This is the 17800th most frequent Russian word.
уничтожал
"Уничтожал" means "was destroying" or "destroyed repeatedly."
The word 'уничтожал' here is used to describe the act of systematically discarding or destroying items, specifically old papers.
В прошлом году он уничтожал старые бумаги.
Last year, he was destroying old papers.
In this context, 'уничтожал' is used metaphorically to describe intense criticism or devaluation of the book.
Критик уничтожал её новую книгу в своей статье.
The critic was destroying her new book in his article.
Here, 'уничтожал' conveys the physical destruction caused by the wildfire, emphasizing the vast and rapid damage.