A Comparison of LA’s Palisades and Eaton Fires with California’s Most Severe Wildfires
Together, these two fires rank as the second-most destructive wildfire in California’s history in terms of structures lost
Correction & clarification: An earlier version of this article stated an incorrect population figure for Butte and Tehama counties, which according to the 2020 census, had a total population of 276,126.
The Eaton and Palisades fires have scorched over 37,000 acres in Los Angeles County, an area larger than San Francisco.
These fires are the most expansive in the area and are affecting heavily populated regions. Collectively, the wildfires in Los Angeles have resulted in damage exceeding $10 billion and have led to at least 24 fatalities.
While the Palisades and Eaton fires are not the largest by size, they are significant in terms of the number of structures destroyed. Combined, they would rank as California’s second-most devastating wildfire with over 10,000 buildings reported burned, based on initial estimates from Cal Fire. A thorough assessment of total destruction is still in progress.
Burned Area Comparison: Palisades and Eaton Fires vs. Other Major California Fires
As of early Monday, the Eaton Fire has consumed 14,117 acres, while the Palisades Fire has scorched 23,713 acres, both situated in Los Angeles County.
For context, the Park Fire, which is the largest wildfire in recent California history, burned 429,603 acres over a span of 64 days in Butte and Tehama counties. Here’s how the Los Angeles fires stack up against the largest fires in California by size:
Even though the Palisades and Eaton fires are smaller than others, they are having a substantial impact on Los Angeles County, which had a population exceeding 10 million as recorded in the 2020 census. In contrast, Butte and Tehama counties had a combined population of 276,126 in the same census.