California Wildfire: See Devastating Blaze in Photos

Homes bordering the Pacific Ocean are burned to the ground in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, on Jan. 9, 2025.
Jae C. Hong—AP
By Simmone Shah , TIME Photo and Solcyré Burga
Updated: | Originally published:

Nearly 180,000 residents have been forced to evacuate Los Angeles County as wildfires continue to tear through the region Friday, taking at least 10 lives according to local officials. The Palisades Fire, which was first reported at 10:30 AM PST on Tuesday, was fanned by wind gusts of up to 60 MPH into Tuesday night. It is now one of six active fires in the area. 

As of Thursday morning, the fire had multiplied in size, spread to more than 20,000 acres and was 8% contained, with an expectation that its going to spread due to the strong Santa Ana wind gusts and low humidity fueling the fires. 

The second-largest fire, the Eaton fire, was reported by CalFire on Tuesday evening, and had spread to 13,690 acres by Friday afternoon. Firefighters are also currently battling the Kenneth Fire, Hurst Fire, Archer Fire, and Lidia Fire. 

The fire has burned through homes and businesses in the Pacific Palisades, including the Will Rogers’ historic ranch house. The Eaton Fire could damage or destroy some 5,000 structures as of Friday, according to Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone. In Los Angeles County, just over 77,000 customers were without power on Friday, according to Poweroutage.us. 

California Governor Gavin Newsom, who declared a state of emergency Tuesday night, said early Wednesday morning that the state had deployed over 1,400 firefighters to the region to fight these “unprecedented fires.” 

See photos of the massive fires below:

