A spate of catastrophic wildfires that broke out across Northern California in October 2017 has been collectively labeled the “October Fire Siege.” Thousands of residences fell victim to the flames, resulting in a reported tally of at least 44 lives lost. Among the blazes was the notorious Tubbs Fire, which, at the time, stood as the most ruinous in the annals of the state. The estimated damage toll at the time soared to approximately $14 billion, with nearly 250,000 acres left scorched in its wake.
One year following the tragic fires that ravaged Lahaina, Hawaii, the future of the region hangs precariously in the balance. CAL FIRE disclosed that a succession of lightning storms churned out close to 14,000 lightning strikes, igniting over 650 wildfires during a seven-day stretch in mid-August. The conflagrations devoured an expanse exceeding 2,529,000 acres, with the death toll tolling in at 31 souls. The atmospheric tumult that fueled the stormy tempests and blustery conditions stemmed from the lingering remnants of Tropical Storm Fausto.
During the autumn of 1933, a mound of debris inadvertently sparked ablaze amid a revitalization endeavor at a park in Los Angeles. Tragically, as recounted by the Los Angeles Fire Department, 29 individuals perished in their valiant efforts to combat the inferno, which ultimately consumed less than 50 acres. Apart from the calamitous events of the September 11 attacks and the Great Fire of 1910, this incident emerged as one of the deadliest on record for both firefighting personnel and civilians who endeavored to quell the conflagration.
Original article source: A look at the deadliest US wildfires in modern history.
