| In late October 2003 the state of California was | | | | unexpected. The personal losses incurred by local |
| slammed with the worst wildfire that it had | | | | residences and the tremendous losses to local |
| experienced to that date. Twenty people where | | | | wildlife resulted in a push by the United States |
| killed, and damage to local communities and | | | | federal government to pass the "Healthy Forests" |
| infrastructure was extensive. | | | | bill which allocated seven hundred and sixty million |
| The wild fire extended from the Mexican boarder | | | | dollars to the urban interface between urban cities |
| north to the suburbs of Los Angeles. Hundreds of | | | | and forest areas. |
| thousands of acres of forest where destroyed. | | | | The economic impact of this wildfire was |
| Local vegetation and animal life suffered very | | | | catastrophic. One and a quarter to two billion |
| large losses and many communities where | | | | dollars in damages resulted from the fire, making |
| effected by the disaster. Thousands of different | | | | it the most costly wildfire in American history. |
| species where decimated by the fire. It is | | | | Losses to businesses and local municipalities |
| expected that certain of the larger species like | | | | amounted to millions of dollars in lost revenues, |
| elk, and deer, may take several years to | | | | not to mention the cost of replacing or restoring |
| repopulate. Even the local salmon stock feeding in | | | | lost information, and resulted in hardship for many |
| the streams running through the burning acreage | | | | local area residents. The logging industry, of |
| suffered losses from the fire. | | | | course, took a major financial hit. |
| Damage to the area was devastating. 20 people | | | | Not all natural disasters kill thousands of people, |
| died including one of the fire fighters. Two | | | | yet most will spread their effects over huge |
| thousand seven hundred homes and buildings | | | | areas and cause massive damage to our fragile |
| where destroyed and many businesses had to | | | | and over-used infrastructure. Telephone lines and |
| close. This wildfire was to become the most | | | | utilities like electricity, water and even sewage are |
| expensive fire to ever hit the United States. | | | | easily interrupted. Businesses are not able to |
| Damage to phone lines, and local utilities caused | | | | operate without these simple services. Lost data |
| major outages. People were displaced from their | | | | means lost revenues. Even something as simple |
| homes and many had to leave the state to find | | | | as a forest fire can have a huge social and |
| accommodation elsewhere during the clean-up | | | | economic influence on our lives. In this case it |
| period. | | | | appears the best offense is a great defense. |
| The social impact of this wild fire was a bit | | | | Always be prepared. |