List of California wildfires

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Santa Ana winds in California expand fires and spread smoke over hundreds of miles, as in this October 2007 satellite image AERONET La Jolla.2007295.terra.250m.jpg
Santa Ana winds in California expand fires and spread smoke over hundreds of miles, as in this October 2007 satellite image
The Rim Fire consumed more than 250,000 acres (100,000 ha) of forest near Yosemite National Park, in 2013 The Rim Fire in the Stanislaus National Forest near in California began on Aug. 17, 2013-0004.jpg
The Rim Fire consumed more than 250,000 acres (100,000 ha) of forest near Yosemite National Park, in 2013

This is a partial and incomplete list of wildfires in the US state of California. California has dry, windy, and often hot weather conditions from spring through late autumn that can produce moderate to severe wildfires. Pre-1800, when the area was much more forested and the ecology much more resilient, 4.4-11.9 million acres (1.8-4.8 million hectares) of forest and shrubland burned annually. [1] California land area totals 99,813,760 or roughly 100 million acres, so since 2000, the area that burned annually has ranged between 90,000 acres, or 0.09%, and 1,590,000 acres, or 1.59% of the total land of California. [2] During the 2020 wildfire season alone, over 8,100 fires contributed to the burning of nearly 4.5 million acres of land.

Contents

Since the early 2010s, wildfires in California are growing more dangerous because of the accumulation of wood fuel in forests, higher population, and aging and often poorly maintained electricity transmission and distribution lines, particularly in areas serviced by Pacific Gas and Electric. [3] [4] [5] United States taxpayers pay about US$3 billion a year to fight wildfires, and big fires can lead to billions of dollars in property losses. [6] At times, these wildfires are fanned or made worse by strong, dry winds, known as Diablo winds when they occur in the northern part of the state and Santa Ana winds when they occur in the south. However, from a historical perspective, it has been estimated that prior to 1850, about 4.5 million acres (17,000 km2) burned yearly, in fires that lasted for months, with wildfire activity peaking roughly every 30 years, when up to 11.8 million acres (47,753 km3) of land burned. [7] [8] The much larger wildfire seasons in the past can be attributed to the policy of Native Californians regularly setting controlled burns and allowing natural fires to run their course, which prevented devastating wildfires from overrunning the state. [7]

More than 350,000 people in California live in towns sited completely within zones deemed to be at very high risk of fire. In total, more than 2.7 million people live in "very high fire hazard severity zones", which also include areas at lesser risk. [9]

On lands under CAL FIRE's jurisdictional protection (i.e. not federal or local responsibility areas), the majority of wildfire ignitions since 1980 have been caused by humans. The four most common ignition sources for wildfires on CAL FIRE-protected lands are, in order: equipment use, powerlines, arson, and lightning. [10]

A 2023 study found that these wildfires are affecting the California ecosystem and disrupting the habitats. [11] [12] It found that in the 2020 and 2021 fire seasons 58% of the area affected by wildfires occurred in those two seasons since 2012. [11] [13] These two fires destroyed 30% of the habitat of 50 species as well as 100 species that had 10% of their habitats burn. 5-14% of the species' habitats burned at a "high severity." [14] [15]

Statistics

Area burned per year

Remains of houses destroyed in the Oakland firestorm of 1991 Oakland firestorm 1.jpg
Remains of houses destroyed in the Oakland firestorm of 1991
Satellite image from October, 2003 including Cedar Fire, one of the largest wildfires in California history California fires October 2003.jpg
Satellite image from October, 2003 including Cedar Fire, one of the largest wildfires in California history

Starting in 2001, the National Interagency Fire Center began keeping more accurate records on the total fire acreage burned in each state. [16]

YearFiresAcresHectaresRef
2000 7,622295,026119,393 [17]
2001 9,458329,126133,193 [18]
2002 8,328969,890392,500 [19] [20]
2003 9,1161,020,460412,970 [21] [22] [23]
2004 8,415264,988107,237 [24] [25]
2005 7,162222,53890,058 [26] [27]
2006 8,202736,022297,858 [28] [29]
2007 9,0931,520,362615,269 [17] [30]
2008 6,2551,593,690644,940 [17]
2009 9,159422,147170,837 [31] [32]
2010 6,554109,52944,325 [33]
2011 7,989168,54568,208 [34] [35]
2012 7,950869,599351,914 [36]
2013 9,907601,635243,473 [37] [38]
2014 7,865625,540253,150 [39] [40]
2015 8,745893,362361,531 [41]
2016 6,986669,534270,951 [42] [43]
2017 9,5601,548,429626,627 [44] [45]
2018 8,5271,975,086799,289 [46] [47]
2019 7,860259,823105,147 [48]
2020 9,6394,397,8091,779,730 [49]
2021 8,8352,568,9481,039,616 [50]
2022 7,490362,455146,680 [51]
2023 7,127324,917131,489 [52]
2000-23 Mean8,243974,894394,526
2000-23 Median8,265647,537262,049

