After nearly a month of intensive efforts, the costliest wildfires in United States history have been fully contained.
Beginning on Jan. 7 amid dry conditions and unusually high winds, the fires ravaged the Californian coast for weeks, requiring a response from an international coalition of 51,818 emergency personnel, according to Cal Fire. The flames burned 57,636 acres, destroyed 16,255 structures, and killed at least 29 people.
The Eaton and Palisades fires, the first to start and the two largest and most destructive, were the last to be contained. The Eaton fire was the deadliest, killing 17 people, destroying 9,418 structures, and scorching 14,021 acres — independently the second most destructive wildfire in California history. The Palisades…
