It’s embers now in Northern California. Occasional flames. And lots of cold ash in what remains in mile after mile of destroyed homes and dreams. According to authorities the number of buildings destroyed in California fire has raised to 8,400, from 7,000. While many had fled in the middle of the night; some of their neighbors died trying to get out in the fire, which hit the residents of three neighborhoods in Santa Rosa hard.
It must be recalled that the fires broke out on October 8, in north of San Francisco in California known as ‘wine country’ and other nearby areas and killed 42 people. According to California’s insurance commissioner, preliminary estimates of the wildfire losses exceed $1 billion and that the figure is expected to rise.
Thousands of fire fighters worked relentlessly and succeeded to douse the flames after 3 weeks. According to the claims received by insurance companies, 4177 houses were affected partially while 5449 houses were completely gutted in fire. 601 commercial complexes, 3000 vehicles, 150 fields and agriculture equipments and 39 boats were destroyed by fire.
Last week the number of homeless was 1 lakh, however during the last week 85000 people have returned to their areas.