Striking images show trail of destruction as southern California ravaged by wildfires
Out of control wildfires around Los Angeles and southern California have destroyed thousands of properties and forced more than 130,000 people to flee their homes.
Destructive blazes have raged from the LA coastal neighbourhood of Pacific Palisades - popular with celebrities - to Altadena, an unincorporated community near Pasadena in the east.
Another fast-moving fire broke out in the hills above Hollywood Boulevard, prompting officials to issue an evacuation order. The Palisades fires are already the most destructive in LA history, with at least 1,000 structures burned.
Below we take a look at the before and after pictures showing the full extent of the devastating fires:
Altadena, California
The dramatically contrasting pictures below show main road Lake Avenue before and after the wildfires:
Before: The scene in Altdena, California before the wildfiresCapture
After: People walk through wildfire smoke amid poor air quality from the Eaton Fire on January 8, 2025 in AltadenaGetty ImagesThese pictures show Altadena Community Church before the fire and then engulfed in flames:
Before: Altadena Community Church before the fireGrab
After: Fire explodes out of a window of the Altadena Community ChurchAPThe Bunny Museum in Altadena was consumed by flames as the Eaton wildfire spread:
Before: A motorist drives past the Bunny Museum in Altadena .
After: A motorist drives past a destroyed structure during the Eaton fire in AltadenaAPPacific Palisades:
Pictures before and after of the Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church reveal the fire completely destroyed the building:
Before: Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church .
After: The ruins of the Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church are seen after the passage of the Palisades FireAFP via Getty ImagesA Chase bank in the Pacific Palisades was completely torched, these before and after pictures reveal:
Before: A bank in Pacific Palisades, California .
After: A sports car decorated with Christmas lights drives past a burning bank during the Palisades FireAFP via Getty ImagesMany homes in the Pacific Palisades severely burned, as these before and after pictures show:
Before: A house in Pacific Palisade .
After: A firefighter attempts to extinguish the flames of the Palisades FireAFP via Getty ImagesBefore and after of a home in the Palisades which was left smouldering after the wildfires:
Before: A home in the Palisades.
After: A home continues to smoulder after the passage of the Palisades FireAFP via Getty ImagesMany businesses were also severely affected, with these before and after images showing a business completely alight from the fires:
Before: A business in the Pacific Palisades.
After: Flames from the Palisades Fire burn a businessGetty Images