Summer 2008 California wildfires
Encyclopedia
The summer 2008 California wildfires, collectively dubbed the Northern California Lightning Series by CAL FIRE
, were a concentrated outbreak of wildfire
s during the summer of 2008. Over 2,780 individual fires were burning at the height of the period, burning large portions of forest
s and chaparral
in California
, and killing 23 individuals. The majority of the fires were started by lightning
from dry thunderstorm
s on June 20, although some earlier fires were started on May 22. International aid from Greece, Cyprus, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, Canada, Mexico and New Zealand helped fight the fires.
The Basin/Indians fire in the Ventana Wilderness
became the third largest in California history based on size and the second costliest to put out in U.S. history.
registered only 0.67 inches (17 mm) of rain out of a normal of 5.18 inches (13 cm) from March to May. As vegetation turned into bone-dry tinder in early June, Governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger
declared a statewide drought
for the first time in 17 years. Dry thunderstorms and lightning, rarely seen on the California coastline in June, rolled onshore on the weekend of June 20 - June 21. The storm unleashed 25,000 to 26,000 dry lightning
strikes across Northern
and Central California
, igniting more than 2,000 fires. The number of wildfires skyrocketed in the days after the thunderstorms and high daily daytime temperatures of over 120 °F (49 °C) dramatically increased the various fires' growth. The same thunderstorms also caused fires in Oregon
.
A heat wave
commenced on July 7, with temperatures in inland locations, such as the Central Valley soaring above 115 °F (46 °C). Lake Berryessa
recorded a high temperature of 126 °F (52 °C), prompting weather agencies like the National Weather Service
to issue high fire danger warnings. These near to record-breaking temperatures concerned many firefighter
s, who feared that the high heat, low humidity, and high-elevation winds could make firefighting more strenuous.
science officer, was quoted in June 2008 in the Los Angeles Times
stating "in historic terms, we're at record dry levels." The spring of 2008 not only broke the record for least inches of rainfall, at 0.17 of an inch, it represented less than one-third of the previous record low of 0.55 of an inch of rainfall in 1934.
A record lack of rainfall, severely dry vegetation and uncharacteristically windy weather combined to create tinderbox conditions across Northern California. In most areas of Northern California
, the grasses and brush were as dry in June as they normally would be in October. Moisture content was less than 2%, compared with about 40% normally for this time of year, fire officials stated. In addition, "no one has seen a springtime like this with the winds," Juskie said.
of the Los Padres National Forest
. During the weekend of June 21–22, a dry low-pressure system crossed over California producing dry lightning
and ignited nearly 2000 fires across 17 counties.
As of July 5, 2008, 328 fires continued to burn and 81% of the original fires had been contained. For the first time since 1977, the military helped with ground-based firefighting, when Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
dispatched 400 California National Guard
troops to man fire lines. He said the number of fires had stretched the state's fire-fighting resources thin. "One never has resources for 1,700 fires. Who has the resources for that?" Schwarzenegger said, adding "Something is happening, clearly. There's more need for resources than ever before... it's fire season all year round".
The lightning-caused Basin Complex Fire near Big Sur
started on June 21 and burned 162818 acres (658.9 km²), eventually torched the Ventana Wilderness
until it merged lines with the Indians Fire. The Basin and Indians Fires consumed a combined 244000 acres (987.4 km²) and was the third largest fire in California history. More than $120 million was spent to fight the fire, making it is the most expensive fire in California history and the second most expensive in U.S. history, exceeded only by the Biscuit Fire
in 2002.
On July 5, 2008, California Governor Schwarzenegger commented that "I've been driving up and down the state of California going to all the various fires, and you can imagine, this state is very prepared for fire, but when you wake up one morning and have 500 fires across the state, it was a real shock to me... only to find the next morning there were 1,000 fires, and the next morning 1,400 fires, and then 1,700 fires igniting over 14 days."
The fires forced the evacuation of Big Sur prior to the July 4 holiday weekend
. The Pico Blanco Scout Reservation
was forced to evacuate the camp and diverted its Scouts to Boulder Creek Scout Reservation in Santa Cruz. The camp lost only one building, an outlying ranger's cabin. Big Sur residents were permitted to return on July 9. while further north, the town of Paradise
in Butte County
was evacuated when flames burned close.
