California Wildfires Inflict $150 Billion Damage

The economic damage caused by the ongoing wildfires in Southern California is estimated to reach between $135 billion and $150 billion, according to revised assessments from AccuWeather.

This marks a significant increase from earlier estimates, which placed the damages at $52-57 billion.

Experts have noted that the combination of persistent strong winds and dry conditions continues to exacerbate the fire risks in the region.

Meteorologists predict these conditions will persist, heightening the threat of further wildfire outbreaks in the coming weeks.

Currently, California firefighters are battling at least five major wildfires that have resulted in the loss of five lives and the destruction of nearly 1,900 structures.

The fires have scorched nearly 28,000 acres of land, prompting mandatory evacuation orders for 130,000 residents. Iconic landmarks and entire communities from the Pacific Coast to inland Pasadena are under threat.

In response to the crisis, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has deployed 395 firefighters organized into 29 teams to aid in containing the blazes.

The disaster began on a Tuesday afternoon when a windstorm ignited flames in Pacific Palisades, quickly forcing thousands to flee. Satellite imagery reveals the extensive damage, with over 15,000 acres in the Malibu area left blackened.

The wildfires have turned stretches of the Pacific Coast into scenes of devastation, impacting some of the state's most well-known neighborhoods and landscapes.