List of California wildfires

A wildfire in California

California has dry, windy, and often hot weather conditions from late spring through autumn that can produce moderate to devastating wildfires. At times, these wildfires are fanned or made worse from strong, dry winds, known as Diablo winds in the northern part of the state and Santa Ana Winds to the south. Wildfires in California are growing more dangerous and costly. U.S. taxpayers are paying about $3 billion a year to fight wildfires, triple what it cost in the 1990s, and big fires can lead to billions of dollars in property losses.[1]

The following is a list of major wildfires of various sizes that have occurred in California.

Largest Fires

Since 1932, when accurate records started to be kept, these are the 20 largest wildfires in California according to CAL FIRE.[2]

Note: dagger means fire is currently burning. Total size and position in list subject to change.

Name County Acres Km2 Start Date Structures Deaths Notes
RushLassen315,577 1,277.1 August 2012 00Of this fire, 43,666 acres (176.7 km2) burned in Nevada
CedarSan Diego273,246 1,105.8 October 2003 2,820 15
RimTuolumne257,314 1,041.3 August 2013 112 0
ZacaSanta Barbara240,207 972.1 July 2007 1 0
MatilijaVentura220,000 890.3 September 1932 0 0
WitchSan Diego197,990 801.2 October 2007 1,650 2
Klamath Theater ComplexSiskiyou192,038 777.2 June 2008 0 2
Marble ConeMonterey177,866 719.8 July 1977 00
LagunaSan Diego175,425 709.9 September 1970 3828
Basin ComplexMonterey162,818 658.9 June 2008 58 0
DayVentura162,702 658.4 September 2006 11 0
StationLos Angeles160,557 649.8 August 2009 209 2
RoughFresno151,623 613.6 July 2015 4 0
McNallyTulare150,696 609.8 July 2002 17 0
Stanislaus ComplexTuolumne145,980 590.8 August 1987 28 1
Big Bar ComplexTrinity140,948 570.4 August 1999 0 0
Happy Camp ComplexSiskiyou132,833 537.6 August 2014 6 0
Campbell ComplexTehama125,892 509.5 August 1990 27 0
WheelerVentura118,000 477.5 July 1985 26 0
SimiVentura108,204 437.9 October 2003 300 0

Pre-2000

Remains of houses destroyed in the 1991 Oakland Hills firestorm.

Post 2000

Satellite image of the 2003 Cedar Fire. The Cedar Fire was the largest wildfire in California history.

Starting in 2001, the National Interagency Fire Center began keeping more accurate records about total fire acreage burned in each state.[3]

Yearly Stats

Year Fires Acres Mi2 Km2 Ref
2001 9,458329,126 514.3 1,331.9[4]
2002 8,328506,696 791.7 2,050.5[5]
2003 9,116793,402 1,239.7 3,210.8[6]
2004 8,415242,057 378.2 979.6[7]
2005 7,162202,754 316.8 820.5[8]
2006 8,202678,919 1,060.8 2,747.5[9]
2007 9,0931,087,110 1,698.6 4,399.4[10]
2008 4,1081,375,781 2,149.7 5,567.6[11]
2009 9,159405,585 633.7 1,641.3[12]
2010 6,554109,529 171.1 443.2[13]
2011 7,989126,854 198.2 513.4[14]
2012 7,950869,599 1,358.7 3,519.1[15]
2013 9,907577,675 902.6 2,337.8[16]
2014 7,865555,044 867.3 2,246.2[17]
Average 8,093561,438 877.2 2,272.1

A 2015 study indicates that the increase in fire risk in California is attributable to human-induced climate change.[18]