The Gap Fire near Goleta
in Santa Barbara County burned 8357 acres (33.8 km²). The fire was contained on July 29, after several weeks of activity.
As of July 11, 2008, it was reported that a total of 793483 acres (3,211.1 km²) had burned, a total exceeding the estimated 500000 acres (2,023.4 km²) burned in the California Wildfires of 2007. On July 12, 2008, the area burned reached 801726 acres (3,244.5 km²), exceeding the estimated 800000 acres (3,237.5 km²) burned during the series of 2003 California wildfires making those wildfires in 2008 the greatest wildfire in California history by burned area. On that date 20,274 personnel had been committed to fight the fires. Total resources included 467 hand crews, 1,503 engines, 423 water tenders, 291 bulldozers, 142 helicopters, 400 soldiers and numerous air tankers. The fire was responsible for the deaths of 23 individuals.
On July 25, a blaze sparked by target shooting broke out in Mariposa County
, in the Sierra Nevada foothills of central California. By the following day, the Telegraph Fire had gone from 1000 acres (4 km²) to 16000 acres (64.7 km²), and within days had destroyed 21 homes in the community of Midpines
. Residents were evacuated from approximately 300 homes that were immediately threatened, with an additional 4,000 homes placed on standby for evacuation in Midpines, Greeley Hill, and Coulterville
.
to Redding
, deteriorated as a result of smoke from the wildfires. From June 21 to June 27, much of Northern California was covered in a thick blanket of smoke, which reduced visibility and turned the sky yellow and the moon red. Some areas endured record levels of air pollution
, along with hazardous concentrations of particulate matter. These smoky and hazy conditions prompted health officials to issue air quality advisories and warnings, as particulate matter reached unhealthy levels in the North Bay
on June 25. In the San Francisco Bay Area
, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District
urged the elderly and people with respiratory problems to stay indoors. In spite of the warnings, health officials noted a jump in the number of people with eye and throat irritation. The bad air quality also forced the cancellation of the 100 miles (161 km)-Western States Endurance Run
, the first in the race's 31-year history. Air quality began to improve on June 28, followed by decreased smoke and improved visibility a day later. By June 30, residents in the Sacramento Valley
saw blue skies and good air quality, as a result of onshore winds and the Delta breezes. However, air quality in Oregon degraded as plumes of smoke drifted northward instead of concentrating in the Central Valley.
Hazy conditions returned on July 7, along with high temperatures over 100 °F (37.8 °C) in the Central Valley. The heat and smoke combined forced public health officials and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to issue Spare the Air advisories and an emergency plan for heat waves, respectively. Air quality districts issued another Spare the Air day for July 8, July 9, and July 10, as calm wind conditions in Northern California failed to blow away the smoke from the wildfires.
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is the State of California's agency responsible for fire protection in State Responsibility Areas of California as well as the administration of the state's private and public forests. It is often referred to as The California Department of...
, were a concentrated outbreak of wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
s during the summer of 2008. Over 2,780 individual fires were burning at the height of the period, burning large portions of forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s and chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and killing 23 individuals. The majority of the fires were started by lightning
Lightning
Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
from dry thunderstorm
Dry thunderstorm
A dry thunderstorm is a thunderstorm that produces thunder and lightning, but most or all of its precipitation evaporates before reaching the ground.-Where dry thunderstorms occur:...
s on June 20, although some earlier fires were started on May 22. International aid from Greece, Cyprus, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, Canada, Mexico and New Zealand helped fight the fires.
The Basin/Indians fire in the Ventana Wilderness
Ventana Wilderness
The Ventana Wilderness of Los Padres National Forest is a Federally designated wilderness area located in the Santa Lucia Mountains along the Central Coast of California. This wilderness was established in 1969 when the Ventana Wilderness Act abolished the Ventana Primitive Area and replaced it...
became the third largest in California history based on size and the second costliest to put out in U.S. history.
