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How one street in LA went up in flames

Max Matza & Christal Hayes
BBC News
Reporting fromAltadena, California
BBC Hipolito Cisneros examines the charred remains of his home in aftermath of the Eaton Fire in California BBC
Hipolito Cisneros examines the charred remains of his home in aftermath of the Eaton Fire in California

Professional chef Daron Anderson always tells people he was "born in the kitchen" - quite literally.

The 45-year-old was delivered by homebirth at 295 West Las Flores Drive, where he lived with his mother until this week.

On Thursday, he stepped over charred debris where his kitchen once stood in Altadena, a tight-knit neighbourhood of north-eastern Los Angeles.

He was looking for his cast-iron pans in the hope they might have survived the blaze, one of several historic fires burning in the area that have killed at least 16 people and decimated multiple communities and left thousands homeless.

Across the street - at number 296 - his friend Rachel's house also sits in ashes. The house next door - 281 - where he'd enjoyed family parties, is gone.

About three blocks away, on Devirian Place, where his girlfriend lived, some neighbours tried to fend off the roaring flames that would consume their homes with garden hoses.

Now they, too, are searching for treasured items in the rubble, after fire obliterated this entire community nestled in the shadow of the San Gabriel Mountains.

It all started on Tuesday night.

Daron surveying the damage with ash on his black shirt
Daron Anderson surveys the damage in Altadena

The Santa Ana winds had been fierce much of the day.

Daron was in his front yard just after 18:00 local time trying to secure items from flying away.

Across the street at 296 West Las Flores Drive, Rachel was taking down Christmas decorations, concerned about her plastic icicles and patio furniture blowing away.

They exchanged worried glances. "This doesn't look good, does it":[]}