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2024 California wildfires

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2024 California wildfires
The burn scar of the Corral Fire in San Joaquin County, seen via the Landsat 9 satellite on June 2, 2024
Statistics[1][2]
Total fires4,613[1]
Total area751,327 acres (304,051 ha)[1]
Impacts
Deaths1[2]
Non-fatal injuries17
Structures destroyed329 (73 damaged)[2]
Season
← 2023

The 2024 California wildfire season is an ongoing series of wildfires that have been burning throughout the U.S. state of California. As of July 30, 2024, a total of 4,613 wildfires have burned a cumulative 751,327 acres (304,051 ha). Year-to-date, the number of wildfires and the number of acres burned are higher than the five-year average.[3] Wildfires have destroyed 329 structures and killed one person in the state in 2024.

Background

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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.[4][5]

Summary

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By the end of spring (June 20), the total area burned by wildfires in California was nearly 90,000 acres (36,000 ha). This early spike in activity was primarily from wind-driven grass fires, more than 30 of which occurred on several days in mid-June with low humidity, high temperatures, and strong winds.[5]

False-color view of the burned area and smoke from the Park Fire in Northern California, viewed from the Landsat 9 satellite on July 27, 2024.

The first and only wildfire fatality of the year in California occurred on July 8, when the Mina Fire burned a home.[6]

During late July, the total area burned during the 2024 wildfire season saw significant growth due in part to long periods of warm, dry weather. These conditions allowed several fires to grow rapidly in size, such as the Park Fire, in Butte and Tehama counties, and the Borel Fire, in Sequoia National Forest. By July 29, more than 726,000 acres (294,000 ha) had burned across the state.[7]

List of wildfires

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The following is a list of fires that have burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), produced significant structural damage, or resulted in casualties.