The Palisades Fire burns a residence in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, on Jan. 7. (Ethan Swope—AP)
The Palisades Fire burns a residence in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, on Jan. 7.
Ethan Swope—AP
People watch the smoke and flames from the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood on Jan. 7. (Tiffany Rose—Getty Images)
People watch the smoke and flames from the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood on Jan. 7.
Tiffany Rose—Getty Images
The Palisades Fire ravages a neighborhood amid high winds in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 7. (Ethan Swope—AP)
The Palisades Fire ravages a neighborhood amid high winds in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 7.
Ethan Swope—AP
Police officers remove an elderly resident from their home during the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., on Jan. 8. (Robyn Beck—AFP/Getty Images)
Police officers remove an elderly resident from their home during the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., on Jan. 8.
Robyn Beck—AFP/Getty Images
The Palisades Fire burns a Christmas tree inside a residence in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood on Jan. 7. (Ethan Swope—AP)
The Palisades Fire burns a Christmas tree inside a residence in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood on Jan. 7.
Ethan Swope—AP
A resident of a senior center is evacuated as the Eaton Fire approaches Altadena, Calif. on Jan. 7. (Ethan Swope—AP)
A resident of a senior center is evacuated as the Eaton Fire approaches Altadena, Calif. on Jan. 7.
Ethan Swope—AP
Firefighters work to put out the wildfire in a residential area during the Pacific Palisades fire in Los Angeles on Jan. 7. (Philip Cheung—The New York Times/Redux)
Firefighters work to put out the wildfire in a residential area during the Pacific Palisades fire in Los Angeles on Jan. 7.
Philip Cheung—The New York Times/Redux
A man walks past a fire-ravaged business after the Eaton Fire swept through Altadena, Calif., on Jan. 8. (Ethan Swope—AP)
A man walks past a fire-ravaged business after the Eaton Fire swept through Altadena, Calif., on Jan. 8.
Ethan Swope—AP
A firefighter jumps over a fence while fighting the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, on Jan. 7. (Ethan Swope—AP)
A firefighter jumps over a fence while fighting the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, on Jan. 7.
Ethan Swope—AP
Firefighters battle fire from the surf as beachfront homes go up in flames along Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu on Jan. 7. (David Crane—MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News/Getty Images)
Firefighters battle fire from the surf as beachfront homes go up in flames along Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu on Jan. 7.
David Crane—MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News/Getty Images
Embers whip across the ground as homes burn during the fire in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 7. (Josh Edelson—AFP/Getty Images)
Embers whip across the ground as homes burn during the fire in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 7.
Josh Edelson—AFP/Getty Images
A palm tree burns during the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 7. (Kyle Grillot—Bloomberg/Getty Images)
A palm tree burns during the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 7.
Kyle Grillot—Bloomberg/Getty Images
A home is engulfed in flames during the Eaton fire in the Altadena area of Los Angeles County, on Jan. 8. (Josh Edelson—AFP/Getty Images)
A home is engulfed in flames during the Eaton fire in the Altadena area of Los Angeles County, on Jan. 8.
Josh Edelson—AFP/Getty Images
Samuel Girma runs to get another hose as he tries to prevent a home from catching fire on LaPaz Rd. as the Eaton Fire continues to grow in Altadena, Calif. on Jan. 8. (Robert Gauthier—Los Angeles Times/Getty Images)
Samuel Girma runs to get another hose as he tries to prevent a home from catching fire on LaPaz Rd. as the Eaton Fire continues to grow in Altadena, Calif. on Jan. 8.
Robert Gauthier—Los Angeles Times/Getty Images
Apartments seen on fire from the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., on Jan. 8. (Jon Putman—Anadolu/Getty Images)
Apartments seen on fire from the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., on Jan. 8.
Jon Putman—Anadolu/Getty Images
Will Adams watches as flames from the Palisades Fire close in on his property in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 7. (Ethan Swope—AP)
Will Adams watches as flames from the Palisades Fire close in on his property in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 7.
Ethan Swope—AP
Firefighters prepare to fight flames from inside Eliot Arts Magnet Middle School auditorium as the school burns during the Eaton fire in the Altadena area of Los Angeles county, on Jan. 8. (Josh Edelson—AFP/Getty Images)
Firefighters prepare to fight flames from inside Eliot Arts Magnet Middle School auditorium as the school burns during the Eaton fire in the Altadena area of Los Angeles county, on Jan. 8.
Josh Edelson—AFP/Getty Images
Shane Torre, left, and Stephanie Rodriguez embrace as the look at what remains of their home destroyed by the Eaton Fire on Jan. 9. (John Locher—AP)
Shane Torre, left, and Stephanie Rodriguez embrace as the look at what remains of their home destroyed by the Eaton Fire on Jan. 9.
John Locher—AP
Fire engulfs a home as the Eaton Fire moves through the area in Altadena, Calif. on Jan. 8. (Justin Sullivan—Getty Images)
Fire engulfs a home as the Eaton Fire moves through the area in Altadena, Calif. on Jan. 8.
Justin Sullivan—Getty Images
The devastation from the Palisades Fire is seen from the air in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, on Jan. 9. (Mark J. Terrill—AP)
The devastation from the Palisades Fire is seen from the air in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, on Jan. 9.
Mark J. Terrill—AP
Residents embrace outside of a burning property as the Eaton Fire swept through in Altadena, Calif. on Jan. 8. (Ethan Swope—AP)
Residents embrace outside of a burning property as the Eaton Fire swept through in Altadena, Calif. on Jan. 8.
Ethan Swope—AP
Photographers watch as the Palisades fire burns at the end of Orlon Ave. in the Pacific Palisades, on Jan. 7. (Brian van der Brug—Los Angeles Times/Getty Images)
Photographers watch as the Palisades fire burns at the end of Orlon Ave. in the Pacific Palisades, on Jan. 7.
Brian van der Brug—Los Angeles Times/Getty Images
A firefighter battles the Palisades Fire as it burns a structure in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 7. (Ethan Swope—AP)
A firefighter battles the Palisades Fire as it burns a structure in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 7.
Ethan Swope—AP
A neighbor braves the heat of a smoldering house as he tries to prevent it's spread next door on LaPaz Rd. as the Eaton Fire continues to grow, on Jan. 8. (Robert Gauthier—Los Angeles Times/Getty Images)
A neighbor braves the heat of a smoldering house as he tries to prevent it's spread next door on LaPaz Rd. as the Eaton Fire continues to grow, on Jan. 8.
Robert Gauthier—Los Angeles Times/Getty Images
Residents embrace in front of a fire-ravaged property after the Palisades Fire swept through in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, on Jan. 8. (Etienne Laurent—AP)
Residents embrace in front of a fire-ravaged property after the Palisades Fire swept through in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, on Jan. 8.
Etienne Laurent—AP
Fire crews begin to clear a toppled tree in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 8. (Etienne Laurent—AP)
Fire crews begin to clear a toppled tree in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 8.
Etienne Laurent—AP
The sun sets over destroyed homes during the Palisades fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, on Jan. 9. (Kyle Grillot—The New York Times/Redux)
The sun sets over destroyed homes during the Palisades fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, on Jan. 9.
Kyle Grillot—The New York Times/Redux
A resident stands in front of a garage as fire crews fight the Palisades Fire nearby in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 7. (Ethan Swope—AP)
A resident stands in front of a garage as fire crews fight the Palisades Fire nearby in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 7.
Ethan Swope—AP
An aerial image shows smoke from wildfires including the Eaton Fire and Palisades Fire in Los Angeles, Calif., on Jan. 8. (Patrick T. Fallon—AFP/Getty Images)
An aerial image shows smoke from wildfires including the Eaton Fire and Palisades Fire in Los Angeles, Calif., on Jan. 8.
Patrick T. Fallon—AFP/Getty Images

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Write to Simmone Shah at simmone.shah@time.com.

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