2021 California wildfires

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2021 California wildfires
File:Smoke from wildfires in california.png
Smoke from wildfires in California
Statistics[1]
Total fires6,164
Total area842,598 acres (340,987 ha)
Impacts
Deaths0
Non-fatal injuries7
Structures destroyed400
DamageUnknown
Season
← 2020
2022 →

The 2021 California wildfire season is an ongoing series of wildfires that have burned across the state of California. As of August 7, 2021, a total of 6,164 fires have been recorded, burning 842,598 acres (340,987 ha) across the state.[1] At least 400 buildings have been destroyed by the wildfires, and at least 7 firefighters have been injured battling the fires.[1]

The wildfire season in California experienced an unusually early start amid an ongoing drought and historically low rainfall and reservoir levels.[2] In January 2021 alone, 297 fires burned 1,171 acres (4.74 km2) on nonfederal land according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, which is almost triple the number of fires and more than 20 times the acreage of the five-year average for January.[3][2] The January fires were exacerbated by unseasonably strong Santa Ana winds, and some of them burned in the same areas as previous fires like the CZU Lightning Complex.[4]

The long term trend is that wildfires in the state are increasing due to climate change in California.[5][6] In terms of the amount of fires burned, the 2021 season has been outpacing the 2020 season, which itself was the largest season in the state's recorded history. As of July 11, more than three times as many acres have burned compared to the previous year through that date, with drought, extreme heat, and reduced snowpack contributing to the severity of the fires.[7][8][9] The state also faces an increased risk of post-wildfire landslides.[10][11]

Impact

Firefighters setting a prescribed fire on January 27, 2021 near Ant Canyon in Kern County
Fire retardant and smoldering brush in the Tumbleweed Fire north of Los Angeles in July 2021
The Dixie Fire in Plumas County and Butte County produces a pyrocumulus cloud. Such a fire cloud forms when scorched air and strong winds within a fire meet moisture in the atmosphere. On July 22, the Dixie Fire surpassed 100,000 acres, becoming the second California wildfire in 2021 to surpass that acreage milestone.
File:River Fire.jgd.png
The River Fire in Colfax burning on August 6, 2021

More than 120 families have been evacuated from the fires, and companies including PG&E have preemptively spent billions of dollars to reduce the risk of wildfires and avoid an event similar to the previous year's fire season.[4][12] Firefighters have also set prescribed fires to prevent other fires burning.[13][14][15][16] During evacuations from the Lava Fire, an illegal marijuana farmer was shot and killed by police after brandishing a firearm at authorities, while "defending his farm".[17][18]

Haze[19][20] from the fires in Littleton, Massachusetts on July 26, 2021.

List of wildfires

The Government of California's video about COVID-19 protocols in place at wildfire evacuation centers.

