Many palm species in the city are receptive to embers and hard to extinguish – and they likely helped spread the fires

When the Los Angeles wildfires broke out on the morning of 7 January, some of the most dramatic images were of palm trees set ablaze along Sunset Boulevard. In the days that followed, burning palms became a symbol to illustrate what may be the costliest wildfires in history, which left at least 25 dead and destroyed thousands of structures.

The trees are icons of the city. They also played a role in spreading the flames, researchers and fire officials say.