| Border Fire | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Date(s) |
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| Location | Potrero, San Diego County, California |
| Coordinates | 32°35′56″N116°35′49″W / 32.599°N 116.597°W |
| Statistics [1] | |
| Burned area | 7,609 acres (31 km2) |
| Impacts | |
| Deaths | 2 civilians |
| Structures destroyed |
|
| Map | |
  Location in Southern California | |
The Border Fire was a large wildfire that burned in Potrero, San Diego County, California, as part of the 2016 California wildfire season. [1] The fire was so named due to its proximity to the United States-Mexican border.
The fire, which was first reported around 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 19, started along the United States-Mexican border between Highway 188 and Highway 94. [2] Reported at 5 acres, the fire burned at a moderate rate of spread before rapidly exploding into 1,500 acres (610 ha) within a matter of hours due to gushy winds within the fire area. [3] The fire then quickly jumped Highway 94 and moved northwest threatening multiple structures and prompting evacuations for the community of Potrero. [2] Homes along Highway 94 between Emory Road and Plaskon Road were evacuated, along with residents in the community of Potrero. [3] Initial reports detailed that 4 outbuilding has been destroyed. [3] That evening, the fire was reported to be burning eastward with 5 percent containment. [4]
By Monday morning, June 20, the fire was estimated to be 1,900 acres large and temperatures were expected to reach 107 degrees in the area that day, elevating the fires activity. [4] By midday, authorities had issued additional mandatory evacuation orders for the nearby communities of Forest Gate, Star Ranch, Cowboy Ranch, Dog Patch and Canyon City because of "extreme fire behavior and activity." [4] Evacuation advisory were also issued for areas near Campo and Buckman Springs." [4] An American Red Cross shelter was set up at Los Coches Creek Middle School for evacuees displaced by the fire." [4] As the day went on, the fire rapidly expanded to an estimated 7,500 acres with only a reported 10 percent containment. [5] The fire is also believed to have been the cause of a power outage that affected several hundred people near the communities of Potrero, Dulzura and Campo, according to authorities. [4]
During the early morning hours of Tuesday, June 21, the fire was downgraded to a more accurate 6,020 acres (2,440 ha) due to better mapping. [6] Upwards of 1,550 firefighters from across Southern California were on scene battling the now three-day-old wildfire with more being requested. [6] Reports suggested the fire was moving north and northeast, threatening parts of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail as well as its surrounding communities, Tuesday. [6] The fire grew a mere 480 acres that day, expanding the burn area to 6,500 acres (2,600 ha). [7]
A spot fire 1.2 miles northeast of the main fire had burned 40 acres as of early Wednesday morning, June 22. [7] Five homes and eight other buildings were reported destroyed as the incident continued to grow to 6,700 acres (2,700 ha). However, as the fire reached 20 percent containment Wednesday evening, officials began lifting evacuation ordersfor the greater Potrero community. [8]
Officials set backfires on Thursday, June 23, burning out much of the brush ahead of the Border Fire to keep it from spreading further. [9] By 6 p.m. Thursday, all evacuation orders and warnings for residents in the affected areas had been lifted. [9]
By Friday morning, June 24, the fire had been at 45 percent containment and was 7,609 acres (3,079 ha). As of 6 p.m. that Friday, Cal Fire officials reported that containment on the blaze had grown to 60 percent. [9] Reports stated that the fire has destroyed a total of five homes and 11 other buildings over its six-day span. [9] On Friday morning, Cal Fire officials said firefighters had been able to build stronger containment lines along the perimeter of the Border Fire, increasing the control. [9]
On Sunday June 26, all evacuation orders were lifted as the fire reached 80% containment. [10]
On Thursday June 30, the fire was deemed 100% contained with a total of 7,609 acres (3,079 ha) burned. [11]
Along with widespread evacuations the fire also caused power outages that affected more than 1,000 homes and businesses in Potrero as well as the communities of Campo and Dulzura, according to San Diego Gas & Electric. [12]
On June 29 authorities announced that the bodies of two missing individuals had been located in the burn area. The two were believed to have been killed by the inferno. [13]
2014 saw several notable wildfires igniting in California, especially during the month of May, when multiple fires were ablaze concurrently in Southern California, and during September, when several massive wildfires were burning in Northern California. In the context of the 2012–13 North American drought, as well as powerful Santa Ana winds, weather conditions were ideal for wildfires. A total of 7,865 wildfires ignited throughout the year, which burned at least 625,540 acres (2,531.5 km2) of land. The wildfires caused a total of 146 injuries and 2 fatalities, in addition to causing at least $204.05 million in damage.