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

Name County Acres Start date Containment date Notes Ref
Owens Kern 1,512 May 1 May 7 Unknown cause [21][22][23]
Southern San Diego 5,366 May 2 May 6 4 structures destroyed [24][22]
Palisades Los Angeles 1,202 May 14 May 26 Human-caused, suspected arson; 1 firefighter injured [25]
Sargents Monterey 1,100 May 30 June 2 Unknown cause [26]
Sierra San Diego 1,000 June 9 June 12 [27][28]
Willow Monterey 2,877 June 17 July 12 Unknown cause [29]
Mojave San Bernardino 2,490 June 17 June 26 Caused by lightning [30][31]
Nettle Tulare 1,265 June 18 July 2 [32][33][34][35]
Henry Alpine 1,320 June 24 July 27 Caused by lightning [36]
Lava Siskiyou 26,409 June 25 81% contained as of August 7 Caused by lightning; 23 structures destroyed; 1 structure damaged; 6 firefighters injured [37]
Shell Kern 1,984 June 27 July 2 Caused by a car fire [38][39]
Tennant Siskiyou 10,580 June 28 July 12 Unknown cause; 9 structures destroyed [40][41]
Salt Shasta 12,660 June 30 July 19 Caused by hot material falling off of a vehicle; 43 structures destroyed [42][43]
East Fork Alpine 1,136 July 1 July 11 Caused by lightning [44][45]
Beckwourth Complex Plumas, Lassen 105,670 July 3 98% contained as of August 7 Caused by lightning; includes the Dotta Fire and the Sugar Fire; 148 structures destroyed [46]
Tamarack Alpine, Douglas (NV) 68,696 July 4 80% contained as of August 7 Caused by lightning; 25 structures destroyed [47][48]
Juniper Modoc 1,011 July 5 July 13 Unknown cause [49]
River Mariposa, Madera 9,656 July 11 July 19 Unknown cause; 12 structures destroyed; 2 structures damaged [50]
Dexter Mono 2,965 July 12 July 27 Caused by lightning [51][52]
Dixie Butte, Lassen, Plumas, Tehama 447,723 July 14 21% contained as of August 7 Caused by a PG&E line downed by a falling tree; 184 structures destroyed; 11 structures damaged. Burning very close to the Camp Fire burn scar from 2018. Merged with the Fly Fire on July 24. Currently, it is the third-largest wildfire and the largest single (non-complex) wildfire in California history [53]
Peak Kern 2,098 July 20 98% contained as of August 7 Unknown cause; 1 structure destroyed [54]
Fly Plumas 4,300 July 22 5% contained as of August 7 Unknown cause; merged with the Dixie Fire on July 24 [55]
McFarland Shasta, Tehama, Trinity 30,093 July 29 21% contained as of August 7 Caused by lightning; 4 structures destroyed; 6 firefighters injured [56]
Monument Trinity 44,317 July 30 0% contained as of August 7 Caused by lightning; 2 structures destroyed [57]
River Complex Siskiyou, Trinity 23,121 July 30 3% contained as of August 7 Caused by lightning; consists of 22 fires, of which the largest are the Haypress Fire, the Summer Fire, and the Cronan Fire [58]
McCash Siskiyou 1,270 July 31 1% contained as of August 7 Caused by lightning; 1 structure destroyed [59]
Tiltill Tuolumne 1,300 July 31 15% contained as of August 7 Caused by lightning [60]
Antelope Siskiyou 41,410 August 1 24% contained as of August 7 Caused by lightning [61]
River Nevada, Placer 2,600 August 4 56% contained as of August 7 Unknown cause; 68 structures destroyed; 10 structures damaged; 3 injuries [62]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Fire Statistics". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  2. ^ a b "California's rainfall is at historic lows. That spells trouble for wildfires and farms". The Guardian. 11 February 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  3. ^ Arthur, Damon (2 February 2021). "A bad omen for 2021? There were 297 wildfires in California in January, nearly tripling five-year average". USA Today. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Powerful Santa Ana wind event kindles January wildfires in California". The Washington Post. 20 January 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  5. ^ "Wildfires & Climate Change | California Air Resources Board". ww2.arb.ca.gov. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  6. ^ Field, Rebecca Miller,Katharine Mach,Chris. "Climate Change Is Central to California's Wildfires". Scientific American. Retrieved 8 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Popovich, Nadja (11 June 2021). "How Severe Is the Western Drought? See For Yourself". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  8. ^ Smith, Hayley (12 July 2021). "California hit by record-breaking fire destruction: 'Climate change is real, it's bad'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  9. ^ Meeks, Alexandra; Silverman, Hollie; Sutton, Joe (13 July 2021). "Wildfires in California this year have scorched 3 times more land than in the same period of last year's record season". CNN. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  10. ^ Brackett, Ron (2 March 2021). "Landslides After Wildfires in Southern California Will Become More Common, New Study Says". The Weather Channel. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  11. ^ "Post-wildfire landslides becoming more frequent in southern California". Science Daily. 25 February 2021.
  12. ^ "PG&E, Other Utilities To Spend Billions To Cut Wildfire Risk In California". 6 February 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  13. ^ "KRRD 2021 Prescribed Fire Information". InciWeb. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  14. ^ "Cleveland RX Burning 2021 Information". InciWeb. Retrieved 25 February 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ "WDRD 2021 Prescribed Fire Information". InciWeb. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  16. ^ "McKenzie Ranch Information". InciWeb. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  17. ^ Cortez, Alison (30 June 2021). "Hostile pot farmers forced retreat from Lava Fire in Northern California, sheriff says".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ^ "Lava Fire: Officers Kill Gunman Near Pot Farms In Evacuation Area; 13,000 Acres Burned". 29 June 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  19. ^ McGrath, Cassie (26 July 2021). "Air Quality Action Day in effect: Haze and smoky odor in Massachusetts sky on Monday due to Western and Canadian wildfires". masslive. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  20. ^ "Wildfires on West Coast Prompt 'Unhealthy' Air Quality Alert in Mass". NBC Boston. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  21. ^ "Owens Fire Information". inciweb.nwcg.gov. 2 May 2021.
