The Guardian published “Climate Change Is Real,” a dozen photographs I shot over 4 days in the Altadena neighborhood of Los Angeles at the end of January 2025, a few days before the fires were cully contained.
Scientists are reporting that climate change made the wildfires much worse, contributing to reduced rainfall, dried out vegetation and stronger winds, made them so intense and destructive. The Eaton Fire on Altadena started on January 7th and was not fully contained until January 31st. 100,000 people were evacuated, 18 died, 9,418 buildings were destroyed and it is estimated that it will cost between $3 and $12 billion to rebuild.
Donald Trump has called climate change “nonexistent,” “mythical,” “a total con job” and “an expensive hoax.” He has withdrawn the US from the Paris Agreement, challenge state climate laws, rolled back environmental protections and pushed for increased fossil fuel production.
