In scorched neighborhoods, some Los Angeles homes remain untouched. climate news

The remains of burned homes line the Los Angeles landscape as flames engulf entire neighborhoods in the Southern California city.

But amid the crumbling walls on Monday, some houses remained untouched.

By a mix of luck and building design, a handful of homes in the neighborhood were reduced to ashes despite the flames destroying thousands of homes and killing at least 24 people.

The differences were obvious: a house on top of a hill stood among burnt trees and bushes, with untouched goods visible from its windows. Below, the remains of other houses – roofs, parts of fences and walls, as well as air conditioning units and chair swings – were damaged and torn to pieces.

The Walsh House survives, featured in the Beverly Hills 90210 television series. Its ancient lawn was also the same. Next door, the remains of a neighbor’s house were blackened with soot.

Some beach properties were also spared, with rows of charred trees making way for clusters of untouched homes. Others had a different fate as roofs and trees fell onto properties.

One man, David Slater, cleared the path to his intact home just feet away from the charred remains of his neighbor’s car and a broken wall. There were also fallen trees and debris lying behind the gate of Slater’s house.

California wildfires bear the brunt of climate change. Atmospheric rivers poured vast amounts of water over the region, allowing abundant plant growth. Then drought dried them up, making perfect fodder for the flames.

Firefighters are preparing for the return of dangerous winds that could fan the flames again Monday.