Weather
The fires broke out after three years of below-normal rainfall dehydrated much of California's forests and woodlands, making them prone to wildfires. Spring 2008 for California was the driest on record for many locations; for example, San FranciscoSan Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
registered only 0.67 inches (17 mm) of rain out of a normal of 5.18 inches (13 cm) from March to May. As vegetation turned into bone-dry tinder in early June, Governor
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
declared a statewide drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
for the first time in 17 years. Dry thunderstorms and lightning, rarely seen on the California coastline in June, rolled onshore on the weekend of June 20 - June 21. The storm unleashed 25,000 to 26,000 dry lightning
Dry lightning
__notoc__Dry lightning is a term which is used to refer to lightning strikes occurring without significant precipitation. The term is a technical misnomer since lightning is obviously not wet in any instance, and also because the thunderstorms which sometimes cause it actually do produce...
strikes across Northern
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
and Central California
Central California
Central California, sometimes referenced as Mid-State, is an area of California south of the San Francisco Bay Area and north of Southern California...
, igniting more than 2,000 fires. The number of wildfires skyrocketed in the days after the thunderstorms and high daily daytime temperatures of over 120 °F (49 °C) dramatically increased the various fires' growth. The same thunderstorms also caused fires in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
.
A heat wave
Heat wave
A heat wave is a prolonged period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity. There is no universal definition of a heat wave; the term is relative to the usual weather in the area...
commenced on July 7, with temperatures in inland locations, such as the Central Valley soaring above 115 °F (46 °C). Lake Berryessa
Lake Berryessa
Lake Berryessa is the largest lake in Napa County, California. This reservoir is formed by the Monticello Dam, which provides water and hydroelectricity to the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area....
recorded a high temperature of 126 °F (52 °C), prompting weather agencies like the National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
to issue high fire danger warnings. These near to record-breaking temperatures concerned many firefighter
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
s, who feared that the high heat, low humidity, and high-elevation winds could make firefighting more strenuous.
Contributing factors
John Juskie, a National Weather ServiceNational Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
science officer, was quoted in June 2008 in the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
stating "in historic terms, we're at record dry levels." The spring of 2008 not only broke the record for least inches of rainfall, at 0.17 of an inch, it represented less than one-third of the previous record low of 0.55 of an inch of rainfall in 1934.
A record lack of rainfall, severely dry vegetation and uncharacteristically windy weather combined to create tinderbox conditions across Northern California. In most areas of Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
, the grasses and brush were as dry in June as they normally would be in October. Moisture content was less than 2%, compared with about 40% normally for this time of year, fire officials stated. In addition, "no one has seen a springtime like this with the winds," Juskie said.
Fire history
The first major fire was the human-caused Summit Fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains, which started on May 22, 2008. On June 8, 2008, the next major fire to break out was the Indians Fire in the Ventana WildernessVentana Wilderness
The Ventana Wilderness of Los Padres National Forest is a Federally designated wilderness area located in the Santa Lucia Mountains along the Central Coast of California. This wilderness was established in 1969 when the Ventana Wilderness Act abolished the Ventana Primitive Area and replaced it...
of the Los Padres National Forest
Los Padres National Forest
Los Padres National Forest is a forest located in southern and central California, which includes most of the mountainous land along the California coast from Ventura to Monterey, extending inland...
. During the weekend of June 21–22, a dry low-pressure system crossed over California producing dry lightning
Dry lightning
__notoc__Dry lightning is a term which is used to refer to lightning strikes occurring without significant precipitation. The term is a technical misnomer since lightning is obviously not wet in any instance, and also because the thunderstorms which sometimes cause it actually do produce...
and ignited nearly 2000 fires across 17 counties.
As of July 5, 2008, 328 fires continued to burn and 81% of the original fires had been contained. For the first time since 1977, the military helped with ground-based firefighting, when Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
dispatched 400 California National Guard
California National Guard
The California National Guard is the component of the United States National Guard in the U.S. state of California. It comprises both Army and Air National Guard components and is the largest national guard force in the United States with a total authorized strength of 22,900 soldiers and airmen...
troops to man fire lines. He said the number of fires had stretched the state's fire-fighting resources thin. "One never has resources for 1,700 fires. Who has the resources for that?" Schwarzenegger said, adding "Something is happening, clearly. There's more need for resources than ever before... it's fire season all year round".
