The estimated loss of private property from the recent wildfires that ravaged the county May 13 through May 19 was nearly $30 million, according to a report from San Diego County.
The same report estimated the cost of fighting the fires at $27.9 million, bringing the total disaster costs to nearly $60 million.
Because Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency and requested federal aid, local agencies should be able to recover about 75 percent of the firefighting costs from the federal government. The county has requested additional financial assistance for affected local agencies.
The biggest property losses from the nine fires were suffered in unincorporated parts of the county where 34 houses and 15 outbuildings were destroyed. Two other houses sustained major damage. The cost estimate of property losses in those areas was $15.6 million.
In Carlsbad, the estimated property losses were $12 million. Twelve houses, 18 apartment units, and one commercial building were destroyed. In addition, four homes and one commercial building were seriously damaged, while 22 houses sustained minor damage, the report said.
In San Marcos, five houses were destroyed and five others sustained major damage causing an estimated property loss of $2.2 million.
