The image quickly became a "beacon of hope" for some in the wake of Los Angeles' deadly January 2025 wildfires.

A surprising photograph of an undamaged Volkswagen van surrounded by destruction from a Los Angeles wildfire has astonished viewers across the world.

Of all the horrors of the LA fires, the loss of life and immense loss of property, happy stories have been few and far between. Scrolling social media coverage from around Los Angeles has been harrowing,