California fires destroy over 1,500 homes

Flames continue to burn near gas lines at a destroyed apartment complex Sunday, Sept. 13, 2015, in Middletown , Calif. California Gov. Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency in Lake and Napa Counties after a wildfire charred more than 60 square miles within 12 hours, prompting thousands to flee their homes. Brown said Sunday the declaration will expedite debris removal and waive fees to people who need to replace official documents lost in the fire. The blaze, about 100 miles north of San Francisco, has destroyed an unconfirmed number of homes and other buildings and damaged highways and other infrastructure. AP Photo

LOS ANGELES, United States—More than 1,500 homes have been destroyed in two immense fires that have torn through California over the last week, causing millions of dollars in damage, state officials said Monday.

The Valley and Butte fires, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) from San Francisco, will cost “in the tens of millions, if not in the hundreds of millions,” Brad Alexander, spokesman for the state’s Office of Emergency Services, told AFP.

READ: California fast-burning wildfires destroy 180 homes

He said the exact economic cost “will take a long time to assess” and will include clearing debris, rebuilding homes and other structures, and reimbursing lost wages for residents displaced by the flames.

The two fires have started to come under control in recent days, allowing damage assessment to begin and evacuation orders to be eased.

The fires have killed at least six residents so far and Alexander said that tally could rise as damage assessment continues.

In total, 2,600 structures have been destroyed by the two blazes so far, including the 1,500 homes, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), which said six large fires remain in California and the state is their “top priority.”

READ: California declares state of emergency as wildfires rage

On Sunday, California’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) said the Valley and Butte fires had become, respectively, the sixth and seventh most destructive ever in the state.

Both are approximately 70 percent now contained.

But new fires continue to start in the drought-parched state. CalFire spokesman Daniel Berlant said that firefighters responded to 150 new wildfires just last week.

The largest current fire in the state, the Rough Fire, has alone burned 141,600 acres, though mainly in federally operated forests with little threat to homes or residents.