LA fires' trail of destruction seen from space in shocking before-and-after satellite images

9 January 2025, 13:20

Before-and-after-images show how California wildfires have swept through Los Angeles, leaving a trail of destruction behind them.

At least five people have killed, more than 2,000 structures burned down, and least 100,000 people are under evacuation orders after 6 wildfires spread across Los Angeles County.

The satellite images, taken on Wednesday, show how the Eaton fire engulfed the star-studded area of Altadena, California, burning entire neighbourhoods to the ground and forcing thousands to evacuate.

The six fires continue to blaze with a total coverage of almost 27,000 acres. The Palisades and Eaton fires, the largest of the group, are both at 0% containment.

Read more: Biden cancels trip to meet pope and Zelensky as fires rage in California

Read more: LIVE: Wildfires sweep through Hollywood Hills as neighbourhoods destroyed and death toll rises

Satellite images composited by LBC show the charred remains of what was once a beautiful neighbourhood dotted with swimming pools and leafy palm trees.

Images taken yesterday of the same structures show houses glowing red as they burn with billowing smoke drifting over the area.

Other photos show the before-and-after of destruction from the fires on Wakecrest Avenue, a residential street in Malibu, California.

One photo shows the wreckage from a house burned to the ground by the fires with only the chimney remaining upright.

Another photo shows a previously bright white house now charred after the fires that exploded across southern California caused it to collapse.

The latest blaze has been dubbed the Sunset Fire, having erupted in the Hollywood Hills, near Runyon Canyon.The Hollywood Walk of Fame, the TLC Chinese Theatre and the Hollywood Bowl have now all been cleared as the blaze continues to wreak havoc.

An alert read: "A Mandatory Evacuation Order is now in place for Laurel Canyon Blvd (on the west) to Mulholland Dr (on the north) to 101 Freeway (on the east) down to Hollywood Blvd (on the south)."

Officials say that at least 1,000 buildings have been destroyed so far, with upwards of 130,000 people evacuated - including actors Mark Hamill, Tom Hanks, Ben Affleck, and Miles Teller.

Locals have now been asked to conserve water, as firefighters turn to the domestic water system to fight the flames.It comes despite authorities saying there was a 0% chance of controlling the flames.

Fire chiefs in California say there is no chance of containing the extensive wildfires, as high winds fuel the blaze across the Pacific Palisades.

Recent hours have seen President Biden officially categorise the wildfires a "national disaster", meaning the state now has access to emergency funds.

Fires in California spread to the Hollywood hills

Chiefs warned late on Wednesday that the wildfires could potentially become the most destructive in the history of the state of California.

Janisse Quiñones, chief engineer and CEO of the Los Angeles department of water and power, told reporters on Wednesday that by 3am on Wednesday morning, the three 1m-gallon tanks serving the Palisades had all run dry.

“We had a tremendous demand on our system in the Palisades. We pushed the system to the extreme,” Quiñones said during an early Wednesday morning press conference.

“Four times the normal demand was seen for 15 hours straight, which lowered our water pressure.

”It comes as President Biden landed briefly in California en-route to Washington, meeting with fire chiefs on Wednesday.