2016 California wildfires

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In 2016, a total of 7,349 fires had burned an area 669,534 acres (2,709.51 km2) in California, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.[1][2]

Total fires7,349
Total area669,534 acres (2,709.51 km2)[2]
Deaths6 civilians killed, 2 firefighters killed[2]
InjuriesUnknown
Quick facts Statistics, Total fires ...
2016 California wildfires
A Skycrane makes a drop on the Sherpa Fire in June.
Statistics[1]
Total fires7,349
Total area669,534 acres (2,709.51 km2)[2]
Impacts
Deaths6 civilians killed, 2 firefighters killed[2]
InjuriesUnknown
Cost>$480.3 million (2016 USD)[3][2]
Map

A map of wildfires in California in 2016, using Cal Fire data
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Climatologists had predicted an extreme version of El Niño, known as a super El Niño, to occur during the winter of 2015–16. Although the Pacific Ocean’s warming water had been expected to bring strong storms to parts of the southwestern United States, actual precipitation totals generally underperformed those expectations.[4] Early in 2016, the National Interagency Fire Center predicted that an increased risk of fires in states such as California.[5]

Background

Further information: List of California wildfires

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.[6][7]

Events

In June, the United States Forest Service estimated that over 26 million trees trees has died in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, in part due to droughts, higher temperatures, and insect activity.[8]

On August 15, the National Interagency Fire Center reported that California's wildfires were some of the strongest on the West Coast.[8] A day later, on August 16, San Bernardino County announced that nearly 85,000 people were evacuated because of the Blue Cut Fire near Cajon Pass.[9] Authorities arrested a 40-year-old man in connection to the Clayton Fire, and charged him with 17 counts of arson.[8]

List of wildfires

Below is a list of all fires that exceeded 1,000 acres (400 ha) during the 2016 California wildfire season, as well as the fires that caused significant damage.[10] The information is taken from CAL FIRE's list of large fires, and other sources where indicated.

More information Name, County ...
Name County Acres Start date Containment Date[a] Notes Ref
RobertsSan Luis Obispo3,712May 18, 2016May 20, 2016Burned on Camp Roberts.[12]
MetzMonterey3,876May 22, 2016May 25, 2016[13]
ColemanMonterey2,520June 4, 2016June 17, 2016Burned on Fort Hunter Liggett.[14]
PonySiskiyou2,860June 7, 2016June 30, 2016[15]
SherpaSanta Barbara7,474June 15, 2016July 12, 2016[16]
BorderSan Diego7,609June 19, 2016June 30, 20162 fatalities, 5 homes and 11 outbuildings destroyed[17]
PineVentura2,304June 19, 2016July 17, 2016[18]
San Gabriel ComplexLos Angeles5,399June 20, 2016July 23, 2016Reservoir Fire burned 1,146 acres; Fish Fire burned 4,253 acres[19]
ErskineKern48,019June 23, 2016July 12, 20162 fatalities, 285 homes destroyed, 12 damaged[20]
TrailheadPlacer5,646June 28, 2016July 18, 2016[21]
DeerKern1,785July 1, 2016July 11, 2016[22]
CurryFresno2,944July 1, 2016July 5, 2016[23]
SageLos Angeles1,109July 9, 2016July 16, 2016[24]
RoblarSan Diego1,245July 21, 2016July 30, 2016Burned on Camp Pendleton.[25]
SandLos Angeles41,432July 22, 2016August 3, 20162 fatalities, 18 homes destroyed, 4 damaged [26][27]
SoberanesMonterey132,100July 22, 2016October 12, 20161 fatality, 3 injuries, 57 homes and 11 outbuildings destroyed.[28]
GooseFresno2,241July 30, 2016August 9, 20164 homes, 5 outbuildings destroyed[29]
ColdYolo5,731August 2, 2016August 12, 20162 outbuildings destroyed[30]
PilotSan Bernardino8,110August 7, 2016August 16, 2016[31]
MineralFresno7,050August 9, 2016August 18, 20162 structures destroyed[32]
ChimneySan Luis Obispo46,344August 13, 2016September 6, 201648 structures destroyed[33]
ClaytonLake3,929August 13, 2016August 26, 2016300 buildings destroyed[34]
Blue CutSan Bernardino36,274August 16, 2016August 23, 2016105 homes, 213 outbuildings destroyed[35]
CedarKern29,322August 16, 2016September 30, 2016[36]
ReySanta Barbara32,606August 18, 2016September 16, 2016[37]
GapSiskiyou33,867August 27, 2016September 17, 2016[38]
BogartRiverside1,470August 30, 2016September 2, 20161 outbuilding destroyed[39]
WillardLassen2,575September 11, 2016September 22, 20165 structures destroyed[40]
Owens RiverMono5,443September 17, 2016October 15, 2016[41]
CanyonSanta Barbara12,518September 17, 2016September 24, 20161 firefighter killed in crash. Burned on Vandenberg Space Force Base.[42]
SawmillSonoma1,547September 25, 2016September 29, 2016[43]
MarshesTuolumne1,080September 26, 2016October 4, 2016Burned just north of the Don Pedro Reservoir in the Stanislaus National Forest.[44] Approximately 30 homes were evacuated and two minor injuries were reported.[45] The fire briefly threatened the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System headquarters, but normal water operations continued throughout the fire.[46] The fire was started by a vehicle parked in dry grass along Marshes Flat Road.[47][48]
LomaSanta Clara4,474September 26, 2016October 12, 201628 structures destroyed[49]
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See also

Notes

  1. [a]
    Containment means that fire crews have established and secured control lines around the fire's perimeter. These lines are artificial barriers, like trenches or cleared vegetation, designed to stop the fire's spread, or natural barriers like rivers. Containment reflects progress in managing the fire but does not necessarily mean the fire is starved of fuel, under control, or put out.[11]

References

External links

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