Wildfires are tearing through Los Angeles, forcing thousands to flee to safety and destroying modest homes and vast mansions.
As the fires rage on, powerful images tell stories of fear, desperation and solidarity in the sprawling California city.
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The first sign of worry for many was thick smoke blowing down from the hills of the affluent Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles, which borders Santa Monica and the famous Malibu coast.
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LA residents are accustomed to wildfires but the Palisades fire spread rapidly out of control. Dry conditions and fierce winds fanned the flames and made the largest blazes difficult to contain.
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Satellite image taken on 6 January before the fires in Altadena, Los Angeles, California., image
In Altadena, the fire razed entire neighborhoods.
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In Altadena, the fire swept through homes and businesses, razing entire neighborhoods., image
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People were ordered to evacuate. Some had only minutes to grab precious belongings and leave.
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In an aerial view, destroyed homes are seen along the beach as the Palisades Fire continues to burn on January 09, 2025 in Malibu, California, image
Soon, half a dozen fires were burning across Los Angeles – from Malibu in the west to Pasadena in the north east.
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A firefighting helicopter drops water as the Sunset Fire burns in the Hollywood Hills on January 8, 2025 in Los Angeles, California, image
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A wind-driven fire rips through homes on January 7, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. , image
Fires broke out in the Hollywood Hills, in working-class areas in Altadena and along the city’s Sunset Boulevard.
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A resident views his property as it burns during the Eaton fire in the Altadena area of Los Angeles, image
Image source, Caroline Brehman/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
Burned cars in a lot destroyed by the Eaton wildfire in Altadena, California, USA, 08 January 2025. , image
The two largest blazes are the most destructive to ever hit the city and early estimates suggest the cost of the damage will run into billions of dollars.
Image source,Mario Tama/Getty Images
With thousands now homeless and others trying to track down loved ones, the fires have inflicted an emotional toll and deep uncertainty about the future.
Image source,Zoë Meyers/AFP
