The two largest firestorms devastating Los Angeles County this week already rank among California’s 20 most damaging wildfires. Before the Palisades and Eaton fires, CalFire stats showed only 18 wildfires in history scorched more structures than preliminary damage tallies from these two Southern California conflagrations.

In a state that averages more than 7,500 wildfires a year some California homeowners keep helmets and fire hoses handy. However, the Los Angeles fires demonstrate a new reality: Wildfires in the state are growing larger and more ferocious and burning into suburbs and cities more often,