Notable Fires

Name County Acres Km2 Start Contained Notes Ref
SimiVentura108,204 437.9 25 October 2003 5 November 2003 315 structures destroyed[19]
OldSan Bernardino91,281 369.4 25 October 2003 25 November 2003 975 structures destroyed[20]
RumseyYolo39,138 158.4 10 October 2004 16 October 2004 5 structures destroyed[21]
TopangaLos Angeles24,175 97.8 28 September 2005 6 October 2005 [22]
IslandLos Angeles4,750 19.2 10 May 2007 15 May 2007 6 structures destroyed[23]
ZacaSanta Barbara240,207 972.1 4 July 2007 2 September 2007 1 structure destroyed[24]
WitchSan Diego197,990 801.2 21 October 2007 31 October 2007 1,650 structures destroyed[25]
HarrisSan Diego90,440 366.0 21 October 2007 9 November 2007 472 structures destroyed, 1 civilian fatality[26]
SantiagoOrange28,400 114.9 21 October 2007 8 November 2007 24 structures destroyed[27]
CorralLos Angeles4,901 19.8 24 November 2007 27 November 2007 86 structures destroyed[28]
Summit Santa Clara 4,270 17.322 May 200827 May 2008 [29]
Indians Monterey 81,378 329.38 June 200810 July 2008 [30]
Basin Complex Monterey 162,818 658.921 June 200827 July 2008 [31]
Gap Santa Barbara 9,443 38.21 July 200828 July 2008 [32]
Sesnon Los Angeles 14,703 59.513 October 200818 October 2008 [33]
Tea Santa Barbara 1,940 7.913 November 200817 November 2008 [34]
Cottonwood Riverside2,409 9.7 27 August 2009 31 August 2009 [35]
Guiberson Ventura17,500 70.8 22 September 2009 1 October 2009 [36]
Jesusita Santa Barbara8,733 35.3 5 May 2009 20 May 2009 160 structures destroyed[37]
La Brea Santa Barbara89,489 362.1 8 August 2009 23 August 2009 [38]
LockheedSanta Cruz7,817 31.6 12 August 2009 23 August 2009 13 structures destroyed[39]
Morris Los Angeles2,168 8.8 25 August 2009 3 September 2009 [40]
Station Los Angeles160,577 649.8 26 August 2009 16 October 2009 209 structures destroyed, 2 fatalities [41]
Rush Lassen 315,557 1,277.0 12 August 2012 30 August 2012 1 barn destroyed[42]
Springs Ventura 28,000 110 2 May 2013 6 May 2013 20 outbuildings destroyed [43]
Powerhouse Los Angeles 30,000 120 30 May 2013 10 June 2013 24 homes destroyed [44]
Mountain Riverside 27,531 111.4 15 July 2013 21 July 2013 [45]
Rim Tuolumne 257,314 1,041.3 17 August 2013 24 October 2013 112 structures destroyed [46]
Clover Shasta 8,073 32.7 9 September 2013 15 September 2013 68 homes destroyed, 1 fatality [47]
Etiwanda San Bernardino 2,143 8.7 30 April 2014 3 May 2014 [48]
Happy Camp Complex Siskiyou 134,056 542.5 14 August 2014 31 October 2014 6 structures destroyed[49]
King El Dorado 97,717 395.4 13 September 2014 9 October 2014 80 structures destroyed [50]
BolesSiskiyou516 2.1 15 September 2014 11 October 2014 157 structures destroyed [51]
LakeSan Bernardino31,359 126.9 17 June 2015 1 August 2015 [52]
NorthSan Bernardino4,250 17.2 17 July 2015 21 July 2015 7 homes, 74 vehicles destroyed [53]
RockyLake69,438 281.0 29 July 2015 14 August 2015 43 homes destroyed; 8 structures damaged [54]

Areas of repeated ignition

The Summer 2008 wildfires were widespread and deadly, with at least 3,596 wildfires of various origins burning throughout Northern and Central California, for around 4 months.

In some parts of California, fires can sometimes recur in areas that have had past histories of fires. Examples of this are in Oakland, which fires of various size and ignition occurred in 1923, 1931, 1933, 1937, 1946, 1955, 1960, 1961, 1968, 1970, 1980, 1990, 1991, 1995, 2002, and 2008.[55][56] Other examples being Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and Los Angeles County. In the case of Orange and San Bernardino, these two counties share a county border that runs north to south through the Chino Hills State Park, with the parks landscape ranging from large green coastal sage scrub, grassland, and woodland, to areas of brown sparsely dense vegetation made drier by droughts or hot summers. The valley's grass and barren land can become easily susceptible to dry spells and drought, therefore making it a prime spot for brush fires and conflagration, which many have occurred since 1914. Hills and canyons that have seen brush or wildfires in one or similar locations have occurred in 1914, the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and into today.[57]

Satellite image of the wildfires in Southern California and Baja California, on May 15, 2014. 2014 was one of California's worst wildfire seasons on record.

