Until Now
DisasterEnvironmentEconomics

The Los Angeles wildfires

Fires driven by 160 km/h winds burn through Pacific Palisades and Altadena in January.

When
Duration
24 days
Known to
± 12 hours
Era
Contemporary, Holocene
Where
Los Angeles, California, United States · 34.0522° N, 118.2437° W

Beginning 7 January 2025 after eight months without meaningful rain, the Palisades and Eaton fires destroyed more than 16,000 structures and killed 30 people. Hydrants ran dry in the hills as demand outstripped the system's design. With insured losses around 40 billion dollars they are the costliest wildfires in history, and they accelerated the retreat of insurers from the California market.

Just before

Just after