Nearly 23,000 buildings were destroyed in California wildfires in 2018.

How Many California Wildfires Occurred in 2018?

A total of 8,527 fires burned across the state last year, totaling 1.9 million acres of land, making it the most destructive in California wildfire history.

Notable 2018 California wildfires include the Carr Fire, the Mendocino Complex Fire, Camp Fire, and Woolsey Fire.

The Carr Fire began in late July 2018 in Northern California and burned through the end of August, decimating 229,651 acres and more than 1,600 structures. The Carr Fire caused in excess of $1.6 billion in damages, including $1.5 billion in insured losses.

The Mendocino Complex Fire also burned in Northern California from July 2018 to the beginning of November 2018. This complex fire included the Ranch Fire and the River Fire. The Ranch Fire is the largest recorded wildfire in California history, having scorched 459,123 acres, according to CNN.

In November 2018, California saw its deadliest and most destructive wildfire in the Camp Fire. This fire burned 153,336 acres in Northern California and destroyed more than 18,000 buildings. At least 86 died in the Camp Fire. Luckily, the first winter rainstorm helped contain the deadly fire after 17 days, the Washington Post reported.

November also saw the Woolsey Fire, smaller than the Camp Fire though it still caused significant damage. According to the Losa Angeles Times, Woolsey burned through wine country in southern California and destroyed 1,643 buildings. Due to the high property values of the affected areas, the price tag for damages caused by Woolsey topped $6 billion.

How Many Homes Were Destroyed in California Wildfires in 2018?

In total, 22,751 buildings were destroyed in California wildfires in 2018. This includes many homes.

What Caused the 2018 California Wildfires?

According to CNBC, California fire officials confirmed that electrical lines owned by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) were responsible for starting the Camp Fire, which destroyed almost the entire town of Paradise.

“Cal Fire announced today that it has determined that PG&E electrical transmission lines near Pulga were a cause of the Camp Fire,” said PG&E in a statement. “PG&E accepts this determination.”

PG&E filed bankruptcy in January after facing numerous lawsuits from consumers seeking compensation for California wildfire damage. Bankruptcy court will handle pending claims against the utility company. This includes money owed to creditors, government agencies, and consumers seeking a payout in civil court.

California Fire officials note that the dry conditions before the Camp Fire created a perfect storm for a deadly fire. All it took was a spark from PG&E’s electrical lines to trigger the massive blaze.

“The tinder-dry vegetation and Red Flag conditions consisting of strong winds, low humidity and warm temperatures promoted this fire and caused extreme rates of spread, rapidly burning into Pulga to the east and west into Concow, Paradise, Magalia and the outskirts of east Chico,” fire officials told CNBC.

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for informational purposes only.