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Photos: Southern California residents return to devastation as two major wildfires rage on

By Mhari Shaw,
Elise Hu, Ben de la Cruz
Published January 11, 2025 at 10:07 AM EST
Sunday, Ja. 12: Wildfires burnt through cars and buildings in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images/AFP
Sunday, Ja. 12: Wildfires burnt through cars and buildings in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Updated January 12, 2025 at 18:09 PM ET

Large part of Southern California are once again under wildfire risks as strong winds and dry conditions return through Wednesday.

At least 153,000 Angelenos have had to evacuate their homes and at least 319,000 people are now under evacuation warnings.

Sunday, Jan. 12: Fire retardant covers a car and sidewalk in the Mandeville Canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles, as the Palisades Fire continues to threaten the city.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
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Sunday, Jan. 12: Fire retardant covers a car and sidewalk in the Mandeville Canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles, as the Palisades Fire continues to threaten the city.
Sunday, Jan. 12: Animal rescue groups are transporting hundreds of dogs and cats out of fire-devastated Los Angeles to relieve local overwhelmed animal shelters. Pictured are Michael Preciado and Reem Abuyousef who are donating pet food and other supplies at the Best Friends adoption center in Los Angeles.
Ryan Kellman/NPR /
Sunday, Jan. 12: Animal rescue groups are transporting hundreds of dogs and cats out of fire-devastated Los Angeles to relieve local overwhelmed animal shelters. Pictured are Michael Preciado and Reem Abuyousef who are donating pet food and other supplies at the Best Friends adoption center in Los Angeles.
Saturday, Jan. 11: A plane drops pink fire retardant near the Brentwood neighborhood.
Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu via Getty Images
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Anadolu via Getty Images
Saturday, Jan. 11: A plane drops pink fire retardant near the Brentwood neighborhood.
Friday, Jan. 10: Johnathon Vera with Arizona Pipeline Company works to extinguish a still burning gas line fire in Altadena.
Ryan Kellman / NPR
/
NPR
Friday, Jan. 10: Johnathon Vera with Arizona Pipeline Company works to extinguish a still burning gas line fire in Altadena.
Saturday, Jan. 11: A firefighter battles the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon.
Jae C. Hong / AP
/
AP
Saturday, Jan. 11: A firefighter battles the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon.
Saturday, Jan. 11: Smoke lingers over destroyed homes in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire in Altadena.
Kyle Grillot / Bloomberg via Getty Images
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Bloomberg via Getty Images
Saturday, Jan. 11: Smoke lingers over destroyed homes in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire in Altadena.
Saturday, Jan. 11: Glendale Fire Department captain Chris Jernegan (left) and his wife Alison (middle) help Ella Venne search through the remains of her family's home that was destroyed by the Eaton Fire in Altadena.
Mark J. Terrill / AP
/
AP
Saturday, Jan. 11: Glendale Fire Department captain Chris Jernegan (left) and his wife Alison (middle) help Ella Venne search through the remains of her family's home that was destroyed by the Eaton Fire in Altadena.
Saturday, Jan. 11: A firefighter monitors the advance of the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon.
Eric Thayer / AP
/
AP
Saturday, Jan. 11: A firefighter monitors the advance of the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon.
Saturday, Jan. 11: Media and civilians line a hillside in the Mountaingate development, above Mandeville Canyon, after the sun went down and fire air operations continue to work to extinguish flames from the Palisades Fire.
Jay L. Clendenin / Getty Images
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Getty Images
Saturday, Jan. 11: Media and civilians line a hillside in the Mountaingate development, above Mandeville Canyon, after the sun went down and fire air operations continue to work to extinguish flames from the Palisades Fire.
Friday, Jan. 10: Rev. John Shaver (R) looks on while visiting the remains of Community United Methodist Church, where he is pastor.
Mario Tama / Getty Images
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Getty Images
Friday, Jan. 10: Rev. John Shaver (R) looks on while visiting the remains of Community United Methodist Church, where he is pastor.
Friday, Jan. 10: Smoke billows from the Palisades fire as seen near Fernwood, Topanga, a community in western Los Angeles County.
Agustin Paullier / AFP via Getty Images
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AFP via Getty Images