The May 2014 San Diego County wildfires were a swarm of 20 wildfires that erupted during May 2014, in San Diego County, California, during severe Santa Ana Wind conditions, historic drought conditions, and a heat wave. The main event during mid-May was preceded by a precursor fire that ignited on May 5. The Bernardo Fire has been declared accidental, and officials believe the Cocos Fire was intentionally set. The causes of the other fires are still under investigation by multiple agencies, and a joint task force was formed to coordinate the investigations and facilitate communications. Six injuries and one fire-related fatality were reported.
The Gate Fire was a wildfire that burned in the Dulzura area southeast of Jamul along Highway 94 in the southern part of San Diego County, California in May 2017. Within the day, the fire spread from an initially reported 10 acres (4.0 ha) to then 1,500 acres (610 ha) in a matter of a few hours, as the fire was pushed by strong winds and dry grasslands mixed with chaparral. The wildfire resulted in evacuation of 500 campers from the Pio Pico RV Resort and Campground. Highway 94 was also closed to the public due to the fire. The fire was named the Gate incident due to its proximity to a landmark pink gate in the Dulzura area.
The Manzanita Fire was a wildfire that burned south of the towns of Beaumont and Banning near Highway 79 in Riverside County, California during June 2017. The fire had consumed some 6,309 acres (2,553 ha) and was burning eastward towards the community of Poppet Flats and Highway 243. Fanned by Red Flag conditions, the Manzanita fire ignited from a traffic collision that grew to over 1,200 acres (490 ha) within several hours of burning. The communities of Poppet Flats, Silent Valley and Highland Springs were threatened for a time but no structural damage occurred during this incident. The fire was fully contained on Friday, June 30.
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The Skirball Fire was a wildfire that burned in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States, and one of multiple wildfires that broke out across Southern California in December 2017. The fire burned 422 acres of land on the slopes of the Sepulveda Pass on its east or Bel Air side, causing the closure of Interstate 405, a major traffic artery in the city. The Skirball Cultural Center, Bel-Air Country Club, Getty Center, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, and various private schools were closed as a result of the fire. Classes were cancelled at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Santa Monica College, while Mount Saint Mary's University evacuated from its Brentwood campus to its downtown Los Angeles location. The fire destroyed six structures and damaged 12. On December 10, at about 1 p.m. PST, all evacuation orders and road closures for the Skirball Fire were lifted, as containment of the wildfire increased to 85%. Late on December 15, it was reported that the Skirball Fire had been 100% contained, at 422 acres (171 ha).
The Rye Fire was a wildfire that burned in Santa Clarita, California, in the United States, and one of multiple wildfires that broke out across Southern California in December 2017. The fire threatened over 5,000 structures, including Six Flags Magic Mountain, threatened the city of Santa Clarita and impacted traffic on Interstate 5. The Rye Fire burned a total of 6,049 acres (24.48 km2), before it was fully contained on December 12. The fire destroyed six buildings, including minor structures located at the Peter J. Pitchess Detention Center.
A series of 29 wildfires ignited across Southern California in December 2017. Six of the fires became significant wildfires, and led to widespread evacuations and property losses. The wildfires burned over 307,900 acres (1,246 km2), and caused traffic disruptions, school closures, hazardous air conditions, and power outages; over 230,000 people were forced to evacuate. The largest of the wildfires was the Thomas Fire, which grew to 281,893 acres (1,140.78 km2), and became the largest wildfire in modern California history, until it was surpassed by the Ranch Fire in the Mendocino Complex, in the following year.
The Lilac Fire was a fire that burned in northern San Diego County, California, United States, and the second-costliest one of multiple wildfires that erupted in Southern California in December 2017. The fire was first reported on December 7, 2017, burned 4,100 acres (1,659 ha), and destroyed 157 structures, before it was fully contained on December 16. The fire cost at least $8.9 million, including $5 million in firefighting expenses and property damage, and an additional $3.9 million in cleanup and erosion control costs. The fire threatened the communities of Bonsall, Oceanside, Vista, Fallbrook, and Camp Pendleton. During the fire, an estimated 10,000 residents were forced to evacuate, while a total of over 100,000 residents were forced to or advised to evacuate. On December 7, the Lilac Fire also cut the power to 20,000 people.
The Waverly Fire was a wildfire near Linden in the San Joaquin County, California, in the United States. The fire was first reported on June 29, 2018. It burned a total of 12,300 acres (50 km2), before being contained on July 2. The fire impacted traffic on Highway 26, Highway 4 and the community of Milton.
The Quail Fire was a wildfire that burned during the 2020 California wildfire season southwest of Winters and north of Vacaville in Solano County, California in the United States. Igniting on Saturday, June 6, within the rural confines of Quail Canyon, the fire ballooned to an estimated 1,837 acres (743 ha) and destroyed three structures including one residential property. The fire was fully contained on Wednesday, June 10, 2020, and the cause remains under investigation.
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