‘Like a bomb was dropped’: Devastating before-and-after pictures reveal scale of destruction

Monstrous wildfires fuelled by a long drought and fierce Santa Ana winds have reduced entire neighbourhoods of Los Angeles to ash, burning through an area bigger than Disney World.

Authorities are battling to bring back under control fires in the Palisades between Santa Monica and Malibu and the Eaton fire near Pasedena, but a change of wind conditions helped to curb a fire scorching the Hollywood Hills.

So far nearly 11,331 hectares have burned and nearly 180,000 people have been ordered to evacuate their homes across the city.

At least five people have been killed, with the death toll expected to rise, according to Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna, who said some of the devastated areas “look like a bomb was dropped in them”.

Before-and-after images have captured the scale and impact of the fires, described as one of the “most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles” by fire department chief Kristin Crowley.