The Los Angeles Fires in January of 2025 were more than just routine breaking news. 

What initially started as a small brush fire near the Skull Rock trail was later reignited by unrelenting Santa Ana winds. The gusts transformed an already extremely dry climate and vulnerable infrastructure into a perfect storm of all-consuming fuel for a wildfire that devastated homes, businesses and lives on a scale not seen in decades. 

I arrived as the sun set on January 7 and documented evacuations and firefighting efforts along the Pacific Coast Highway through the early morning of January 8. I continued to document the destruction of communities and the aftermath of the fires throughout the coming weeks.