Journalist Nonny de la Peña and her team used 3D scanning to document the aftermath of the 2026 Southern California wildfires [1].

The project translates physical devastation into a virtual-reality experience to help survivors process trauma and preserve the scale of the loss. By creating an immersive record of the wreckage, the team aims to uncover surviving personal items and provide a tool for community healing.

The team focused their efforts on devastated neighborhoods in Los Angeles, specifically targeting areas firefighters called “Nuketown” [1]. These zones included the Palisades and Eaton fire areas, where the intensity of the flames left behind a landscape of total destruction [2].

Through the use of high-resolution 3D scanning, de la Peña produced a VR documentary titled “Out of the Ashes” [1]. The technology allowed the team to capture the exact geometry of the ruins, revealing that some personal objects remained intact amidst the ash [2]. This digital preservation provides a permanent record of the disaster that traditional photography cannot replicate.

De la Peña said the project and its implications during a TEDx talk recorded on Nov. 15, 2025 [1]. The presentation detailed how immersive storytelling can be used to bridge the gap between those who experienced the disaster and those attempting to understand its impact.

The initiative seeks to transform a site of tragedy into a space for reflection. By allowing users to navigate the ruins in a controlled, virtual environment, the project attempts to facilitate a psychological transition from shock to recovery [2].

“The project translates physical devastation into a virtual-reality experience to help survivors process trauma.”

This application of 3D scanning and VR represents a shift in disaster documentation, moving from static imagery to spatial archives. By digitizing 'Nuketown' zones, the project creates a forensic and emotional map of the 2026 fires that serves both as a historical record and a potential therapeutic tool for PTSD and community grief.