In January 2025, Los Angeles was ravaged by a series of fires that swept through the city streets with little warning. Spurred on by high winds and dry conditions, the flames wrought terrible damage on the city and claimed at least 29 lives.

The Palisades Fire erupted on 7 January as a brush fire in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood, and spread to cover more than 23,000 acres. The Eaton Fire ignited on the same day in the national forest lands north of downtown, and covered 14,000 acres. On 22 January, they were joined by the Hughes Fire in northern Los Angeles County, and 10,000 acres were quickly eaten up.

Now discover the world's most dangerous destinations

The world's most destructive forest fires