Over 12,000 homes and buildings have been destroyed across a densely populated 25-mile (40-kilometer) area north of downtown Los Angeles. At least 11 people have died, and authorities fear the death toll may increase as rescue efforts continue.
Four days after the fires ravaged the region, residents are returning to what is left of their neighborhoods, still smoldering from the catastrophic blaze.
Cadaver dogs are combing through neighborhoods that have been flattened, helping to assess the full scale of the devastation. The affected area is so extensive that it surpasses the size of San Francisco.
Approximately 150,000 residents are still under evacuation orders, as the fires have ravaged about 56 square miles (145 square kilometers). While the region has been without rain for over eight months, the winds weakened on Friday, giving firefighters the opportunity to begin containing the fires.
In some areas, hydrants ran dry, and local water systems failed under the pressure, prompting Governor Gavin Newsom to launch an investigation into the loss of water pressure. Aerial and drone footage has captured the extensive destruction, with images revealing entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble, including beachfront mansions and dream homes wiped out in moments.
The Eaton Fire, one of the largest, ignited Tuesday night north of Pasadena and has since consumed more than 7,000 structures, including homes, businesses, and vehicles. Meanwhile, the Pacific Palisades fire, now the most destructive in Los Angeles’ history, has already destroyed over 5,300 structures. The damage is devastating, leaving large parts of the area unrecognizable.