    A 2015 study [53] addressed whether the increase in fire risk in California is attributable to climate change. [54]

    Largest wildfires

    The 20 largest wildfires according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. [55]

    NameCountyAcresHectaresStart dateStructuresDeathsNotes
    1. August Complex Glenn, Lake, Mendocino, Tehama, Trinity, Shasta 1,032,648417,898August 20209351
    2. Dixie Butte, Lassen, Plumas, Shasta, Tehama 963,309389,837July 20211,3291Largest single-source wildfire in California history. [56]
    3. Mendocino Complex Mendocino, Lake, Colusa, Glenn 459,123185,800July 20182801
    4. Park Butte, Tehama 429,603173,854July 20247090Largest caused by arson.
    5. SCU Lightning Complex Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Merced, Stanislaus 396,624160,508August 20202220
    6. Creek Fresno, Madera 379,895153,738September 20208560
    7. LNU Lightning Complex Colusa, Lake, Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Yolo 363,220146,990August 20201,4916
    8. North Complex Plumas, Butte 318,935129,068August 20202,35215
    9. Santiago Canyon Orange, Riverside, San Diego 300,000120,000September 188900The fire dates before 1932, when reliable fire records began.
    10. Thomas Ventura, Santa Barbara 281,893114,078December 20171,06323Fatalities (2 direct, 21 indirect) attributed to the fire include 1 firefighter and 1 civilian directly, 22 deaths in later mudslides, with 1 never recovered. [57]
    11. Cedar San Diego 273,246110,579October 20032,82015
    12. Rush Lassen 271,911110,038August 201200This fire burned an additional 43,666 acres (17,671.0 ha) in Nevada, for a total of 315,577 acres (127,709.5 ha). [58] [59]
    13. Rim Tuolumne 257,314104,131August 20131120
    14. Zaca Santa Barbara 240,20797,208July 200710
    15. Carr Shasta, Trinity 229,65192,936July 20181,6148
    16. Monument Trinity 223,12490,295July 2021500
    17. Caldor El Dorado, Amador, Alpine 221,83589,773August 20211,0031
    18. Matilija Ventura 220,00089,000September 193200
    19. River Complex Siskiyou, Trinity 199,34380,671July 20211220
    20. Witch San Diego 197,99080,120October 20071,6502

    Deadliest wildfires

    The 20 deadliest wildfires according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. [60]

    NameCountyAcresHectaresStart dateStructuresDeathsNotes
    1. Camp [61] [62] [63] Butte 153,33662,050November 201818,80485Caused by Pacific Gas & Electric Co.
    2. Griffith Park Los Angeles 4719October 1933029Deaths were RFC workers fighting the fire
    3. Tunnel Alameda 1,600650October 19912,90025
    4. Thomas Ventura, Santa Barbara 281,893114,078December 20171,06323Fatalities (2 direct, 21 indirect) attributed to the fire include 1 firefighter and 1 civilian directly, 22 deaths in later mudslides, with 1 never recovered. [57]
    5. Tubbs Napa, Sonoma 36,80714,895October 20175,64322
    6. North Complex Plumas, Butte 318,935129,068August 20202,3521614 of the dead were residents of Berry Creek, with the remaining two being residents of the neighboring town of Feather Falls. Both towns were nearly entirely destroyed. [64]
    7. Cedar San Diego 273,246110,579October 20032,82015
    8. Rattlesnake Glenn 1,340540July 1953015All deaths were firefighters trying to outrun the fire
    9. Loop Los Angeles 2,028821November 1966012All deaths were members of the El Cariso Hotshots
    10Hauser Creek San Diego 13,1455,320October 1943011
    11.Inaja San Diego 43,90417,767November 1956011
    12. Iron Alps Complex Trinity 105,85542,838August 20081010
    13. Redwood Valley Mendocino 36,52314,780October 20175449
    14. Harris San Diego 90,44036,600October 20075488
    15.Canyon Los Angeles 22,1978,983August 196808
    16. Carr Shasta, Trinity 229,65192,936July 20181,6148
    17. LNU Lightning Complex Colusa, Lake, Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Yolo 363,220146,990August 20201,4916
    18. Atlas Napa, Solano 51,62420,891October 20177816
    19. Old San Bernardino 91,28136,940October 20031,0036
    20.Decker Riverside 1,425577August 195916

