Most destructive California wildfires in history

By Yosi Yahoudai
Founder and Managing Partner

2018’s Camp Fire is currently the most destructive wildfire in California history based on the number of structures destroyed.

As it burned in Butte County, the Camp Fire destroyed more than 18,000 structures, most of them homes. The fire is also the deadliest in state history.

In this aerial photograph, an evacuee encampment is seen at a Walmart parking lot in Chico, California on November 19, 2018.

Josh Edelson for the Washington Post

The list of the 10 most destructive wildfires in California history has seen several recent updates. The North Bay fires in 2017 caused unprecedented damage, with the Tubbs Fire ranking as one of the most destructive ever. The Woolsey and Carr fires in 2018 also made the top 10.

Here are the most destructive fires in California history based on number of structures damaged, according to figures provided by CalFire on Aug. 8, 2019.

Structures destroyed: 18,804

Acres burned: 153,336

Deaths: 86

Structures destroyed: 5,636

Acres burned: 36,807

Deaths: 22

Structures destroyed: 2,900

Acres burned: 1,600

Deaths: 25

Structures destroyed: 2,820

Acres burned: 273,246

Deaths: 15

Structures destroyed: 1,955

Acres burned: 76,067

Deaths: 4

Structures destroyed: 1,650

Acres burned: 197,990

Deaths: 2

Structures destroyed: 1,643

Acres burned: 96,949

Deaths: 3

Structures destroyed: 1,614

Acres burned: 229,651

Deaths: 8

Structures destroyed: 1,355

Acres burned: 54,382

Deaths: 3

Structures destroyed: 1,063

Acres burned: 281,893

Deaths: 2

About the Author

Yosi Yahoudai is a founder and the managing partner of J&Y. His practice is comprised primarily of cases involving automobile and motorcycle accidents, but he also represents people in premises liability lawsuits, including suits alleging dangerous conditions of public property, third-party criminal conduct, and intentional torts. He also has expertise in cases involving product defects, dog bites, elder abuse, and sexual assault. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California and is admitted to practice in all California State Courts, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. If you have any questions about this article, you can contact Yosi by clicking here.