2025 Los Angeles Fires — FLARE Satellite Analysis

In January 2025, two major wildfires — the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire — burned simultaneously through the Los Angeles metropolitan area, becoming the most destructive urban-interface fires in California history.

Key Statistics

• Palisades Fire: 23,448 acres burned
• Eaton Fire: 14,021 acres burned
• Economic damage estimate: $76–131 billion
• Residents evacuated: over 200,000
• Structures destroyed: over 12,000

FLARE Analysis

FLARE's GOES-derived satellite data tracked both fires from ignition through containment using 5-minute update cycles. The synthetic fire color composite layer clearly identified active flame fronts while the FireScore index quantified intensity progression. The data showed the Palisades Fire's rapid westward spread driven by Santa Ana wind conditions exceeding 100 mph gusts.

Satellite Data Used

GOES-West geostationary satellite. Channels: Band 7 (shortwave infrared, 3.9 µm) for active fire detection, Band 14 (longwave infrared, 11.2 µm) for heat mapping, and the FLARE synthetic fire color composite (FCOL). Time range: January 7–31, 2025. Update interval: 5 minutes.