The US president-elect has criticised a top California Democrat for challenges fighting the blazes in Los Angeles.

Republicans called for the session to be shut down “immediately" and accused Newsom of cutting wildfire prevention funding by 80% over the last four years.

The criticism, fanned by Trump and his allies across social media, has triggered a political clash over the two massive wildfires menacing Los Angeles from the east and west. At least five people have died in what has developed into one of the biggest natural disasters in California's history.