Valley Fire Now 3rd Most Destructive Wildfire In California History
MIDDLETOWN (CBS SF) – Ten days after it started, the Valley Fire reached a grim milestone on Monday, becoming the third most destructive wildfire in the state's history.
According to Cal Fire public information officer Daniel Berlant, the fire has destroyed 1,783 structures, which include homes, outbuildings and commercial properties. Cal Fire said the number of structures destroyed is expected to go up "by several hundred."
As of Monday, the fire has killed three people and scorched 75,781 acres in Lake, Napa and Sonoma counties. Firefighters said the Valley Fire is 70 percent contained.
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The Valley Fire isn't the only blaze currently burning in California rewriting the record books. Officials said the Butte Fire in Amador and Calaveras counties has become the seventh most destructive fire to hit the state.
Cal Fire said the Butte Fire has killed two people, destroyed more than 900 structures and scorched 70,760 acres. The blaze is 74 percent contained.
The Oakland Hills firestorm of 1991 remains the most destructive wildfire in California history. While it burned a significantly smaller area than the Valley Fire (1,600 acres), the fire destroyed 2,900 structures and 25 people were killed.
Second on the list is the 2003 Cedar Fire in San Diego County, which destroyed more than 273,000 acres, more than 2,800 structures and killed 15 people.
The causes of the Valley Fire and Butte Fire remain under investigation.
Tim Fang is a digital producer for CBS San Francisco. A native of the Bay Area, follow him on Twitter@fangtj.