The lightning-caused Basin Complex Fire near Big Sur
Big Sur
Big Sur is a sparsely populated region of the Central Coast of California where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. The name "Big Sur" is derived from the original Spanish-language "el sur grande", meaning "the big south", or from "el país grande del sur", "the big...
started on June 21 and burned 162818 acres (658.9 km²), eventually torched the Ventana Wilderness
Ventana Wilderness
The Ventana Wilderness of Los Padres National Forest is a Federally designated wilderness area located in the Santa Lucia Mountains along the Central Coast of California. This wilderness was established in 1969 when the Ventana Wilderness Act abolished the Ventana Primitive Area and replaced it...
until it merged lines with the Indians Fire. The Basin and Indians Fires consumed a combined 244000 acres (987.4 km²) and was the third largest fire in California history. More than $120 million was spent to fight the fire, making it is the most expensive fire in California history and the second most expensive in U.S. history, exceeded only by the Biscuit Fire
Biscuit Fire
The Biscuit Fire was a wildfire that took place in 2002 that burned nearly 500,000 acres in the Siskiyou National Forest in southern Oregon and northern California, in the Western United States...
in 2002.
On July 5, 2008, California Governor Schwarzenegger commented that "I've been driving up and down the state of California going to all the various fires, and you can imagine, this state is very prepared for fire, but when you wake up one morning and have 500 fires across the state, it was a real shock to me... only to find the next morning there were 1,000 fires, and the next morning 1,400 fires, and then 1,700 fires igniting over 14 days."
The fires forced the evacuation of Big Sur prior to the July 4 holiday weekend
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
. The Pico Blanco Scout Reservation
Pico Blanco Scout Reservation
Pico Blanco Scout Reservation is a summer camp of about in Central California, operated by the Monterey Bay Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Constructed during 1953-1954, it takes its name from the adjacent Pico Blanco . The land was donated to the Council by William R. Hearst in 1948...
was forced to evacuate the camp and diverted its Scouts to Boulder Creek Scout Reservation in Santa Cruz. The camp lost only one building, an outlying ranger's cabin. Big Sur residents were permitted to return on July 9. while further north, the town of Paradise
Paradise, California
Paradise is an incorporated town in Butte County, in the northwest foothills of California's Central Valley, in the Sierra. The town is considered part of the Chico Metropolitan Area. The population was 26,218 at the 2010 census, down from 26,408 at the 2000 census...
in Butte County
Butte County, California
Butte County is a county located in the Central Valley of the US state of California, north of the state capital of Sacramento. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 220,000. The county seat is Oroville. Butte County is the "Land of Natural Wealth and Beauty."Butte County is watered by the...
was evacuated when flames burned close.
The Gap Fire near Goleta
Goleta, California
Goleta is a city in southern Santa Barbara County, California, USA. It was incorporated as a city in 2002, after a long period as the largest unincorporated, populated area in the county. As of the 2000 census, the Census-designated place had a total population of 55,204, however, a significant...
in Santa Barbara County burned 8357 acres (33.8 km²). The fire was contained on July 29, after several weeks of activity.
As of July 11, 2008, it was reported that a total of 793483 acres (3,211.1 km²) had burned, a total exceeding the estimated 500000 acres (2,023.4 km²) burned in the California Wildfires of 2007. On July 12, 2008, the area burned reached 801726 acres (3,244.5 km²), exceeding the estimated 800000 acres (3,237.5 km²) burned during the series of 2003 California wildfires making those wildfires in 2008 the greatest wildfire in California history by burned area. On that date 20,274 personnel had been committed to fight the fires. Total resources included 467 hand crews, 1,503 engines, 423 water tenders, 291 bulldozers, 142 helicopters, 400 soldiers and numerous air tankers. The fire was responsible for the deaths of 23 individuals.
On July 25, a blaze sparked by target shooting broke out in Mariposa County
Mariposa County, California
Mariposa County is a county in the U.S. state of California, located in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It lies north of Fresno, east of Merced, and southeast of Stockton. As of the 2010 census, the population was 18,251 up from 17,130 at the 2000 census...
, in the Sierra Nevada foothills of central California. By the following day, the Telegraph Fire had gone from 1000 acres (4 km²) to 16000 acres (64.7 km²), and within days had destroyed 21 homes in the community of Midpines
Midpines, California
Midpines is a census-designated place in Mariposa County, California. It is located southwest of El Portal, at an elevation of 2585 feet . It lies among the Sierra Nevada foothills of the central part of the state, 6 to 10 miles north of Mariposa, the county seat...
