As rampant fires have turned extensive areas of Los Angeles into nightmare landscapes over the past week, photographers from the Associated Press have been at the forefront. They have documented flames so fierce that they illuminate the night, individuals so taken aback that constructing coherent sentences becomes a challenge, and devastation so thorough that only the remnants of what once was remain striking.
Striking a balance between the necessity for safety and the hazards of approaching wildfires, these photojournalists have also navigated their own feelings. Witnessing unimaginable ruin and anguish is difficult. For some, Los Angeles is where they call home.
Here, 12 photographers, each presenting a photo taken last week, offer brief insights about their work.
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The Palisades Fire devastates a neighborhood amid gusty winds in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
The Palisades Fire devastates a neighborhood amid gusty winds in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
“I selected this image as it illustrates the vastness of the Los Angeles fires. I captured the photo while winds were raining embers down the streets, the fire swiftly engulfing Palisades, obliterating block after block. After covering numerous wildfires, some of the largest in California’s history, I recognized instantly that the scale of this devastation was extraordinary.”
—Ethan Swope
Firefighters operate from a platform as the Palisades Fire engulfs a coastal property on Jan. 8, 2025, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)
Firefighters operate from a platform as the Palisades Fire engulfs a coastal property on Jan. 8, 2025, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)
“Collaborating with firefighters entails prioritizing their safety and work while documenting their efforts and capturing the moment’s essence. This photograph involved being in close proximity to them on a confined wooden platform while intense gusts of wind blew ash, embers, and other debris into our faces, making it a challenging endeavor.”
—Etienne Laurent
An individual walks through the ruins left in the wake of the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of“`html
Los Angeles, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
An individual strolls through the wreckage left by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades district of Los Angeles, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
“One of the major difficulties in capturing this image was maintaining my safety in such a perilous atmosphere. The air was dense with smoke, making it challenging to inhale. Emotionally, it was hard to record such a heartbreaking sight, realizing that numerous individuals had lost their residences and belongings. Capturing the aftermath while honoring the feelings of those affected is always a hurdle.”
—Jae C. Hong
Robert Lara examines what remains of his residence that was obliterated after the Eaton Fire blazes in Altadena, Calif., Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
Robert Lara inspects the remains of his home that was devastated after the Eaton Fire rages in Altadena, Calif., Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
“It’s emotionally challenging to ask individuals — often on the worst days of their lives when they have nothing remaining — to step away from their sorrow and converse with someone they just met who wishes to intrude upon their privacy. It requires compassion, sound ethics, and professionalism to engage in this field, and in those instances, the work is never about you as a photojournalist. One cannot approach the subject matter you’re documenting with any arrogance or self-importance.”
—Nic Coury
Ari Rivera, rear, and Anderson Hao embrace in front of their ravaged residence in Altadena, Calif., Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Ari Rivera, rear, and Anderson Hao hold one another in front of their devastated home in Altadena, Calif., Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/John Locher)
“Upon hearing that thousands of residences have been devastated, an image like this serves as a reminder that each of those homes embodies the memories accumulated by the individuals who inhabit them. For some, it extends back generations. For others like Ari Rivera and Anderson Hao, it may not be as extensive but is equally significant. It was the first place they’ve resided.”
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“I selected this image due to the trees. The striking illumination highlighted the yellow caution tape that enclosed townhomes and trees affected by the Eaton Fire. It resembled a crime scene. Scorched trees are present everywhere. I intend to continue photographing the trees. They are part of our identity.”
—Carolyn Kaster
A VW van stands amidst burned out residences, Jan. 9, 2025, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
A VW van stands amidst burned out residences, Jan. 9, 2025, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
“Although numerous visuals depicted the scale of the calamity more effectively than this, it was the burst of color against the charcoal grey remnants of individuals’ homes that instantly captured my attention and distinguishes it from the thousands of other photographs I captured during that helicopter journey. From the feedback I’m receiving from individuals on social media, it seems to resonate with them in a manner I hadn’t anticipated. ‘The van. So California. Wow,’ remarked one person. ‘Beautiful desolation,’ commented another.”
—Mark J. Terrill
Water is released from a helicopter over the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
Water is released from a helicopter over the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
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“This image was captured on the fifth day of the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon, where residences were still at risk. By that stage, the majority of the destruction had already taken place, yet firefighting teams were actively addressing parts of the blaze. The dedication of the firefighters, even in the face of overwhelming circumstances, cannot be overstated. They operated with a tranquil and systematic approach, despite the chaos unfolding around them.”
—Eric Thayer
A firefighter strolls past a scorched bunny sculpture and wreckage at the ruined Bunny Museum, Jan. 9, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
A firefighter strolls past a scorched bunny sculpture and wreckage at the ruined Bunny Museum, Jan. 9, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
“The Bunny Museum is one of the most extraordinary museums I’ve ever encountered — boasting over 46,000 items of bunny-related memorabilia, it’s an undeniably irreplaceable asset of Altadena. My family and I had just visited it about a month ago.”
—Chris Pizzello
A monument and additional structures are scorched in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
A monument and additional structures are scorched in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
“The statue evokes the calamity of Pompeii. The volcanic eruption transformed people into preserved stone figures. The Southern California wildfires have left us headless and without shelter. We lie down with our arms crossed motionless in the wake of an environmental disaster.”
—Damian Dovarganes
A vehicle drives by residences and automobiles devastated by the Palisades Fire at the Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Estates on Jan. 12, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
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A vehicle passes by residences and cars devastated by the Palisades Fire at the Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Estates on Jan. 12, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
“One of the greatest challenges of portraying a wildfire with extensive damage is articulating the magnitude. Ground-level perspectives often fail to illustrate the stark devastation. I captured this image from a bluff overlooking the Pacific Coast Highway. The juxtaposition of the immaculate red car moving through the Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Estates starkly emphasizes the severity of this fire. Just a week prior, this scenery would have depicted a lively, colorful community now reduced to debris.”
—Noah Berger
A surfer launches onto a wave in Santa Monica, Calif., during sunset beneath a charred sky from the Palisades fire in the Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
A surfer launches onto a wave in Santa Monica, Calif., during sunset beneath a charred sky from the Palisades fire in the Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
“Navigating through the traffic to reach the beach was somewhat difficult due to the chaos and evacuating individuals. I was amazed by the nonchalant demeanor of the surfer against this smoke-filled, crimson sky. It felt truly apocalyptic.”
—Richard Vogel
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