sometimes-limited court business on Wednesday after historic, wind-whipped fires charred more than 1,000 structures and forced thousands of residents to flee in Southern California. At least five people have been killed.

Los Angeles County Superior Court leaders announced early Wednesday that all courthouses would open. Operations in Glendale, Pasadena and Santa Monica continued through the afternoon, even as officials ordered evacuations in parts of those cities.