State and federal authorities estimated Tuesday that it will cost at least $3 billion to clear debris from 19,000 homes and businesses destroyed by three California wildfires last month. The disaster relief officials said the cleanup costs will far surpass the record cleanup expense of $1.3 billion the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers spent on debris removal in Northern California in 2017. Hundreds of Northern California homeowners complained contractors last year paid by the ton hauled away too much dirt and damaged unbroken driveways, sidewalks and pipes. This year, he said state officials can manage the cleanup and costs will be shared among state, federal and local authorities. Most of the work will occur in Northern California, where the state's most destructive wildfire destroyed the city of Paradise.

Source: Fox News December 11, 2018 22:02 UTC