Los Angeles families return to search the ruins of their homes for memories

Many watched their homes burn on television in a state of shock.

Since the flames erupted in and around Los Angeles, scores of residents have returned to their still smouldering neighbourhoods even as the threat of new fires persisted and the US’s second-largest city remained unsettled.

For some, it was a first look at the staggering reality of what was lost as the region of 13 million people grapples with the gargantuan challenge of overcoming the disaster and rebuilding.

Calmer...