  22. ^ a b "National Interagency Coordination Center Incident Management Situation Report Friday, May 7, 2021– 0730 MDT National Preparedness Level 2" (PDF). nifc.gov. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  23. ^ "UPDATE: Shell Fire now at 90% containment; nearly 2,000 acres burned". KGET 17. 1 July 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  24. ^ "Southern Fire Information". fire.ca.gov. 3 May 2021.
  25. ^ "Palisades Fire". lafd.org. 16 May 2021.
  26. ^ "Sargents Fire Information". fire.ca.gov. 1 June 2021.
  27. ^ "Wildfire burning on Camp Pendleton in north San Diego county". cbs8.com. 1 June 2021.
  28. ^ "National Interagency Coordination Center Incident Management Situation Report Saturday, June 12, 2021– 0730 MDT National Preparedness Level 2" (PDF). nifc.gov. 12 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  29. ^ "Willow Fire". InciWeb. 17 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  30. ^ "Mojave Fire". InciWeb. 17 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  31. ^ "National Interagency Coordination Center Incident Management Situation Report Saturday, June 26, 2021– 0730 MDT National Preparedness Level 4" (PDF). nifc.gov. 26 June 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  32. ^ Romero, Sheyanne (23 June 2021). "Tulare County wildfire update: Nettle Fire inches toward full containment". Visalia Times Delta. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  33. ^ "Nettle Fire Information". fire.ca.gov. 18 June 2021.
  34. ^ "National Interagency Coordination Center Incident Management Situation Report Friday, July 2, 2021– 0730 MDT National Preparedness Level 4" (PDF). nifc.gov. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  35. ^ Jennings, Lauren. "Nettle Fire in Tulare county hits 1,800 acres, Success Fire nears containment". VisaliaTimesDelta.com. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  36. ^ "Henry Fire Information". inciweb.nwgc.gov. 16 July 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  37. ^ "Lava Information". inciweb.nwgc.gov. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  38. ^ "Shell Fire Information". fire.ca.gov. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  39. ^ Smith, Hayley (29 June 2021). "Northern California wildfire forces evacuations as blazes ignite across the state". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  40. ^ "Tennant Fire Information". inciweb.nwgc.gov. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  41. ^ Seidman, Lila (2 July 2021). "Lava fire spreads as Salt and Tennant fires destroy homes". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  42. ^ "Salt Fire Information". inciweb.nwgc.gov. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  43. ^ "Salt Fire: Latest on wildfire burning in Shasta County". KXTV. 8 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  44. ^ "East Fork Fire Information". inciweb.nwgc.gov. 5 July 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  45. ^ "National Interagency Coordination Center Incident Management Situation Report Sunday, July 11, 2021– 0730 MDT National Preparedness Level 4" (PDF). nifc.gov. 11 July 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  46. ^ "Beckwourth Complex Information". inciweb.nwgc.gov. 4 July 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  47. ^ "Tamarack Fire Information". inciweb.nwgc.gov. 16 July 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  48. ^ Timko, Steve (16 July 2021). "Mandatory evacuation for Markleeville area; Tamarack Fire perimeter spreads". KOLO-TV. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  49. ^ "Juniper Fire Information". inciweb.nwgc.gov. 7 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  50. ^ "River Fire Information". fire.ca.gov. 12 July 2021.
  51. ^ "Dexter Fire Information". inciweb.nwgc.gov. 13 July 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  52. ^ "National Interagency Coordination Center Incident Management Situation Report Tuesday, July 27, 2021– 0730 MDT National Preparedness Level 5" (PDF). nifc.gov. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  53. ^ "Dixie Fire Information". fire.ca.gov. 14 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  54. ^ "Peak Fire Information". inciweb.nwgc.gov. 20 July 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  55. ^ "Fly Fire Information". inciweb.nwgc.gov. 22 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  56. ^ "McFarland Fire Information". inciweb.nwgc.gov. 31 July 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  57. ^ "Monument Fire Information". inciweb.nwgc.gov. 1 August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  58. ^ "River Complex 2021 Fire Information". inciweb.nwgc.gov. 3 August 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  59. ^ "McCash Fire Information". inciweb.nwgc.gov. 6 August 2021.
  60. ^ "Tiltill Fire Information". inciweb.nwgc.gov. 7 August 2021.
  61. ^ "Antelope Fire Information". inciweb.nwgc.gov. 6 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  62. ^ "River Fire Information". fire.ca.gov. 4 August 2021.

External links

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