California wildfires leave widespread destruction
Wildfires have been raging across southern regions of the US state of California, forcing mass evacuations. Though they are now beginning to abate, they have left considerable devastation in their wake.
The spark that started it all?
Investigators are still looking into what prompted the blazes in southern California that killed three people over recent days. In the north of the state, electricity to hundreds of thousands of residences and businesses was switched off this week as a precautionary measure to cut the wildfire risk raised by sparks emitted from old infrastructure.
Perfect fire conditions
The spread of the fires was accelerated by dry conditions exacerbated by powerful Santa Ana winds carrying desert air. Many regions needed only a spark to erupt into flames.
Mass evacuations
Some 100,000 people were ordered to leave their homes as the fires approached Los Angeles. This highway in Sylmar was clogged with people driving through the smoke to safety. Interstate 5, the main north-to-south corridor in the state, was shut down for much of the day on Friday.
A sad sight
Hundreds of homes across the southern California region have been destroyed. This one in Porter Ranch was one of those to fall victim to the wildfires burning in several areas of the state.
Deadly flames in a mobile home park
Two people were confirmed dead after the Sandalwood Fire raced through the Villa Calimesa Mobile Home Park east of Los Angeles on Thursday. Dozens of residences in the park were also destroyed, where an evacuation order remains in effect. In Los Angeles itself, a man in his 50s died of a heart attack while trying to save his home from the flames.
Fighting flames from the air ...
This helicopter making a drop on the Saddleridge Fire was one of many used to combat the blazes. Fire danger remains high for much of Southern California. Warnings are in place for large areas in the counties of Ventura and Santa Barbara, which are situated northwest of Los Angeles.
... and on the ground
Many hundreds of firefighters have been battling the blazes, like these two in Porter Ranch. Fire officials say they expect even more intense and devastating fires in the state in future partly because of climate change. This year some 275 wildfires have broken out across California. The most destructive year on record was 2018, when 8,500 wildfires erupted in the state, killing around 100 people.