AccuWeather has estimated that the economic damage and losses caused by the ongoing California wildfires exceed $50 billion. The fires, described as one of the worst in the state’s history, have claimed at least two lives, destroyed hundreds of buildings, and strained firefighting resources and water supplies since igniting on Tuesday.
According to the private forecaster, preliminary estimates place the losses between $52 billion and $57 billion. AccuWeather warned that the figure could rise if the fires spread to densely populated areas.
Jonathan Porter, Chief Meteorologist at AccuWeather, stated, “Should a large number of additional structures be burned in the coming days, it may become the worst wildfire in modern California history based on the number of structures burned and economic loss.”
Strong winds have hindered firefighting efforts, further fueling the blazes in Los Angeles and surrounding regions. Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as crews battle to contain the fires.
