Maps and images expose extent of Los Angeles wildfire destruction

Fires tearing through the Los Angeles area have killed at least 24 people, displaced thousands of others and destroyed more than 12,000 structures while burning through an area larger than San Francisco.

These maps and images illustrate the immense scale of the challenge, highlighting where the fires are raging and the devastation they have left behind.

The largest blaze, located in the Pacific Palisades area, has become the most destructive wildfire in Los Angeles history, with over 23,000 acres already scorched.

The dramatic level of destruction in some places was evident in a comparison of satellite images taken before and after the fire.

A swath of about 250 homes in an Altadena neighborhood, dotted with the green canopies of leafy trees and aquamarine swimming pools, was reduced to rubble.

Only a few homes were left standing in the images provided by Maxar Technologies.

As the fires continue to rage in some areas, the Wildland Fire Interagency Geospatial Services Group provides updates on active and recent incidents, using satellite-based detection systems.

The maps below show areas where burning activity was identified within the past 24 hours.

The number of people officials have told to evacuate has dropped in recent days, but authorities cautioned that more evacuations could be ordered when high winds return this week.

Additional fires are possible, and the wind could spread the ongoing fires. So officials urge residents to be prepared to evacuate if needed and make a plan for their families.

Even after an evacuation order is lifted, it still might not be safe to return home due to damaged gas and electric lines and other hazards.

The number of people under evacuation orders in Los Angeles County has dropped to under 100,000 by Monday, 13 January.

Most of the destruction has been from the Eaton Fire near Pasadena and the Palisades Fire, in a wealthy enclave along the Pacific Coast. Firefighters have made progress on both fronts in recent days, with the Eaton Fire roughly one-third contained.

In California, record-breaking fires in 2017 and 2018 destroyed communities and damaged or destroyed thousands of structures. According to reports and statistics, California’s 20 most destructive wildfires, measured in terms of structures burned, have occurred between 2015-2025.