MEGHAN Markle’s childhood home is close to being destroyed by the unstoppable California wildfires as the death toll of the tragedy rises to 42.

The Duchess of Sussex grew up in a modest two-bedroom home in the Woodland Hills neighbourhood of Los Angeles – which is now at risk from the devastating blaze.

Meghan lived in Woodland Hills until she was two years old.

A local resident told the Mirror: “We’ve watched the flames in the distance coming closer by the day.
“Unless the winds change we fear our homes will be next. All we can do is pray.”

At least 200 people are missing in a fire devouring a spot north of the state dubbed Camp Fire and another stretching from San Fernando Valley to the celeb packed Malibu coast.

Meanwhile only ruins remain of sprawling luxury homes belonging to singers Neil Young, Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke and actor Gerard Butler.

Other stars including stars Simon Cowell, Lady Gaga and Kim Kardashian, have all been forced to flee.

Kim and her husband Kanye West reportedly paid for a private team of firefighters to help save their mansion and their neighbours' homes from the devastating California wildfires.

The power couple have been praised by those who live near them after shelling out for a crew who dug trenches in order to keep the inferno at bay.

Satellite pictures lay bare the true scale of the unfolding disaster, with thick smoke blanketing vast areas.

But hot dry "devil winds" are expected to whip up flames until the end of tomorrow, hampering desperate efforts to quell the rampaging fire storms.

Captain Rodney Hayball, one of 8,000 firefighters now deployed, told Sky News: "I have never seen anything like this - wind speeds were incredible and the fire was impossible to stop.

Police have vowed looters will be prosecuted “to the fullest extent of the law” after two suspects were arrested dressed up as forest workers.

Music mogul Cowell was also among those affected by rapidly spreading fires in the exclusive resort.

The X Factor judge, 59, had only shot scenes for the show in the sparkling seven-bedroom beach-side mansion – which he bought last year - just weeks ago.