This is the heart-breaking moment a woman returned to her childhood home which was destroyed in the California wildfires.

Kyoko Canizales, 32, and her mother Kimberely Harris, 59 stood in shock among the rubble after the wildfire fire consumed the house which had been in the family for over four decades.

The house, bought in the 1970s by Kyoko's late grandmother Quintin Wingo, represented years of sacrifice and determination.

It burnt down on Wednesday (Jan 8) as the Eaton wildfire tore through Altadena leaving her family grappling to rebuild their lives.

Heart-breaking footage shows Kyoko pulling outside of what is the left of the house as her mother can be heard sobbing at the sight of of the damage.

Kyoko, a psychologist from Altadena, California, said: "This house wasn't just a home. It was a legacy."

"It was where my grandmother's dreams for our family came to life. "

"Now, it's all gone every memory, every piece of our history."

Kyoko's mum Kimberely, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, was forced to evacuate alone when the fire encroached on their neighborhood.

Kyoko, who was at her condo at the time, was unable to be with her mother as she fled the flames.

Kyoko was left helpless, anxiously waiting for updates as her mother gathered a small bag of clothes, her passport and a few important documents before leaving everything behind.

Power outages during the evacuation left Kimberely fumbling in the dark, unable to grab essential medications or cherished belongings.

Kyoko said: "My mom had to leave behind nearly everything."

"She thought we'd be able to come back but we never got that chance."

The loss has devasted the family, with the house serving not only as a home but as a living archive of their memories.

It held years of memories - childhood photos, heirlooms passed down through generations and a front door marked with Kyoko's height as she grew up.

Kyoko said: "I dreamed of raising my own children there someday."

"Now, all those dreams feel like they've been stolen."

Kyoko recently lost her job and was preparing to move back home full-time to support her mother.

Now, with limited aid and the uncertainty of insurance payouts, the two are struggling to find stable housing.

For now, they are staying at Kyoko's condo, but this temporary refuge will soon come to an end.

The people renting the condo are due to arrive soon and the family will have to move out, leaving them with no choice but to prepare for a stay in a local shelter.

Adding to the frustration, Kyoko criticized decisions that left Altadena vulnerable during the disaster including funding cuts to fire departments.

She said: "Our community was left to burn."

"These fires are only getting worse, and yet, we're not being protected."

"Apparently our firefighters, the Altadena and Pasadena ones, were off helping fight the Palisades fire so when our fire started we didn't have enough people on the ground here to help control it."

"I think that's what led to the fire here getting out of control. "

"While they needed help we needed the help too."

Despite the devastation, Kyoko said the outpouring of support from neighbors and strangers alike has been a lifeline.

She said: "Growing up, it was always just the three of us my mom, my grandma and me."

"But now I see we're not alone. "

"The kindness of others is what's keeping us going."

The family hopes to rebuild on their land, but the road ahead is long and uncertain.

Kyoko said: "We've lost everything but we haven't lost our determination."

"We'll build again because that's what my grandmother would have wanted. "

"This house may be gone but her legacy will live on in us."