    Most destructive wildfires

    The 20 most destructive wildfires according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. [65]

    NameCountyAcresHectaresStart dateStructuresDeathsNotes
    1. Camp [61] [62] [63] Butte 153,33662,050November 201818,80486Town of Paradise destroyed [66]
    2. Tubbs Napa, Sonoma 36,80714,895October 20175,64322
    3. Tunnel Alameda 1,600650October 19912,90025
    4. Cedar San Diego 273,246110,579October 20032,82015
    5. North Complex Plumas, Butte 318,935129,068August 20202,35215Towns of Berry Creek and Feather Falls mostly destroyed [67] [68]
    6. Valley Lake, Napa, Sonoma 76,06730,783September 20151,9554
    7. Witch San Diego 197,99080,120October 20071,6502
    8. Woolsey Ventura, Los Angeles 96,94939,234November 20181,6433
    9. Carr Shasta, Trinity 229,65192,936July 20181,6148
    10. Glass Napa, Sonoma 67,48427,310September 20201,5200
    11. LNU Lightning Complex Colusa, Lake, Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Yolo 363,220146,990August 20201,4916
    12. CZU Lightning Complex Santa Cruz, San Mateo 86,50935,009August 20201,4901
    13. Nuns Sonoma 54,38222,008October 20171,3553
    14. Dixie Butte, Lassen, Plumas, Shasta, Tehama 963,309389,837July 20211,3291Town of Greenville mostly destroyed
    15. Thomas Ventura, Santa Barbara 281,893114,078December 20171,063232 direct, 22 indirect deaths were caused by the Montecito mudslides
    16. Caldor El Dorado, Amador, Alpine 221,83589,773August 20211,0031Town of Grizzly Flats mostly destroyed
    17. Old San Bernardino 91,28136,940October 20031,0036
    18. Butte Amador, Calaveras 70,86828,679September 20159652
    19. Jones Shasta 26,20010,600October 19999541
    20. August Complex Glenn, Lake, Mendocino, Tehama, Trinity, Shasta 1,032,649417,898August 20209351

    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 four months Summer 2008 California wildfires on July 9.jpg
    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 four months

    In some parts of California, fires recur with some regularity. In Oakland, for example, 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. [69] [70] Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and Los Angeles County are other examples. Orange and San Bernardino counties share a border that runs north to south through the Chino Hills State Park, with the park's 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 conflagrations, many of which have occurred since 1914. Hills and canyons have seen brush or wildfires in 1914, the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and into today. [71]

    On occasion, lightning strikes from thunderstorms may also spark wildfires in areas that have seen past ignition. Examples of this are the 1999 Megram Fire, the 2008 California wildfires,[ citation needed ] as well as the LNU and SCU Lightning Complex fires (both in 2020).

    See also

    Related Research Articles

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 California wildfires</span>

    The 2010 California wildfires were a series of wildfires that were active in the state of California during the year 2010. During the year, a total of 6,554 wildfires burned 109,529 acres (443.25 km2) of land.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 California wildfires</span>

    9,907 wildfires burned at least 601,625 acres (2,434.69 km2) of land in the state of California during 2013. The wildfires injured at least 125 people and killed at least 1. They also caused over $218.15 million in damage. These included several large, notable wildfires, including the Rim Fire, which became California's 3rd largest wildfire.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Happy Camp Complex Fire</span> 2014 wildfire in Northern California

    The Happy Camp Complex Fire was a massive wildfire that broke out on August 12, 2014, at 1:00 AM PDT, as a result of a lightning strikes in the Klamath National Forest in Northern California. The fire, which would eventually consume 134,056 acres (543 km2) of land, was the largest fire of the 2014 California wildfire season and as of 2018, ranks 20th on the list of largest fires in state history.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 California wildfires</span>

    The 2015 California wildfire season was a series of wildfires that burned across the state of California. By the end of 2015 a total of 8,745 fires were recorded, burning 893,362 acres (3,615 km2) across the state. Approximately 3,159 structures were damaged or destroyed by wildfires, and at least 7 fatalities were recorded.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 California wildfires</span>

    California's 2012 wildfire season saw 7,950 wildfires burn a total of 869,599 acres (3,519.14 km2); these included the massive Rush Fire, which was the tenth-largest wildfire recorded in California in modern times, and the Ponderosa Fire, which destroyed 133 structures. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection incurred fire suppression costs of US$310 million between July 2012 and June 2013, in addition to wildfire damages of $28.2 million.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 California wildfires</span>

    The 2011 California wildfires were a series of wildfires that were active in the state of California during the year 2011. In total, there were 7,989 fires that burned 168,545 acres (682.08 km2) of land.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 California wildfires</span>

    The 2006 California wildfires were a series of wildfires that were active in the state of California during the year 2006. In total, there were 8,202 fires that burned 736,022 acres (2,978.58 km2) of land.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Butte Fire</span> 2015 wildfire in Amador County, California

    The Butte Fire was a rapidly moving wildfire during the 2015 California wildfire season that started on September 9 in Amador County, California. The fire burned 70,868 acres (287 km2).

