Photos capture how wildfires ravaged through Southern California

Major wildfires around Los Angeles on Wednesday left an apocalyptic wake of destruction after strong winds ripped through the mountains and foothills.

Aftermath

Rows of cars at a dealership, blasted by flames, looked like they had been bombed. A man wearing a mask walked by debris of a neighborhood destroyed. A couple, arms around each other, looked at what was left of their smoldering home. A statue of a human, without a head, lay on a street.

Started with winds

It all began on Tuesday, when powerful winds took small fires and made them huge, with vivid orange flames lighting the sky in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. Firefighters and residents raced to stop the flames any way they could. One firefighter dragged a hose, dousing a smoking car. But in so many cases, the flames couldn't be stopped. One vehicle, a truck, was engulfed.

Evacuations

The fast-moving fires forced thousand of residents to evacuate. Authorities moved to get the most vulnerable out first, such as people in a senior center. Some people were brought out on hospital stretchers, others in wheelchairs. Nearly all were wearing masks, trying to protect themselves from oppressive smoke that was everywhere.

Protecting Structures

Amid the destruction, firefighters tried to save homes — or keep others from being chewed up. One firefighter jumped a fence while others, holding large hoses, pumped water. In many cases, nothing could be saved. At best, flames could be put out in hopes that it stopped embers from flying in the winds and igniting nearby homes.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.