Name County Acres Start date Containment date Notes Ref
School Kern 1,479 May 2 May 3 [8]
Hill Santa Barbara 1,383 May 28 June 1 [9]
Firebaugh Madera 1,300 May 30 May 30 [10]
Corral San Joaquin 14,168 June 1 June 6 Destroyed one home and injured two firefighters. Prompted highway closures and evacuation orders near Tracy. [11][12]
West Kern 1,575 June 2 June 6 [13]
Road Kern 1,088 June 4 June 6 [14]
Lost Kern 3,600 June 6 June 11 [15]
Bear San Luis Obispo 1,410 June 12 June 14 [16]
Junes Butte 1,056 June 15 June 18 Destroyed one structure. [17]
Post Los Angeles, Ventura 15,563 June 15 June 26 Began near Gorman, burned parallel to Interstate 5; caused the evacuation of ~1,200 people in nearby recreation areas. Destroyed one structure, injured one person. [18][19]
Hesperia San Bernardino 1,078 June 15 June 24 [20]
Point Sonoma 1,207 June 16 June 24 Prompted evacuations of some 400 residents northwest of Dry Creek Valley. Caused one injury and destroyed three structures. [21]
Sites Colusa 19,195 June 17 June 25 [22][23]
Aero Calaveras 5,285 June 17 June 27 Caused evacuations in both Calaveras and Tuolumne counties, damaged one structure and destroyed three. [24][25]
Needles San Bernardino, Mohave (AZ) 203 June 22 June 26 Burned on both sides of the Colorado River in Arizona and California. Burned 60 acres in California and destroyed one structure. Burned 143 acres in Arizona and prompted evacuations in both states. [26]
Apache Butte 691 June 24 June 29 Prompted evacuations in Butte County. A firefighter was injured, and the fire destroyed 14 structures and damaged two. [27]
Fresno June Lightning Complex Fresno 10,616 June 24 July 6 Consisted of the Flash, Bolt, Hog, and other fires. Ignited by lightning. Destroyed one structure. [28]
Basin Fresno 14,023 June 26 July 20 Prompted evacuations in the Kirch Flat Campground and Balch Camp area. [29][30][31]
Mccain San Diego 1,595 July 1 July 10 Prompted evacuations near Jacumba and caused one civilian injury. [32]
Thompson Butte 3,789 July 2 July 8 Caused evacuations in parts of Oroville and Kelly Ridge. Destroyed 26 structures, damaged eight. Two people were injured. [33][34]
Airline San Benito 1,295 July 2 July 5 Caused one injury. [35]
Shelly Siskiyou 15,520 July 3
92% contained
 Eight firefighters were injured. [36][37]
Olive Kern 1,310 July 3 July 5 [38]
French Mariposa 908 July 4 July 13 Destroyed 11 structures, damaged seven, and caused four injuries. [39]
Lake Santa Barbara 38,664 July 5
92% contained
 Destroyed four structures, damaged one, and injured seven firefighters. [40][41]
North Modoc 4,685 July 7 July 14 [42]
Vista San Bernardino 2,936 July 7
95% contained
 Caused the evacuation of the Mt. Baldy ski resort [43][44]
Mina Mendocino 98 July 8 July 21 Resulted in one fatality and destroyed two structures. [45]
Hurricane San Luis Obispo, Kern 12,703 July 13 July 17 [46]
White Kern 5,646 July 13 July 26 [47]
SQF Lightning Complex Tulare, Kern 89,771 July 13
33% contained
 Contains the Trout, Long, and Borel fires. The Trout and Long fires are burning within the Domeland Wilderness. The Borel Fire is addressed separately below [48][49][50][51]
Borel Kern 57,306[52] July 24
5% contained
 The Borel Fire prompted evacuations in Kern County and destroyed the historic community of Havilah [53][54]
Rancho Kern 9,950 July 13 July 26 [55]
Rim Lassen 1,025 July 13 July 23 [56]
Lost Hills Kern 4,032 July 14 July 15 Crossed over and shut down a portion of Interstate 5 near Lost Hills. [57][58][59]
Hill Humboldt 7,224 July 15
72% contained
 Caused 5 injuries [60][61]
Ridge Lake, Colusa 2,756 July 20 July 29 [62]
Eagle Riverside 1,710 July 21 July 23 [63]
Hawarden Riverside 527 July 21 July 25 Destroyed seven homes and damaged eighteen more in Riverside. Started by fireworks. [64][65][66][67]
Gold Complex Plumas 3,007 July 22
98% contained
 Contains the Smith and Mill fires [68][69][70]
Metz Monterey 1,100 July 23 July 25 [71]
Apache Ventura 1,538 July 23
80% contained
 [72]
Park Butte, Tehama 386,764 July 24
18% contained
 At least 274 structures have been destroyed and 27 damaged. Started by arson. [73]
Nixon Riverside 4,941 July 29
0% contained
 Forced evacuations near Anza and has destroyed one structure and damaged four. [74][75]
Pedro Mariposa, Tuolumne 2,637 July 30
0% contained
 [76]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "2024 Incident Archive". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Current Emergency Incidents". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  3. ^ "Statistics". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  4. ^ "Weather: Fire Season Climatology (Northern California)". National Wildfire Coordinating Group. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Toohey, Grace (June 22, 2024). "California wildfires have already burned 90,000 acres, and summer is just beginning". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  6. ^ Har, Janie; Yamat, Rio (July 12, 2024). "California fire officials report first wildfire death of the 2024 season". NBC News. Associated Press. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  7. ^ Romero, Dennis; Alsharif, Mirna; Prociv, Kathryn (July 29, 2024). "More than 726,000 acres burned as wildfires rage in California". NBC News. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  8. ^ "School Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Archived from the original on May 14, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  9. ^ "Hill Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  10. ^ "Firebaugh Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  11. ^ "Corral Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  12. ^ "Containment on Corral Fire increases; evacuations lifted after more than 14,000 acres burned". CBS News. June 3, 2024. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  13. ^ "West Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  14. ^ "Road Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  15. ^ "Lost Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  16. ^ "Bear Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  17. ^ "Junes Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  18. ^ "Post Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  19. ^ Curwen, Thomas (June 16, 2024). "Post fire near Gorman burns 11,000 acres, prompts evacuations". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  20. ^ "Hesperia Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  21. ^ "Point Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire). Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  22. ^ "Sites Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  23. ^ "Sites Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  24. ^ "Aero Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  25. ^ "Aero Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  26. ^ "Needles Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  27. ^ "Apache Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  28. ^ "Fresno June Lightning Complex". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  29. ^ "Basin Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  30. ^ "Basin Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  31. ^ "Basin Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  32. ^ "Mccain Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  33. ^ "Thompson Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  34. ^ "Thompson Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  35. ^ "Airline Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  36. ^ "Shelly Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  37. ^ "Shelly Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  38. ^ "Olive Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  39. ^ "French Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  40. ^ "Lake Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  41. ^ "Lake Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  42. ^ "North Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  43. ^ "Vista Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  44. ^ "Vista Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  45. ^ "Mina Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  46. ^ "Hurricane Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  47. ^ "White Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  48. ^ "2024 SQF Lightning Complex". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  49. ^ "Trout Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  50. ^ "Long Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  51. ^ "Borel Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  52. ^ https://maps.wildfire.gov/sa/#/%3F/%3F/35.5151/-118.7215/13
  53. ^ "2024 SQF Lightning Complex". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  54. ^ "Borel Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  55. ^ "Rancho Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  56. ^ "Rim Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  57. ^ "Lost Hills Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  58. ^ "Lost Hills Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  59. ^ "Incident Report: Lost Hills Incident - Vegetation Fire". Kern County Fire Department. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  60. ^ "Hill Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  61. ^ "Hill Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  62. ^ "Ridge Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  63. ^ "Eagle Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  64. ^ "Hawarden Fire: Riverside brush fire destroys 3 homes". abc7.com. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  65. ^ Hubbard, Amy (July 21, 2024). "Riverside wildfire guts homes; officials say suspects who lit fireworks were seen on camera". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  66. ^ "Hawarden Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  67. ^ "Hawarden Incident: Information for Riverside Residents | riversideca.gov". www.riversideca.gov. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  68. ^ "Gold Complex". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  69. ^ "Mill Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  70. ^ "Smith Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  71. ^ "Metz Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  72. ^ "Apache Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  73. ^ "Park Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  74. ^ "Nixon Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  75. ^ "Nixon Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  76. ^ "Pedro Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 30, 2024.
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