Scorched and smothered by wildfires, California's 13 months of hell

California is never immune to big fires, but a look at the past 13 months reveals a horrifying path of destruction that deserves equal screen time to the latest political intrigues.

Driving the news: Parts of the state are blanketed in smoke, with temperatures dropping as a result and residents scrambling to get specialized masks to help filter the air. The state's air quality is currently the worst in the nation as a result of the fires, Bloomberg reports.

By the numbers over the past 13 months, per CalFire (** indicates active fire):

1. Mendocino Complex: 459,123 acres, 280 structures, 1 death
2. Thomas: 281,893 acres; 1,063 structures; 2 deaths
3. Carr: 229,651 acres; 1,604 structures; 8 deaths
4. Witch: 197,990 acres; 1,650 structures, 2 deaths
5. **Camp: 142,000 acres; 12,256 structures; 66 deaths
6. **Woolsey: Nearly 100,000 acres; ~600 structures; 3 deaths
7. Nuns: 54,382 acres; 1,355 structures; 3 deaths
8. Tubbs: 36,807 acres; 5,636 structures, 22 deaths

The big picture: 14 of the 20 most destructive fires in the state have been since 2000, along with 15 of the 20 largest by acreage.

Go deeper:

• Full coverage: Axios on the California wildfires
• This week's Axios Science focused on wildfires
• Why it's so hard to issue a fire warning
• Forest management is only one risk factor in the California wildfires