Los Angeles Wildfires — California, USA (January 2025)

The Los Angeles Wildfires of January 2025 were the most destructive natural disaster in US history by economic damage, causing an estimated $250 billion in total economic impact, with insured losses alone exceeding $30 billion. The fires destroyed over 12,000 structures, killed at least 27 people, and forced the evacuation of 180,000 residents across 23,000 burned acres during extreme Santa Ana winds. This surpasses #2, the Myanmar-Thailand Earthquake, in total economic cost by more than $200 billion, underscoring its devastating scale.