Hollywood screenwriter Marc Victor opens up about how the California wildfires have affected his life in 'The Claman Countdown'.
Los Angeles is battling multiple wildfires burning through the Southern California city, destroying homes and businesses.
A JP Morgan report on Thursday said that “expected economic losses from the fires have more than doubled since yesterday to close to $50 billion,” adding that estimated insured losses “could exceed $20 billion (and more if the fires are not contained).”
This, according to JPMorgan analysts, would make the ongoing California wildfires “significantly more severe than the 2018 Butte County Camp Fire, which previously caused the highest insured loss in California history. Fire.”
California wildfires could cost insurers $20 billion, the highest in state history
As of Thursday evening, multiple wildfires were active Los Angeles Countyincluding three that were 0%, the CalFire website showed. At least five people lost their lives.
TOPSHOT – Smoke billows as a brush fire burns in Pacific Palisades, California on January 7, 2025. A fast-moving brushfire in suburban Los Angeles burned buildings and led to evacuations Tuesday due to “life-threatening” winds. (David Swanson/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images)
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that more than 7,500 firefighters and emergency workers Fighting fire.
Four of the five costliest wildfires in the United States were in California, According to Information from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
camp fire
PARADISE, CA – NOVEMBER 27: A classic car destroyed in a campfire is seen on Tuesday, November 27, 2018 in Paradise, California. Fires can cause numerous safety issues such as downed power lines, road conditions, hazardous materials, etc (Anda Chu/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images)
The campfire appeared on November 8, 2018 and was contained on the 17th day In Northern California. Its fires caused $12.4 billion in inflation-adjusted losses, the NFPA reported.
The fire spanned 153,300 acres, destroying 18,800 homes, buildings and commercial properties per Calfire. It destroys almost the entire city of Paradise.
About 52,000 people were evacuated during the campfire.
When it erupted, 85 people lost their lives. CalFire considers it the deadliest wildfire in the Golden State.
Tubbs Fire
CALISTOGA, CA – OCTOBER 12: Calfire firefighters monitor a firing operation while battling the Tubbs Fire on October 12, 2017 near Calistoga, California. At least 31 people have died in the wildfires, which have burned thousands of acres. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Inflation-adjusted costs of the Tubbs Fire, which affected Napa and Sonoma counties In California In 2017, according to NFPA, there was about $11.05 billion.
The fire occurred during the “October 2017 fire season”. Northern California saw more than 170 fires during that time.
CalFire said in 2019 that the Tubbs fire “was caused by a private electrical system adjacent to a residential structure.” 22 people died in it.
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Lahena fire
In an aerial view, charred cars and homes are seen in a neighborhood destroyed by a wildfire on August 18, 2023 in Lahaina, Hawaii. At least 111 people have been killed and thousands displaced after wind-driven wildfires ravaged cities (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/Getty Images)
Lahena is on fire island of hawaii The Maui event takes place in August 2023. The death toll was 101.
“The cause of the fire was the re-energization of a broken utility line that emitted molten metal (sparks) to the base of pole 25, igniting the intact vegetation below.
An overhead power line between poles 25 and 24 caused the line to fall to the ground,
Subsequently, vegetation burned below,” said a report released by the County of Maui Department of Fire and Public Safety. “The continuation of the fire through rekindling was due to a hidden smoky material that made its way in an undetermined manner at an undetermined time. A sensitive fuel package in the lane just east and south of the existing burn area.”
Initial inflation-adjusted losses from the fires were $6.18 billion, NFPA said.
Woolsey Fire
MALIBU, CA – NOVEMBER 10: Los Angeles County firefighters attack flames near the Salvation Army Camp at Malibu Creek State Park during the Woolsey Fire on November 10, 2018 near Malibu, California. The Woolsey fire has burned more than 70,000 acres (David McNew/Getty Images)
According to the NFPA, the Woolsey Fire cost $5.2 billion on an inflation-adjusted basis. CalFire reported more than 96,900 acres of fires from the 2018 fires in California.
The National Park Service says 88% of managed land within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area has burned.
Tunnel/Oakland Hills Fire
According to the NFPA, the 2,900-acre Tunnel Fire in the Oakland Hills area of California in 1991 caused inflation-adjusted losses of $3.893 billion.
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According to the East Bay Regional Park District, about 1,500 Northern California firefighters were involved in efforts to extinguish the blaze when it was at its worst.
How many wildfires does the United States experience each year?
The United States experiences thousands of wildfires each year. About 56,600 occurred in 2023, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The previous year saw about 69,000.
Eric Revell contributed to this report.