LA fires latest: wildfires become most destructive in city’s history

The LA fires still rage - catastrophic reality has rivalled fiction in the home of American disaster movies. As the fires spread the insurance losses mount. Estimates are that they've reached $13bn in just 24 hours.

The Southern California fire season has become an annual event. But after eight months of no rain and unusually high winds, the start of 2025 has been catastrophic, with flames tearing through some of America's most iconic and wealthy neighbourhoods.

Five major wildfires are currently blazing out of control across the Los Angeles area, covering a total of over 29,000 acres.

The Eaton fire, near Pasadena, has burned more than 10,000 acres. Another is in Hurst which has spread to nearly one thousand acres. A smaller fire in Lidia has burnt 350 acres so far. And the Sunset fire, in the Hollywood hills - has burned more than 40 acres.

But the largest is the Palisades blaze. It has already consumed more than 17,000 acres in the affluent Pacific Palisades neighbourhood and is now threatening parts of Santa Monica.