PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. – Residents of a historic neighborhood in Los Angeles, severely affected by intense wildfires, made a short return home on Thursday, only to find much of their property and belongings in ruins.

Wildfires have heavily impacted the Pacific Palisades area, located just west of downtown, due to strong winds and an overwhelmed water supply. The fire, named after the area, is now the largest of the five major fires in the county, having begun on Tuesday.

Authorities allowed residents who had evacuated under strict orders the opportunity to return briefly on Thursday, enabling them to examine the damage and try to retrieve important items.

“It’s a wasteland, man,” remarked Will Falzarano, a 22-year-old local who returned to check on neighboring houses with friends from Palisades High School.

The group of five friends made their way to the neighborhood at 6:30 a.m., as streets remained closed. At their former high school, they discovered that a significant building, the clubhouse for the football team, and the weight room had all been destroyed.

Tomas Huttepain, another member of the group, shared that while his father’s condominium survived, out of 10 homes he checked, only three had escaped the flames.

“It’s a Biblical fire,” Waka White, 22, told the Ventura County Star, part of the YSL News Network.

‘Everyone feels numb’

Jimmy Dunne, a long-time resident of Pacific Palisades who raised his kids in the area, was among the fortunate few. He walked and then hitchhiked back home before retrieving his bicycle from his untouched residence to assess the scene.

Many familiar spots he cherished were now gone. Two of his children had their homes destroyed.

“Everyone feels numb at this point,” he said, pausing near the blackened remains of his grocery store, a Gelson’s Market, which was well-known to Dunne and his family, who were recognized by the staff.

Police escorted some residents back to their homes for a quick 15-minute search through the ruins, allowing them to look for vital documents and electronics.

Many waited for their turn, wearing KN95 masks and ski goggles to shield themselves from the smoke.

A childhood home lost

Brian Lallement made the journey back to the Palisades to check on the house where he grew up, which his mother still occupied.

The 71-year-old reminisced about his father standing on the roof during the 1961 Bel Air fire, dousing the house with a hose.

“We’ve always recognized the significant risk of fire here. We’ve packed up at least six or seven times,” he reflected, standing on the sidewalk.

This time, however, it was final. His mother, in her 90s, had evacuated with assistance from her caregiver. Sadly, her house did not survive, Lallement confirmed.