Street after street, there is little but dark ash and ruin where a wealthy seaside enclave favored by celebrities once stood.

Wildfires tore across the Los Angeles area with devastating force on Wednesday after setting off a desperate escape from burning homes through flames, ferocious winds and towering clouds of smoke. Flames broke out on Tuesday evening near a nature preserve in the inland foothills northeast of LA while another blaze that started hours earlier ripped through the city’s Pacific Palisades neighborhood.

The Getty Villa remained standing as fires razed homes around it. Getty staff have been doing simple yard work all year that homeowners should follow.