Damage estimate surpasses total losses from entire 2020 US wildfire season
The ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles are projected to cause $250 billion to $275 billion in damages and economic losses, according to AccuWeather.
“These wildfires are already among California's worst,” said Jonathan Porter, AccuWeather's chief meteorologist. “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.”
This damage estimate surpasses the total losses from the entire 2020 US wildfire season, Porter noted.
AccuWeather's estimate surpasses the $225 billion to $250 billion losses from Hurricane Helene in 2024 and the $13 billion to $16 billion damages from the Maui wildfires in 2023.
The figures are preliminary, with fires still spreading and damage reports ongoing, AccuWeather warned.
Meanwhile, residents of Los Angeles are bracing for a "Particularly Dangerous Situation" as powerful winds are expected to return this week, raising concerns for firefighting efforts. Firefighters have made significant progress on the Hurst Fire, which is 89% contained, while the Palisades and Eaton Fires remain less contained.
