At least 25 people have died in the fires, and more than 12,000 homes, businesses, and other structures have been damaged or destroyed.

Dozens of people are believed to have died in the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have burned down whole swaths of communities

A law enforcement task force has been set up to uncover what caused the fires. The local agencies involved — the Los Angeles fire and police departments and the county Sheriff’s Department, as well as Cal Fire — are considered to be among the most skilled in the country. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is leading the probe.