California firefighters battled wind-whipped wildfires that tore across the Los Angeles area, destroying homes, clogging roadways as tens of thousands fled and straining resources as officials prepared for the situation to worsen early Wednesday,

Amid the tragedy a look at the before and after pictures of neighbourhoods from Malibu, to Hollywood Hills, Pasadena and the Los Angeles skyline.

Free insurance workshops designed to assist Los Angeles-area residents affected by the recent wildfires are scheduled at Santa Monica College and Pasadena City College.

Firefighters face the threat of another "particularly dangerous situation" weather warning that could affect growing efforts to contain the Palisades and Eaton fires, and could spark new wildfires.

Here is the view from live cameras in the Los Angeles area, from Pacific Palisades to Altadena to the Hollywood Hills, showing wildfires scorching acre after acre.

Fires across the Los Angeles area have killed at least 25 people. The Palisades and Eaton fires continue to burn in Southern California.

The massive Palisades Fire broke out in Los Angeles on Tuesday afternoon, prompting mandatory evacuations affecting tens of thousands of people and highway closures. Later Tuesday, the Eaton Fire broke out in the foothills of Pasadena on the other side of Los Angeles County.

Fierce winds and wildfires have shifted land in the burn areas of the Eaton and Palisades fires, raising the risk of mudslides and debris flows.

The "Barbenheimer" homes, one sporting an all-black exterior and the other with bright pink and purple accents, were not damaged in the fires, as of Thursday.

The Palisades Fire and other blazes are expected to worsen throughout Los Angeles as the Santa Ana winds strengthen overnight

Thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate their homes due to multiple wildfires burning across Southern California. If you or a loved one needs a place to stay, here are some options:

New York Times reporters have been writing personal portraits about the fires in the California Today newsletter. Here is a collection of their dispatches on what the disaster means to them, and to Los Angeles.