On Saturday, February 1, 2025, a family dressed in white hazmat suits carefully sifted through the remains of their home on Via de la Paz in Pacific Palisades, searching for any personal belongings that may have survived the devastation. The fire had completely consumed their property, leaving behind only ashes and debris.
The Palisades Fire, which erupted on January 7, 2025, quickly escalated into a disaster driven by powerful Santa Ana winds and prolonged drought conditions. The wildfire burned through more than 23,000 acres, reducing over 12,000 structures to ash and forcing the evacuation of approximately 150,000 residents across Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and parts of the San Fernando Valley. At least five lives were lost, and many others suffered injuries.
Efforts to contain the inferno were severely hindered by relentless winds, which grounded aerial firefighting operations and further fueled the flames. Though recent rainfall helped extinguish the fire, it also introduced new dangers, including mudslides and debris flow in the already devastated landscape. By January 27, authorities lifted evacuation orders, marking a significant step forward in the communityโs recovery.
As rebuilding efforts gain momentum, scenes like this one on Via de la Paz serve as a sobering reminder of the fire's widespread destruction. Utility crews and disaster recovery teams continue working tirelessly to restore essential services and clear debris, while families like this one take the first difficult steps toward rebuilding their homes and lives.
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๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ผ ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐น๐ฒ๐น๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐๐ฒ. ๐๐ป๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด, ๐ฟ๐ฒ-๐๐ฝ๐น๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด, ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ป๐ฎ๐๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐น๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ต๐ถ๐ฏ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ.
ยฉ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐๐ธ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐/๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฎ ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ ๐๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฝ. ๐๐น๐น ๐ฅ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ.
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Fabian Lewkowicz, an award-winning accredited photojournalist and press photographer based in Santa Monica, is renowned for his captivating imagery and storytelling. As the creator of Santa Monica Closeup, he draws on years of experience with local media outlets like the Santa Monica Daily Press and The Corsair to capture iconic moments in the city's history.
Santa Monica Closeup is a visual chronicle of the vibrant and diverse community of Santa Monica, brought to life through Fabian's seasoned lens. With deep roots in the city, he offers an authentic and intimate glimpse into everyday life, crafting compelling videos that resonate with both locals and visitors alike.
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TAGS: Photojournalism, Photojournalist, Documentary, Cinema Verite, Fly-on-the-wall, Observational Photography, Press Photography, SMCU, SMยฉU