While flying in a helicopter above the Pacific Ocean in Southern California on Friday, I found myself feeling a bit unmoored. I glanced out my right side.

“Wow,” I gasped.

It was Pacific Palisades, where the wildfires have annihilated homes and neighborhoods in Los Angeles County. I had seen the snapshots and videos. However, seeing it from a helicopter, only a short distance from the coast, was an entirely different experience.

I was overwhelmed by the strange contrast: the serene waves lapping the shore just a short distance from the wreckage of luxurious homes that once stood tall.

This was just one segment of an emotional, 67-minute helicopter flight to witness the wildfires’ aftermath in Los Angeles County. Accompanying me was Rob Schumacher, a photographer from Gannett, who had requested a back door on the helicopter be removed for a better view of the devastation below. YSL News funded the helicopter to give a reporter and a photographer an opportunity to observe and comprehend the extent of the destruction.

It’s a challenging perspective to absorb. Over 10,000 buildings have been lost, and seeing the devastation from above is haunting.

We departed from Burbank, where Oleg Byelogurov, our 28-year-old pilot, equipped us with life jackets and reminded us we’d be flying over the Pacific.

A fire extinguisher rested at my feet, and an airsickness bag was close by. We communicated using headsets over the noise of the rotating blades as we took off.

Our first destination was the world-famous Hollywood sign. Contrary to some misleading social media images this week, it showed no signs of fire damage. Next, we flew over the Hollywood Hills, where land appeared scorched, yet no structures were visible as the flames had not reached them.

As we moved towards the ocean, clear skies transformed into a smoky haze. Nothing could have prepared us for the sight of the Palisades.

Schumacher remarked it looked as if a “blow torch’’ had scorched the neighborhoods.

A lawyer I spoke with on Wednesday evening, Richard Conn, described his evacuation with his wife from their Palisades home as moving from a community to a warzone. I initially questioned that description—until I witnessed it myself.

Then Oleg flew us further north towards Malibu, and I realized something I hadn’t fully understood: numerous seaside homes had been consumed by flames.

It was haunting to consider the cruel randomness of the destruction. Some homes were entirely incinerated, while others remained untouched.

This strange contrast continued, with boats calmly navigating the waters near razed buildings. Nearby, Pacific Coast Highway was nearly deserted except for fire trucks and police vehicles.

We aimed for Topanga Canyon to observe the most active fire area in Los Angeles County, but Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) prevented us from getting anywhere near it or seeing the damage in Atladena closely.

“Those TFR are enforced for a crucial reason,” the pilot emphasized, highlighting the need for safety precautions.

Safety was a constant concern.

During the flight, I received at least two Emergency Alerts on my phone, warning of evacuation.

As the helicopter blades finally stopped, we emerged, feeling slightly disoriented as we walked through the lobby. An employee informed us that a new TRF had just come into effect, banning any commercial helicopter within a mile of the shoreline for at least two weeks.

This meant that no one else would have the opportunity to witness the devastation from above. It left me pondering what such a helicopter journey might look like in a year or two.

How will the community rebuild from this tragedy?