The economic disaster is billions of dollars (see below), which, however falls short of the trillions of dollars in economic gains cumulatively constructed making California the number one ranking economy among non-nation states.
"California Wildfires: Damage Exceeds $50 Billion
California's wildfires, some of the most destructive in history, have caused economic losses of more than $50 billion, Reuters reported.
The damage is estimated at between $52 billion and $57 billion and could increase if the fires reach densely populated areas.
"If a large number of buildings are destroyed, this could be the worst fire in California history in terms of destruction and economic losses," AccuWeather chief meteorologist Jonathan Porter said.
J.P. Morgan estimates insured losses from the fires at about $10 billion, mostly due to the destruction of residential properties. Consulting firm CoreLogic reports that more than 456,000 homes in the Los Angeles and Riverside areas are at moderate to high risk, and their restoration could cost about $300 billion.
Recall that as a result of the fires engulfing Los Angeles, at least two people have died, hundreds of buildings have been destroyed, and firefighting and water resources are almost exhausted. Strong winds are complicating the fight against the fire and accelerating its spread." Excerpt from the news article posted on Research Gate by Dr. Boris Michailovich Menin on January 12, 2025.
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Update: As of January 13, 2025, the death toll from the multipronged Los Angeles, California, firestorms has risen from "at least two people" to twenty-four fatalities. Since the winds are intensifying and the fires are only 27% under control, the death toll and the destruction of homes and businesses are predicted to continue rising indefinitely.
I am saddened to observe that in addition to the firestorms' destruction of the multi-million-dollar mansions owned by the rich and famous, among the fatalities are people of color who have no doubt been employed in various capacities to support and maintain the everyday lives led by the big movie and television screen stars and moguls of the academy of motion picture arts and sciences in Hollywood, Malibu, Pasadena, and environs.
A related Research Gate discussion thread question provides a map of the proliferation of fires in the Los Angeles, California, area.
LINK:
https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_technologies_could_help_stamp_out_fires_in_the_Los_Angeles_hills
My question asks: Is there is a cause-and-effect linkage between the erection of a multitude of oil well derricks in Los Angeles from 1900 until December 2024, and the devastating fires that hit California residential neighborhoods starting on January 7, 2025?
California has become a vivid example of a global phenomenon known as “hydroclimate whiplash,” which involves sudden and dramatic swings between extreme wet and dry conditions.
"These abrupt shifts are increasingly destabilizing ecosystems and communities, as shown in a new study published in Nature Reviews Earth and Environment.
The research highlights how climate change is intensifying these weather patterns and their associated risks, from destructive wildfires to devastating floods..."
https://www.earth.com/news/climate-whiplash-from-floods-to-droughts-and-wildfires/
I’m a climate scientist and my house in LA burned down. My work has never been more real
I feel like I am safe in saying that we are not thriving on our changing planet – and we will not in the coming decades...
"“This event, for me, has destroyed any boundary between my work and the rest of my life, my family, my friends.”
Climate scientist Benjamin Hamlington lost his house in the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area, bringing him face to face with the grim reality of his research field..."
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jan/15/la-california-fires-climate-science
Why fires spread quickly in modern cities ― and how to slow them
Research also suggests how to make homes more resilient in the aftermath of deadly blazes in Los Angeles...
"The deadly, destructive fires affecting neighbourhoods in southern California are examples of urban firestorms, in which buildings themselves become fuel. As the climate changes and growing cities push outwards, researchers say that such fires are likely to become more common. To better understand how they spread, scientists are burning test houses and creating computer simulations that reveal how radiant heat and wind-blown embers set neighbouring houses alight. Other research points to practical measures that help to keep homes safe, such as covering vents and shaping roofs to keep out embers, and building with less-flammable siding and roof material..."
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00141-z
How Los Angeles Can Fireproof Communities, Not Just Houses
"After the devastation of the Los Angeles fires, officials are ready to rebuild. But as the risk of devastating wildfires increases with climate change, the calls to rebuild Los Angeles raise a series of tricky questions: How and where to rebuild — and whether to rebuild at all..."
https://undark.org/2025/01/21/los-angeles-build-fireproof/
False. It's a fire adapted eosystem with far too much development. It will happen again.
With great respect to environmental scientists and regret for the victims of the LA wildfires, I have posted a series of videos on Tik Tok and X platform to explain how the LA fire is related to geology of the region and emphasize that it has nothing to do with climate change.
It is often difficult, if not impossible, to link a specific event such as the LA wildfires to specific underlying cause. Climate change, overdevelopment and likely several other factors all contributed. Trying to link to some specific gas or oil exploration is meaningless without abundant supporting documentation.
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