(CNN) As many as a dozen wildfires have claimed lives and consumed thousands of acres across California, destroying homes and businesses.

The fires, which began Sunday night, transformed luxurious homes into piles of ashes, devouring personal belongings and everything else. Cars burst into flames, more than 20,000 residents evacuated and some neighborhoods were reduced to smoldering ruins.

The images below show before-and-after views of some areas that were severely damaged.

In Santa Rosa, a city with over 175,000 residents, the fires obliterated neighborhoods and partially melted cars.

One of Santa Rosa's fire stations was lost in the fire, according to a post on the Mountain View Fire Department's Facebook account.

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