2000 California wildfires

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2000 California wildfires
Defense.gov News Photo 000731-F-5019K-024.jpg
A C-130 Hercules drops Phos-Chek fire retardant on the Manter Fire in Sequoia National Forest on July 31, 2000
Statistics
Total fires7,622
Total area295,026 acres
119,393 ha
Impacts
Deaths1+
Structures destroyed130+
DamageUS$154 million ($124m in suppression costs and $29.9m in damages, per Cal Fire estimates)
Season
2001  →

According to California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) statistics, 7,622 wildfires burned a total of 295,026 acres (119,393 hectares) in the US state of California in 2000. [1] Cal Fire wildfire suppression costs for fires that burned within the agency's jurisdiction amounted to $109 million. Damages for the same amounted to $87.3 million, with a total of 389 structures lost. [2] The largest wildfires of the year in California were the Manter and Storrie fires, which burned 74,000 and 55,000 acres in Tulare and Plumas counties respectively.

Contents

Background

The timing of "fire season" in California is variable, depending on the amount of prior winter and spring precipitation, the frequency and severity of weather such as heat waves and wind events, and moisture content in vegetation. Northern California typically sees wildfire activity between late spring and early fall, peaking in the summer with hotter and drier conditions. Occasional cold frontal passages can bring wind and lightning. The timing of fire season in Southern California is similar, peaking between late spring and fall. The severity and duration of peak activity in either part of the state is modulated in part by weather events: downslope/offshore wind events can lead to critical fire weather, while onshore flow and Pacific weather systems can bring conditions that hamper wildfire growth. [3] [4]

List of wildfires

The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres (400 hectares), produced significant structural damage or casualties, or were otherwise notable. It is excerpted from Cal Fire's 2001 list of large (≥ 300 acres) fires, and may not be complete or reflect the most recent information. [5]

NameCountyAcresStart dateContainment dateNotesRef
Town Glenn 1,500March 31, 2000April 5, 2000Caused by an escaped controlled burn
Cabbage Mendocino 1,540April 1, 2000April 5, 2000 [6]
Berryessa Napa 5,731June 13, 2000June 16, 2000Caused by equipment use; destroyed 15 structures
Barrett San Diego 2,000June 29, 2000June 30, 2000 [7]
Granite Mariposa 2,000July 2, 2000July 4, 2000Caused by shooting
Goat Lassen 1,084July 17, 2000July 20, 2000Caused by a campfire
Bark Siskiyou 1,715July 21, 2000July 26, 2000
Shell San Luis Obispo 6,300July 22, 2000
Plaskett II Monterey 5,830July 22, 2000August 1, 2000Caused by camper trying to light a stove [8] [9]
Happy Camp Inyo 5,500July 23, 2000July 28, 2000
Manter Tulare 74,439July 24, 2000August 9, 2000At the time the largest recorded fire in Sequoia National Forest; destroyed 15 structures [10]
Morgan Lake 3,283July 26, 2000July 27, 2000 [11]
Pachenga Riverside 11,900July 29, 2000August 9, 2000
Golden II Mono 2,150August 1, 2000August 8, 2000Caused by lightning
Chance Kern 1,200August 1, 2000August 5, 2000Caused by lightning
King Kern 3,243August 2, 2000August 9, 2000Caused by lightning
Northfork San Benito 1,773August 3, 2000August 7, 2000Caused by equipment use
Romero Merced 1,200August 9, 2000September 9, 2000
Storrie Plumas 55,261August 17, 2000September 9, 2000Caused by Union Pacific railroad track repairs [12]
Hunter Mariposa 8,084August 27, 2000September 4, 2000Caused by equipment use
Harris Santa Barbara 9,700September 13, 2000September 18, 2000
Concow Butte 1,835September 19, 2000September 22, 2000Caused by equipment use; destroyed 16 structures, killed 1
Weinstein Tehama 8,284September 29, 2000October 2, 2000Caused by an escaped controlled burn
Hidden Lake 4,500October 21, 2000October 27, 2000Caused by an electrical power system

See also

References

  1. ↑ "California Wildfires and Acres for all Jurisdictions" (PDF). California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. August 24, 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  2. ↑ "CDF 2000 Fire Season Summary" (PDF). California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. June 20, 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 31, 2004. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Weather: Fire Season Climatology (Northern California)". National Wildfire Coordinating Group . April 25, 2024. Archived from the original on May 13, 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  4. ↑ Toohey, Grace (June 22, 2024). "California wildfires have already burned 90,000 acres, and summer is just beginning". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on June 25, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  5. ↑ "2000 Large Fires, 300 Acres And Greater" (PDF). California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. April 19, 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 4, 2002.
  6. ↑ "Fire nearly contained". Oakland Tribune . April 5, 2000. Retrieved January 10, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Rural Residents Flee Wildfire Along U.S.-Mexico Border". Los Angeles Times . Associated Press. June 30, 2000. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Fire burns almost 500 acres in national forest". Tulare Advance-Register. Associated Press. July 24, 2000. Retrieved January 10, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ Nemeth, Mike (August 2, 2000). "Firefighters gain upper hand over Sur blaze". The Salinas Californian . Retrieved January 10, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ Gold, Scott; Gorman, Tom (August 2, 2000). "Sequoia Forest Fire Burns 67,348 Acres". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  11. ↑ Rapaport, Lisa (July 28, 2000). "Lake County fire contained; homes believed safe". The Sacramento Bee . Retrieved January 10, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "US government to announce $102m forest fire settlement with railroad". The Guardian . McClatchy Newspapers. July 22, 2008. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
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