Bare foliage in Lake Arrowhead, CA.

Result of Southern California record wildfires of October, 2003

In  October, 2003, Southern California experienced it's worst wildfires on record, scorching hundreds of thousands of acres of mountain forests and brush land.

(CNN) -- More than 729,000 acres have burned and over 13,000 firefighters battled wild fires in five southern California counties.

The so-called Cedar Fire in San Diego County swelled to more than 280,000 acres, making it the largest brush fire in the state since 1932, according to the California Department of Forestry.

Throughout the state, the fires have devoured more than 2,700 homes, 30 businesses and more than 700 other structures -- and killed at least 20 people and injured dozens. More than $2 billion in damage.

Mother Nature marches on, however, and soon from the ashes life will again take hold, as the perpetual cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth begins anew.