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Valley Fire</span> 2015 wildfire in Northern California

    The Valley Fire was a wildfire during the 2015 California wildfire season that started on September 12 in Lake County, California. It began shortly after 1:00 pm near Cobb with multiple reports of a small brush fire near the intersection of High Valley and Bottlerock Roads. It quickly spread and by 6:30 PM PDT, it had burned more than 10,000 acres (40 km2). By Sunday, the thirteenth of September, the fire had reached 50,000 acres (202 km2) and had destroyed much of Cobb, Middletown, Whispering Pines, and parts in the south end of Hidden Valley Lake. The fire ultimately spread to 76,067 acres (308 km2), killed four people and destroyed nearly 2,000 buildings, before it was fully contained on October 15, 2015, causing at least $921 million in insured property damage. At the time, the fire was the third-most destructive fire in California history, based on the total structures burned, but the Camp Fire (2018) and the North Complex fire in 2020, exceeded that total.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2005 California wildfires</span>

    The 2005 California wildfires were a series of wildfires that were active in the state of California during the year 2005. In total, 7,162 fires burned 222,538 acres (900.58 km2) of land.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2003 California wildfires</span>

    The 2003 California wildfires were a series of wildfires that burned throughout the state of California during the year 2003. In total, 9,116 fires burned 1,020,460 acres (4,129.7 km2). In October, a major wildfire outbreak in Southern California burned more than 750,000 acres, destroyed thousands of homes, and killed two dozen people. Many of the victims were killed in their cars while trying to flee.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 California wildfires</span>

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    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildfires in the United States</span> Wildfires that occur in the United States

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    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2002 California wildfires</span>

    The 2002 California wildfires were a series of wildfires that were active in the state of California during the year 2002. In total, there were 8,328 fires that burned 969,890 acres (3,925.0 km2) of land.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 California wildfires</span>

    The 2018 wildfire season was the deadliest and most destructive wildfire season in California history. It was also the largest on record at the time, now third after the 2020 and 2021 California wildfire seasons. In 2018, there were a total of 103 confirmed fatalities, 24,226 structures damaged or destroyed, and 8,527 fires burning 1,975,086 acres (799,289 ha), about 2% of the state's 100 million acres of land. Through the end of August 2018, Cal Fire alone spent $432 million on operations. The catastrophic Camp Fire alone killed at least 85 people, destroyed 18,804 buildings and caused $16.5 billion in property damage, while overall the fires resulted in at least $26.347 billion in property damage and firefighting costs, including $25.4 billion in property damage and $947 million in fire suppression costs.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 California wildfires</span>

    The 2020 California wildfire season, part of the 2020 Western United States wildfire season, was a record-setting year for wildfires in California. Over the course of the year, 8,648 fires burned 4,304,379 acres (1,741,920 ha), more than four percent of the state's roughly 100 million acres of land, making 2020 the largest wildfire season recorded in California's modern history. However, it is roughly equivalent to the pre-1800 levels which averaged around 4.4 million acres yearly and up to 12 million in peak years. California's August Complex fire has been described as the first "gigafire", burning over 1 million acres across seven counties, an area larger than the state of Rhode Island. The fires destroyed over 10,000 structures and cost over $12.079 billion in damages, including over $10 billion in property damage and $2.079 billion in fire suppression costs. The intensity of the fire season has been attributed to a combination of more than a century of poor forest management and higher temperatures resulting from climate change.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 California wildfires</span>

    The 2021 California wildfire season was a series of wildfires that burned across the U.S. state of California. By the end of 2021 a total of 8,835 fires were recorded, burning 2,568,948 acres (1,039,616 ha) across the state. Approximately 3,629 structures were damaged or destroyed by the wildfires, and at least seven firefighters and two civilians were injured.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 California wildfires</span>

    The 2022 California wildfire season was a series of wildfires throughout the U.S. state of California. By the end of the year, a total of 7,667 fires had been recorded, totaling approximately 363,939 acres across the state. Wildfires killed nine people in California in 2022, destroyed 772 structures, and damaged another 104. The 2022 season followed the 2020 and 2021 California wildfire seasons, which had the highest and second-highest (respectively) numbers of acres burned in the historical record, with a sharp drop in acreage burned.

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