A before and after view of the 2025 L.A. bushfires aftermath
Jan 2025
Nearmap post-catastrophe imagery captures the devastating impact of the Los Angeles fires. This visual story shows the incredible before and after imagery and intelligence used to support response and recovery efforts.
Jan 2025
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Nearmap disaster response imagery captures the devastating aftermath of the Los Angeles fires. This visual story shows the incredible before-and-after imagery and intelligence used to support California wildfire response and recovery efforts.
The Nearmap team is deeply committed to supporting our customers during times of uncertainty, and the Los Angeles wildfires are no exception. Fuelled by dry conditions and powerful winds, the blazes have torn through thousands of hectares — destroying businesses and homes, displacing entire communities, and tragically claiming lives. As fires continue to burn, the disaster could soon become the most expensive in U.S. history.
As soon as conditions allowed, Nearmap planes were in the sky to capture in near-real-time damage caused by wildfires across the Los Angeles area and help provide responders and agencies with additional situational awareness as they work hard to help people recover, rebuild and restore.
Quantifying the damage: when and where
The 2025 Palisades fire started on 7 January and, driven by cyclone-force Santa Ana winds, engulfed over 23,000 acres, destroying large swaths of Malibu and Topanga overnight. Kilometres away in Altadena, the Eaton fire devastated communities, destroying over 9,000 buildings. The fires raged for nearly a month, until they were finally contained on 31 January 2025.
We captured imagery on 1 January 2025, mere hours after the fire began, and flew over impacted areas in the following days for a more recent, accurate picture of conditions on the ground.
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Utilising our ImpactResponse system, we were able to quantify the total damage across key areas impacted by the Palisades, Eaton, Sunset and Hurst Fires. Applying AI, we can pinpoint affected, damaged, or destroyed properties — data that helps responders, governments and insurers triage their efforts.
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By the numbers
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While we cannot prevent these disasters, we can work tirelessly to provide the data needed to aid recovery efforts. We also recognize the profound impact of this tragedy and the sensitivity surrounding its documentation. We respect the deep impact of this catastrophe, and the sensitivity of sharing information. Please be aware that the following images show widespread areas of property destruction.
As we keep a close eye on the impacted areas and ongoing fires, we will update this blog with the latest disaster recovery content.
Malibu and Pacific Palisades fire pictures
The iconic coastal communities, famous for their string of idyllic beaches and home to many affluent celebrities and executives, have been decimated by the fires. From luxury beachfront properties to entire neighbourhoods, the immense scale of impact is captured in this Nearmap ImpactResponse imagery.
Malibu and Pacific Palisades have a lengthy history of wildfires due to their naturally fire-prone landscape, intensifying drought conditions, and continued infrastructure developments.
Altadena (Eaton) fire pictures
A mere 22 kilometres from Downtown Los Angeles, the Eaton fire broke out in Altadena burning more than 5,665 hectares.
With rapid access to accurate views of the extent of impact, insurers, governments and emergency response agencies can triage resources quicker and more safely during critical response and recovery efforts. Learn more about post-catastrophe location intelligence.