In early January 2025, social media users circulated an image they claimed depicted an entire neighborhood burned to the ground in the aftermath of the Pacific Palisades wildfire in Los Angeles:
Other than on X, the image also spread on Reddit, Instagram, TikTok and Bluesky, receiving tens of millions of views collectively.
Most posts credited Kit Karzen, a Los Angeles-based documentary photographer and drone pilot, according to his Instagram bio. If Karzen did post the image in question, he has since taken it down from all platforms.
We reached out to Karzen seeking comment on whether the photo is his and any other details surrounding it, and will update this story if we receive a response.
As of this writing, there is no indication any other photographer captured the image.
However, there are certain landmarks in the photo that are visible and match Google Maps images, indicating authenticity.
Visual Clues Indicating Authenticity
First, a large structure toward the center of the image remains standing.
On the same property, a curved walkway leading up to the once-standing house is visible. Both of these features are visible at coordinates 34°02'52.8"N 118°31'14.5"W on Google Maps.
(X user @LosAngeles_Scan)
(Google Maps)
The pathway and nearby driveway in question is visible more closely on Google Street View footage from 2019.
How Are Trees Still Visible?
One X user posted the image and questioned how "homes in Los Angeles were burnt to ash while the trees remain standing & have leaves," receiving more than 33.3 million views and 84,000 likes.
According to a report by University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, "even in cases of severe fire behavior and high tree mortality, most trees are not completely consumed, and the main trunk will remain standing although the leaves/ needles and branches may be gone." The image quality is not high enough to see how much of the trees themselves — including the leaves — remained, but depending on the type of tree, it is possible they remained mostly intact, albeit burned.
Also, we should note the photo showed no indications of artificial intelligence (AI) generation – AI detection software Hive found that it was "not likely to be AI-generated."