Everything is burned down, which means Los Angeles has never seen so much damage

Everything is burned down, which means Los Angeles has never seen so much damage

The terrible extent of the damage in Pacific Palisades became clearer Thursday when a fire destroyed a big part of the community and made it impossible to recognize.

After two days of heavy fires, Pacific Palisades looked more like a moonscape of destruction than a fancy neighborhood famous for its ocean views, beautiful views, and famous people who live there. Large parts of the residential area were destroyed, from the village to the Pacific Ocean. The quirky architecture and lush landscaping were turned into burned-out ruins, with white smoke still rising from the wreckage.

Los Angeles hasn’t been through this much loss in a long time, if ever, even during earthquakes, fires, floods, and political unrest. The damage was seen for miles. Some buildings that were able to stay standing—shopping centers, office buildings, a church, a school building, apartments, and even a few houses—rose out of a gray, broken, and featureless environment. On Pacific Coast Highway, the scene was just as bad. Row after row of beautiful homes that backed up to the beach were on fire, giving drivers a clear view of the ocean.

Even after the clouds got lighter and the winds slowed down a bit, more homes kept on burning.

Officials are still trying to figure out how much damage there is, but flying infrared technology shows that more than 5,300 structures were destroyed in the Palisades. They made it clear that the number was just a guess. Authorities say that the Eaton fire in the Altadena area damaged or burned at least 4,000 buildings. Based on these numbers, the disaster this week was one of the worst in terms of property damage ever.

If everything goes as planned, this could be the most expensive wildfire disaster in U.S. history, according to Daniel Swain, a climate expert at UCLA.

Steve Guttenberg, an actor and writer, drove around his Pacific Palisades neighborhood on Thursday morning to look at the damage.

“It looks like Berlin — or it looks like some part of World War II,” he added. “Everything is on fire.” It’s really bad.”

People in Palisades who were left with just minutes to spare have been watching horrifying videos of houses being destroyed by fire for days. A place that used to feel so safe and comfortable has been turned upside down.

“I believe the main issue at this time is that the community cannot work together since there is none.” It is so destroyed. “People are spread out,” said Darrin Hurwitz, a neighbor who ran away from the fire on Tuesday with his wife and two kids.

On the third day, firefighters worked to try to contain the Palisades fire, which had burned about 31 square miles of land, and keep the Eaton fire in the Altadena area under control. The Eaton fire had burned about 13,600 acres. One fire started days before the other when there were red flags warning of danger.

Even though the winds slowed down a bit on Thursday, a red flag warning was still in effect for most of Los Angeles County until Friday night, warning of dangerous fire weather. Thursday, more resources from out of state kept coming into fire zones.

Hurwitz thought that his house was one of the first ones burned by the fire, and a picture in the New York Times that showed his house on fire confirmed his thoughts.

“I knew it was going to be horrific and I knew the early damage estimates were going to be wrong, but I didn’t see it taking out almost the entire Palisades,” he added. “There’s nowhere that seems to have escaped it.”

Hurwitz said he doesn’t know what’s next for him, his wife, and their two kids. They are staying with family in Ventura. The fire destroyed his kids’ elementary school, and he doesn’t know if he should rebuild their house or what to do in the meantime.

“I love the Palisades,” he told me. “It was the perfect spot—a mix of city life and wild land, away from the city.” It will never go back to how it was, though. The place will not be the same.

L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said Thursday morning that the Eaton fire had “significantly stopped” growing. But officials say workers are still having a hard time with the Palisades fire. Overnight, they had to deal with harsh 60-mph winds, dry brush, and low humidity.

“There has never been a firestorm like this before in history,” Mayor Karen Bass said. “But we are all hands on deck.”

Los Angeles got a break Wednesday night when firefighters were able to put out the Sunset fire near Runyon Canyon above Hollywood. The last few days have been terrible. There was also a house fire in Studio City that did not spread.

On Wednesday night, planes were able to drop water on the Sunset fire, which wasn’t possible on Tuesday night, when wind gusts of up to 100 mph were reported. At first, officials told everyone to leave a section of Hollywood north of Hollywood Boulevard, but those orders were lifted early Thursday morning.

Still, thousands of people in Los Angeles County have been evacuated, and authorities are warning everyone to be careful. Sheriff Robert Luna of L.A. County said that at least 20 people have been arrested on suspicion of stealing from houses in evacuation zones. “We’re not going to tolerate that kind of activity,” he told people who were thinking about stealing in neighborhoods that had been evacuated.

The National Weather Service has warned people in Los Angeles to get ready for a series of long-lasting high-wind events that could make fires more likely. The humidity is still low, and it’s not supposed to rain for a few days.

People in Malibu, whose homes were also destroyed in the Palisades fire, are feeling the same emotions and talking about how they narrowly avoided danger.

She doesn’t have a smart phone and doesn’t drive at night. Linda Stelzner lives alone. She’s 88 years old. So when the Palisades fire roared toward her Malibu neighborhood as night fell on Tuesday, she didn’t have many ways to get away.

Stelzner could see flames coming from the bottom of the streetlights along the road from her front yard. It was creepy. All around her, sparks flew. Not long after, a fire truck pulled up to her street and started putting out the fires in the streetlights. She said, “One of them saw me, took me, put me in the fire truck, and drove me out toward the highway.”

Her trip was just getting started. She was taken in four different police cars before she arrived at a shelter inside the Westwood Recreation Center. Staff there helped her get in touch with a family member who was going down from San Francisco to get her.

When it was safe to do so, they planned to go to Stelzner’s street and see if her house was still standing. The late Stelzner said that she and her husband had spent years making their modern home “very manicured.” She filled the land with orchids because she loved gardening so much.

Then she thought about what had happened to the pretty flowers.

Scott Parker-Anderson

Scott Parker-Anderson is an experienced content writer with 5 years of expertise, currently working with a top-tier organization. Specializing in crafting across diverse sectors, including technology, entertainment, and lifestyle, Scott has consistently delivered high-quality work that engages audiences and drives results. His ability to tailor content to client needs while maintaining a unique voice has made him a trusted contributor. With a keen understanding of digital trends and a passion for storytelling, Scott continues to excel in creating impactful content that aligns with brand goals and enhances online presence.

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