This week, Los Angeles was hit by the most devastating series of wildfires in its history, destroying tens of thousands of acres and killing at least 10 people.

High-speed Santa Ana winds have caused the fires to spread unpredictably, complicating firefighting efforts. The U.S. military and Canada have stepped in to try to contain the fires.

Here’s everything you need to know about the fires that have put Los Angeles and surrounding areas on high alert:

When and where did the fires start?

The Palisades fire was first, beginning around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. It has since become the largest. Cal Fire, the state fire agency, reported that as of early Thursday, the fire had scorched 19,978 acres. Malibu has been largely destroyed as a result.

The Eaton fire started around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and is the second largest, at 13,690 acres. It has destroyed much of the Altadena neighborhood north of Pasadena.

The Hurst fire started at 10:20 p.m. Tuesday in Sylmar, located in the San Fernando Valley. It has consumed about 855 acres.

The Lidia fire began around 2:07 p.m. Wednesday and is the northernmost and most remote blaze. By Thursday, it had grown to roughly 348 acres, but fire officials reported that it was 40% contained.

The Sunset fire began around 6:04 p.m. Wednesday in the Hollywood Hills. The fire has been fully contained there as of Friday morning.

Thursday evening, an arson suspect was arrested by LAPD near the Kenneth fire, which has taken over 960 acres. LAPD responded to reports of a man attempting to light a fire with a blow torch in Woodland Hills.

Law enforcement officials have not confirmed whether the man was responsible for or had any connection with the current wildfires. His identity has not been released.

How big and destructive is the fire?

The fires are the most destructive in Los Angeles history. At least ten people have been killed, and a combined 35,543 acres have been burned, with both numbers likely to increase.

More than 10,000 structures have been burned to the ground, while more than 130,000 people have been put under evacuation orders.

The fires destroyed many historic buildings, some of which were from the 1920s and 30s.

In Malibu, the Topanga Ranch Motel, dating back to the 1920s, and the iconic Reel Inn Malibu seafood restaurant on the Pacific Coast Highway have both been destroyed.

In Los Angeles, Palisades Charter High School, which was used on many film sets, has been destroyed. Will Rogers’ ranch house, formerly owned by actor Will Rogers until his death in 1935, was also destroyed. His widow, Betty Blake, donated the ranch in 1944 to the California Department of Parks and Recreation. It was turned into a state park overlooking the Pacific Ocean. 

How is this fire different than previous ones?

The fire has been more destructive due to unique wind patterns. Officials said the Santa Ana winds have been much more erratic and unpredictable than previously, according to the Los Angeles Times. The winds caused burning embers to spread, which can travel for miles before landing and igniting structures.

“Normally, under a sustained Santa Ana condition, we have fires that are long and narrow,” said Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone. “However, with these erratic winds and this PDS, or particularly dangerous situation, the winds were constantly changing.”

The winds were also much stronger than usual. From Tuesday to Wednesday, winds reaching up to 80 mph were commonplace, with one gust reaching 100 mph in Altadena.

The fires come during an extended dry season, as the area has been largely devoid of rainfall for nearly eight months.

Are the blazes slowing down?

Most of the fires have not been contained. As of Friday morning, the Palisades fire is 6% contained.

While decreased winds over Wednesday night reduced the spread and allowed for aircraft to fly crucial firefighting missions, strong winds are set to resume by Thursday afternoon and continue into Friday. Winds of up to 70 mph are expected.

The Sunset fire in the Hollywood Hills has been put out. The Los Angeles Fire Department lifted evacuation orders in that area Thursday morning. One firefighter called it a “miracle that no homes burned here,” according to the outlet. Helicopters dropping water came in roughly seven-minute intervals.

The Santa Ana winds are expected to slow down Saturday, giving firefighters much-needed reprieve to use aircraft to contain fires. The high-speed winds are expected to pick back up Sunday and could continue into next week.

How is the government responding?

The government’s response has faced heavy scrutiny, particularly the local and state response. Firefighters discovered a chronic shortage of water in fire hydrants, leaving them unable to battle the fires. Current and former officials blamed old water infrastructure and mismanagement.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass faced the brunt of the criticism. She was in Ghana when the fires began, celebrating the inauguration of President John Dramani Mahama. On her way back, she was cornered by a reporter, to whom she offered no answers.

“Do you owe citizens an apology for being absent while their homes were burning? Do you regret cutting the fire department budget by millions of dollars, Madame Mayor?” Sky News reporter David Blevins asked to no response.

City figures revealed that Bass instituted sweeping budget cuts for the fire department in the city’s fiscal 2025 budget. Her original proposal advocated cutting the fire department’s budget by $23 million, with the final cut being $17.6 million.

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden ordered the Defense Department to deploy firefighting personnel to assist in the firefighting efforts.

“I have directed the [DOD] to rapidly provide additional firefighting personnel and capabilities to the region being impacted by the Southern California wildfires. We also continue to work closely with the National Guard,” Biden said in a social media post, adding that 10 Navy helicopters had been deployed.

Biden canceled a visit to Italy to help direct the response, a trip intended to be the last foreign visit of his presidency.

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), who has also faced criticism over the fires, said he deployed more than 7,500 firefighters to help contain the wildfires.

“More than 7,500 firefighting personnel are on the ground working with local and federal partners to respond to California’s ongoing historic wildfires, Newsom said. “Southern California residents — please remain vigilant tonight. Listen to local officials and be ready to evacuate if you’re near impacted areas.”

How will residents recoup their losses?

State Farm announced in March 2024 that it would cancel 72,000 property policies in California, 30,000 of which were home insurance policies, the outlet reported. The cancellations went into effect over the summer. The company’s reasoning was that California law forbade the raising of premiums in order to match the increased risks from wildfires, meaning the company risked “financial failure.”

Around 1,600 homes in Pacific Palisades were victims of State Farm’s policy cancellations. Other insurance companies that covered homes in the area also canceled residents’ policies.

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Annie Barbour, a coordinator for United Policyholders, told the outlet that there’s “no clear path” to recovery for those without insurance.

Support from FEMA “won’t be enough to bring back your house,” she said. “Hopefully, you can piece together some resources and see where that takes you.”