Wearing a respirator, goggles, gloves and white protective booties, Shaun Kearney gazed at his house in Sunset Mesa, a coastal community next to Pacific Palisades. It survived the fires destroying Los Angeles,

Officials released details about the recovery effort from the initial Los Angeles fires — an effort expected to last up to 18 months as authorities clear the wreckage.

Firefighters are battling a fast-moving blaze in southern California that has swelled over the past day, with authorities warning that Thursday is "the period of greatest concern". The Hughes fire, about 45 miles (72 km) north of Los Angeles,