Publication Date September 18, 2016 | Montery Herald

Soberanes Fire becomes costliest to fight in US history

United States
Soberanes Fire grows as crews increase containment. Photo: Monterey Herald
Soberanes Fire grows as crews increase containment. Photo: Monterey Herald

The Soberanes Fire is now the costliest blaze to suppress in U.S. history, according to National Interagency Fire Center data.

The center estimates the cost of fighting the blaze at $197.8 million. According to Iveth Hernandez, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service, the long duration of the fire plays a big role in the cost of the fire.

According to California Interagency Incident Management Team 1, the daily costs of fighting the Soberanes Fire have fallen from a peak of $8 million to $2 million