On occasion, freak lightning strikes from thunderstorms may also inadvertently spark wildfires in areas that have seen past ignition. Examples of this are the 1999 Megram Fire, the Summer 2008 California wildfires, among others.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Wildfires are growing more costly". NBC News. 2014-05-14.
  2. ↑ "Top 20 Largest California Wildfires" (PDF). CAL FIRE. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  3. ↑ "Statistics". National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  4. ↑ "National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2001" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  5. ↑ "National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2002" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  6. ↑ "National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2003" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  7. ↑ "National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2004" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  8. ↑ "National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2005" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  9. ↑ "National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2006" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  10. ↑ "National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2007" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  11. ↑ "National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2008" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  12. ↑ "National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2009" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  13. ↑ "National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2010" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  14. ↑ "National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2011" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  15. ↑ "National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2012" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  16. ↑ "National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2013" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  17. ↑ "National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2014" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  18. ↑ Yoon et al. (2015) EXTREME FIRE SEASON IN CALIFORNIA: A GLIMPSE INTO THE FUTURE?. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283425168_EXTREME_FIRE_SEASON_IN_CALIFORNIA_A_GLIMPSE_INTO_THE_FUTURE#full-text
  19. ↑ "Simi Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  20. ↑ "Old Fire" (PDF). FIRESCOPE. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  21. ↑ "Rumsey Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  22. ↑ "Topanga Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  23. ↑ "Large Fires 2007" (PDF). CAL FIRE. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  24. ↑ "Zaca Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  25. ↑ "Witch Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  26. ↑ "Harris Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  27. ↑ "Officials: Arson Behind Santiago Fire". CBS.com. 2007-10-25. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 2007-10-26.
  28. ↑ "Corral Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  29. ↑ "Summit Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 2008-05-22.
  30. ↑ "Large Fires 2008" (PDF). CAL FIRE. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  31. ↑ "Top 20 Largest California Wildfires" (PDF). CAL FIRE. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  32. ↑ "2008 June Fire Siege" (PDF). CAL FIRE. CAL FIRE. p. 105. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  33. ↑ "Sesnon Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  34. ↑ "Tea Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  35. ↑ "Large Fires 2009" (PDF). CAL FIRE. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  36. ↑ "Guiberson Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  37. ↑ "Jesusita Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  38. ↑ "La Brea Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  39. ↑ "Lockheed Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  40. ↑ "Morris Fire". InciWeb (United States Forest Service). September 3, 2009. Retrieved September 5, 2009.
  41. ↑ "Station Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  42. ↑ "Rush Fire". Inciweb. Retrieved 2015-08-07.
  43. ↑ Bernstein, Sharon (May 6, 2013). "Firefighters, helped by rain, mop up California wildfire". Reuters. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  44. ↑ Watt, Brian (June 6, 2013). "Powerhouse Fire: 53 structures, 24 homes burned as officials revise estimates upward (map)". KPCC. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  45. ↑ Cocca, Christine (July 31, 2013). "Mountain Fire Fully Contained After Raging for 16 Days". NBC 4 Southern California. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  46. ↑ "Rim Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  47. ↑ "Incident information: Clover Fire". CalFire. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  48. ↑ "Etiwanda Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 2015-08-07.
  49. ↑ "Happy Camp Complex Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  50. ↑ "King Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  51. ↑ "Boles Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  52. ↑ "Lake Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  53. ↑ "NORTH FIRE: Blaze completely contained". Press Enterprise. July 21, 2015. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  54. ↑ "Rocky Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  55. ↑ http://montclairoak.com/tag/oakland-hills-fire/
  56. ↑ http://www2.oaklandnet.com/oakca1/groups/fire/documents/webcontent/oak042168.pdf
  57. ↑ http://www.hillsforeveryone.org/projects/fire-files/A-100-Year-History-of-Wildfires-Near-CHSP.pdf

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