LOS ANGELES — Devastating. Apocalyptic. Of biblical proportions. Now add a phrase to those apt descriptions of the January fires that ravaged Southern California: Political.

It’s a realistic element of the fires, which killed at least 28 people and destroyed about 12,400 structures — the majority houses and plenty of businesses. Flames, which did the most damage in the ocean-vicinity Pacific Palisades blaze, the inland Eaton Fire, and several other severely damaging Los Angeles County wildfires, have led to an estimated $250 billion in property damage. That figure will, no doubt, climb significantly in the coming months.