The massive fires in Colorado are impacting natives and tourists alike as hotels close and mass evacuations take place. As they continue to burn, fires throughout the state are racking up destruction statistics. For example, in total, the blazes in Colorado Springs have claimed over 18,000 acres of land. The High Park fire, close to Fort Collins, has scorched more than 87,000 acres of land on its own, and demolished nearly 250 homes. There are at least six fires burning currently, and despite constant efforts from firefighters and emergency response crews, they might not be fully controlled for another few weeks.
While these fires are among the worst that Colorado has seen in the past ten years, this country has seen flames that had a much more disasterous effect in years past. On the website for the National Fire Protection Association, there's a list of the top 10 wildfires that have produced the largest losses, financially. The Oakland Firestorm in Oakland, California takes the top spot. In October of 1991, when it occured, the fire cost the state $1.5 billion. In today's money, that would be equal to $2.4 billion. In fact, California makes the list seven times. The remaining slots on the list go to fires in Florida, Minnesota, and New Mexico. The current crisis in Colorado, in contrast, has cost the state almost $40 million, according to a recent story in the Denver Post.
For a list of the top 25 most costly fires in the history of the United States -- wild or otherwise -- click here.
Destruction can also be measured in loss of life. Yahoo reported that, so far, four people have died as a result of the wildfires in Colorado this year. Yet, the NFPA lists a wildfire in Wisconsin that killed 1,152 people in October of 1871 as the third most deadly fire or explosion in U.S. history.
Though it remains to be seen, if the fires continue, then the Colorado Fires of 2012 might one day wind up on a list of historic fires, like this one put out by the University of Texas at Austin
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