. Residents were evacuated from approximately 300 homes that were immediately threatened, with an additional 4,000 homes placed on standby for evacuation in Midpines, Greeley Hill, and Coulterville
Coulterville, California
Coulterville is a census-designated place in Mariposa County, California. It is located on Maxwell Creek northwest of Mariposa, at an elevation of 1699 feet . Coulterville had a population of 201 at the 2010 census. It is a mining town located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. The ZIP Code...
.
Air quality
Air quality in northern and central California, especially in the Central Valley from BakersfieldBakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
to Redding
Redding, California
Redding is a city in far-Northern California. It is the county seat of Shasta County, California, USA. With a population of 89,861, according to the 2010 Census...
, deteriorated as a result of smoke from the wildfires. From June 21 to June 27, much of Northern California was covered in a thick blanket of smoke, which reduced visibility and turned the sky yellow and the moon red. Some areas endured record levels of air pollution
Air pollution
Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or cause damage to the natural environment or built environment, into the atmosphere....
, along with hazardous concentrations of particulate matter. These smoky and hazy conditions prompted health officials to issue air quality advisories and warnings, as particulate matter reached unhealthy levels in the North Bay
North Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)
The North Bay is a subregion of the San Francisco Bay Area, in California, United States. The largest city is Santa Rosa. It is by far the least populous and least urbanized part of the Bay Area...
on June 25. In the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District
Bay Area Air Quality Management District
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is a public agency that regulates the stationary sources of air pollution in the nine counties of California's San Francisco Bay Area: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, southwestern Solano, and southern Sonoma...
urged the elderly and people with respiratory problems to stay indoors. In spite of the warnings, health officials noted a jump in the number of people with eye and throat irritation. The bad air quality also forced the cancellation of the 100 miles (161 km)-Western States Endurance Run
Western States Endurance Run
The Western States Endurance Run, known commonly as the Western States 100, is a 100-mile ultramarathon that takes place on trails in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains annually on the last full weekend of June. The race starts at the base of the Squaw Valley ski resort and finishes at the...
, the first in the race's 31-year history. Air quality began to improve on June 28, followed by decreased smoke and improved visibility a day later. By June 30, residents in the Sacramento Valley
Sacramento Valley
The Sacramento Valley is the portion of the California Central Valley that lies to the north of the San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta in the U.S. state of California. It encompasses all or parts of ten counties.-Geography:...
saw blue skies and good air quality, as a result of onshore winds and the Delta breezes. However, air quality in Oregon degraded as plumes of smoke drifted northward instead of concentrating in the Central Valley.
Hazy conditions returned on July 7, along with high temperatures over 100 °F (37.8 °C) in the Central Valley. The heat and smoke combined forced public health officials and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to issue Spare the Air advisories and an emergency plan for heat waves, respectively. Air quality districts issued another Spare the Air day for July 8, July 9, and July 10, as calm wind conditions in Northern California failed to blow away the smoke from the wildfires.
See also
- 2010 California wildfires2010 California wildfiresThe 2010 California wildfires are a series of seasonal wildfires active in the state of California, USA, during the year 2010.-Kern County:*Bull Fire: Burned southeast of Tehachapi, California in July, destroyed eight homes and six outbuildings as of 31 July 2010.*West Fire: burned more than ...
- 2009 California wildfires2009 California wildfiresThe 2009 California wildfires were a series of 63 wildfires that were active in the state of California, USA, during the year 2009. The fires burned more than of land from the beginning of July through late November due to red flag warnings, destroying hundreds of structures and killing two people...
- November 2008 California wildfiresNovember 2008 California wildfiresThe November 2008 California wildfires are a series of wildfires that began burning across Southern California on November 13. At least 400 houses and 500 mobile homes were destroyed...
- October 2007 California wildfiresOctober 2007 California wildfiresThe October 2007 California wildfires were a series of wildfires that began burning across Southern California on October 20. At least 1,500 homes were destroyed and over 500,000 acres of land burned from Santa Barbara County to the U.S.–Mexico border...
- Old Fire (2003)
- Cedar FireCedar FireThe Cedar Fire was a human-caused wildfire that burned out of control through a large area of San Diego County, in Southern California, in October 2003...