More than 1500 homes have been destroyed in two immense fires that have torn through California over the last week, causing millions of dollars in damage.
The Valley and Butte fires, about 160 kilometres from San Francisco, will cost "in the tens of millions if not in the hundreds of millions," Brad Alexander, spokesman for the California's Office of Emergency Services, told AFP.
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 five residents so far and Alexander said that tally could rise as damage assessment continues.
In total, 2600 structures have been destroyed by the two blazes so far, including the 1500 homes, according to the National Interagency Fire Centre (NIFC), which said six large fires remain in California and the state is their "top priority".
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.
AFP
