California has been subjected to massive wild fires that have left at least 31 people dead and destroyed thousand of homes, businesses and more buildings.

The flames have severely damaged more than 17,000 acres of land and also affected at least 3,500 structures in some way, forcing thousands of residents to flee. People have been warned not to return to their homes for now.

The causes of the fires remain unknown. As many as 8,000 firefighters and support personnel have been assigned to combat the disaster.

A great deal of footage and photos have emerged, depicting the extent of destruction.

“Life is more important than property,” Sonoma County Sheriff Robert Giordano said on Tuesday. He also said that the wildfires will go down as “one of the worst natural disasters in California history.”