California firefighters battled wind-whipped wildfires that tore across the Los Angeles area, destroying homes, clogging roadways as tens of thousands fled and straining resources as officials prepared for the situation to worsen early Wednesday,

Before and after photos of the deadly wildfires in the Los Angeles area have sent tens of thousands scrambling for safety and decimated neighborhoods.

California's historic wildfires come nearly a year after an insurance company canceled thousands of homeowners policies. The insurance agency justified the move as an attempt to avoid financial failure as California sees more wildfires.