California fires affect area larger than Paris

Forest fires in Los Angeles County, California, have affected an area larger than Paris, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Report informs via TASS.

According to the department's data, the fires affected an area of 16,300 hectares, which corresponds to 163 square kilometers.

The department's statistics include fires that covered at least four hectares of territory, meaning the total count includes both large fires causing serious destruction and small ones that only affected vegetation and were quickly extinguished or died out. According to France's National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies, Paris covers an area of 105.4 square kilometers.

Thus, the forest fires in California have affected an area larger than the French capital. Meanwhile, the so-called Greater Paris metropolis - the capital along with surrounding suburbs - occupies more than 750 square kilometers. The department's statistics cover all fires since the beginning of the year, including the largest fires in Los Angeles County raging since January 7.

The two largest ones - "Palisades" and "Eaton" - covered an area of 152 square kilometers. The total area of Los Angeles County is more than 10,500 square kilometers, according to data from the territorial entity's official website.