Photos: Southern California wildfires rage on as people assess damage

By NPR Staff

Published January 9, 2025 at 12:56 PM EST

Fri., Jan. 10: Danny Robinson (left) and Valerie Robinson sift through the rubble of her family's home that was destroyed by the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif.

Updated January 10, 2025 at 17:39 PM ET

Firefighters in Los Angeles hope to make progress against several wildfires that have destroyed more 35,000 acres of land.

The fires have killed at least 10 people and about 180,000 people have had to evacuate. The fires have been so overwhelming that LA fire authorities don't have enough crew to cope.

A plume of smoke from the Palisades Fire rises over Ventura Blvd. in the Woodland Hills section of Los Angeles on Friday, Jan. 10.

Fri., Jan. 10: People arrive with their pets at an evacuation center in the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, Calif., as they flee wildfires in the area.

Fri., Jan. 10: A person watches from a balcony as a firefighting aircraft drops the fire retardant Phos-Chek near homes near the Palisades Fire in Topanga, Calif., as wildfires cause damage and loss through Los Angeles County. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) — Fri., Jan. 10: A person watches from a balcony as a firefighting aircraft drops the fire retardant Phos-Chek near homes near the Palisades Fire in Topanga, Calif., as wildfires cause damage and loss through Los Angeles County.

Fri., Jan. 10: Kenneth Snowden (left) surveys the damage to his fire-ravaged property with his brother Kim (center) and Ronnie in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif.

Fri., Jan. 10: The Palisades Fire continues to burn in the outskirts of the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Thu., Jan. 9: Nancy Belanger pours water on a neighbor's fire-ravaged property in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Thurs., Jan. 9: Debris from the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. — Thu., Jan. 9: Debris from the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Thu., Jan. 9: Residents recover a safe from their home after it was destroyed during the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.

Thurs., Jan. 9: Debris covers the ground after the Palisades Fire ravaged a neighborhood amid high winds in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. — Thu., Jan. 9: Debris covers the ground after the Palisades Fire ravaged a neighborhood amid high winds in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.

Thurs., Jan. 9: Altadena resident Herb Wilson, 67, and his wife Loyda Wilson, 48, survey their home after it was destroyed in the Eaton Fire northeast of Los Angeles. Their neighbor's home was the only house on their block that survived the fire. — Thu., Jan. 9: Altadena resident Herb Wilson, 67, and his wife Loyda Wilson, 48, survey their home after it was destroyed in the Eaton Fire northeast of Los Angeles. Their neighbor's home was the only house on their block that survived the fire.

Thurs., Jan. 9: Firefighters work to salvage a home that caught fire on the Pacific Coast Highway. — Thu., Jan. 9: Firefighters work to salvage a home that caught fire on the Pacific Coast Highway.

Thurs., jan. 9: Josh Lederer wears a mask to protect him from fumes as he retrieves his children's clothes from his fire-raved property in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. — Thu., Jan. 9: Josh Lederer wears a mask to protect him from fumes as he retrieves his children's clothes from his fire-raved property in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.

Wed., Jan. 8: Water is dropped by helicopter on the burning Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills section of Los Angeles on Wednesday. — Wed., Jan. 8: Water is dropped by helicopter on the burning Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills section of Los Angeles.

Wed., Jan. 8: Fallon Prockiw-Kline, center, gets emotional in front of her home which was damaged by the Palisades Fire, in Malibu, California. — Wed., Jan. 8: Fallon Prockiw-Kline, center, gets emotional in front of her home which was damaged by the Palisades Fire, in Malibu, Calif.

Wed., Jan. 8: Smoke and flames overwhelm a commercial area during the Eaton fire.

Wed., Jan. 8: Before/after view of burning and destroyed houses near Marathon Road, Altadena. — Wed., Jan. 8: Before/after view of burning and destroyed houses near Marathon Road in Altadena, Calif.

Wed., Jan. 8: Residents walk past homes burnt by the Eaton Fire.

Wed., Jan. 8: Firefighters battle the Palisades Fire as it burns a structure in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.

Wed., Jan. 8: 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.

Wed., Jan. 8: Shortwave infrared (SWIR) sensor images of burning homes in Altadena.

Wed., Jan. 8: Beach front homes are destroyed by the Palisades Fire in Malibu.

Wed., Jan 8: Claudio and Kathleen Boltiansky embrace in their fire-ravaged neighborhood.

Wed., Jan. 8: A car is seen burned along the along the Pacific Coast Highway.

Wed., Jan. 8: Firefighters battle flames from the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.

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