Friday, Jan. 10: Smoke billows from the Palisades fire as seen near Fernwood, Topanga, a community in western Los Angeles County.
Sat., Jan. 11: A firefighting helicopter drops water on the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles, California.
Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
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Getty Images
Sat., Jan. 11: A firefighting helicopter drops water on the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles, California.
Friday, Jan. 10: A person helps up Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo, center, as he meets with victims of the Eaton Fire.
Ethan Swope / AP
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AP
Friday, Jan. 10: A person helps up Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo, center, as he meets with victims of the Eaton Fire.
Friday, Jan. 10: Firefighter works to extinguish a still smoldering fire in Altadena
Ryan Kellman / NPR
/
NPR
Friday, Jan. 10: Firefighter works to extinguish a still smoldering fire in Altadena
Friday, Jan. 10: Melted metal from a burned vehicle is seen on the ground of a property in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
Eric Thayer / AP
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AP
Friday, Jan. 10: Melted metal from a burned vehicle is seen on the ground of a property in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
Friday. Jan. 10: Fire crews monitor the Palisades Fire in the outskirts of the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
Eric Thayer / AP
/
AP
Friday. Jan. 10: Fire crews monitor the Palisades Fire in the outskirts of the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
Friday, Jan. 10: This aerial photo shows homes and businesses reduced to smoldering rubble by the Palisades Fire.
David Swanson / AFP via Getty Images
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AFP via Getty Images
Friday, Jan. 10: This aerial photo shows homes and businesses reduced to smoldering rubble by the Palisades Fire.
Friday, Jan. 10: Destruction from the Eaton fire in Altadena.
Ryan Kellman / NPR
/
NPR
Friday, Jan. 10: Destruction from the Eaton fire in Altadena.
Friday, Jan. 10: Betty Comas, left, waits in line with her dog at an aid center for those affected by wildfires at the Pasadena Convention Center.
Richard Vogel / AP
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AP
Friday, Jan. 10: Betty Comas, left, waits in line with her dog at an aid center for those affected by wildfires at the Pasadena Convention Center.
Friday, Jan.10: Wildfire smoke and burned houses are seen from the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
Apu Gomes / Getty Images
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Getty Images
Friday, Jan.10: Wildfire smoke and burned houses are seen from the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
Friday, Jan. 10: Luke Dexter reacts as he sifts through the remains of his father's fire-ravaged beachfront property.
John Locher / AP
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AP
Friday, Jan. 10: Luke Dexter reacts as he sifts through the remains of his father's fire-ravaged beachfront property.
Friday, Jan. 10: A firefighter clears away smoking debris at the site of a structure on Lake Avenue in Altadena.
Chris Pizzello / AP
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AP
Friday, Jan. 10: A firefighter clears away smoking debris at the site of a structure on Lake Avenue in Altadena.
Friday, Jan. 10: A worker clears debris from the Palisades Fire in Malibu.
Eric Thayer / AP
/
AP
Friday, Jan. 10: A worker clears debris from the Palisades Fire in Malibu.

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Mhari Shaw
Elise Hu
Elise Hu is a host-at-large based at NPR West in Culver City, Calif. Previously, she explored the future with her video series, Future You with Elise Hu, and served as the founding bureau chief and International Correspondent for NPR's Seoul office. She was based in Seoul for nearly four years, responsible for the network's coverage of both Koreas and Japan, and filed from a dozen countries across Asia.
See stories by Elise Hu
Ben de la Cruz
Ben de la Cruz is an award-winning documentary video producer and multimedia journalist. He is currently a senior visuals editor. In addition to overseeing the multimedia coverage of NPR's global health and development, his responsibilities include working on news products for emerging platforms including Amazon's and Google's smart screens. He is also part of a team developing a new way of thinking about how NPR can collaborate and engage with our audience as well as photographers, filmmakers, illustrators, animators, and graphic designers to build new visual storytelling avenues on NPR's website, social media platforms, and through live events.
See stories by Ben de la Cruz

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Now all of that is at risk.

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