CALIFORNIA – Oct. 17, 2020 – Today Over 8,000 firefighters remain on the frontlines of 20 wildfires across the state, 12 of which remain major incidents. Yesterday, firefighters across the State responded to 38 new wildfires, and despite Red Flag Warning conditions in many areas, all were quickly contained.
A Red Flag Warning for critical fire weather continues today in much of the North State for gusty winds and low humidity. Warm and dry conditions persist throughout the State, continuing the elevated fire threat. Temperatures are expected to cool slightly with some humidity increase over the next couple of days, but conditions will generally remain dry with no precipitation forecast for the next week.
Since the beginning of the year, there have been over 8,500 wildfires that have burned well over 4.1 million acres in California. To date, the total number of fatalities statewide is 31 and more than 9,200 structures have been destroyed.
California historically experiences some of the most devastating wildfires in the months of September and October. Do not let your guard down! To learn more ways to prevent sparking a wildfire visit www.ReadyForWildfire.org.
Fires of Interest:
**CAL FIRE Incidents**
Butte/Tehama/Glenn (BTU/TGU) Lightning Complex, multiple Counties **FINAL**
Butte, Tehama and Glenn Counties
*19,609 acres, 100% contained
*14 structures destroyed
**Unified Command Incidents**
Bruder Fire, San Bernardino County (more info)
Live Oak Canyon, Redlands
*170 acres, 92% containment
Glass Fire, Napa and Sonoma Counties (more info…)
4 miles east of Calistoga
*67,484 acres, 97% contained
*1,555 structures destroyed
Creek Fire, Fresno and Madera Counties (more info…)
Northeast of Shaver Lake (Sierra National Forest)
*346,477 acres, 60% contained
*Evacuations in place
*Heavy tree mortality in the area
*856 structures destroyed
*CAL FIRE is in unified command with California Interagency Incident Command Team 14 (South Zone) and Northern Rockies Team 4 is in command of the North Zone.
**Federal Incidents**
August Complex, multiple Counties (more info…)
Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino, Tehama and Trinity Counties
Elk Creek and Stonyford area (Mendocino National Forest)
*1,031,510 acres, 78% contained
*South Zone 499,830 acres
*North East Zone 271,531 acres
*North West Zone 119,205 acres
*West Zone 140,944 acres
*1 fatality
*210 structures destroyed
*Includes multiple fires including the Elkhorn, Hopkins, Willow, Vinegar, and Doe fires
*The fire is being managed in four zones by 4 national Incident Management Teams
SQF Complex, Tulare County (more info…)
3 miles east of Giant Sequoia National Monument
*168,095 acres, 72% contained
*Evacuation order and warnings remain in place
*228 structures destroyed
*California Interagency Incident Management Team 13 is in command.
North Complex, Plumas County (more info…)
Northeast of Oroville to southwest of Quincy (Plumas National Forest)
*318,930 acres, 94% contained
*15 fatalities
*2,352 structures destroyed
Slater Fire, Siskiyou County (more info…)
5 miles North of Happy Camp (Klamath National Forest)
*156,612 acres, 80% contained
*2 fatalities
Devil Fire, Siskiyou County (more info…)
5 miles north of Upper Devil’s Peak (Klamath National Forest)
*8,885 acres, 60% contained
Fork Fire, El Dorado County, (more info…)
15 miles northeast of Pollock Pines (El Dorado National Forest)
*1,670 acres, 85% contained
Red Salmon Complex – Humboldt County (more info…)
14 miles northeast of Willow Creek (Shasta-Trinity National Forest)
*142,766 acres, 63% contained
Blue Jay Fire, Mariposa County (more info…)
Yosemite National Park Wilderness
*6,650 acres, 50% contained
Wolf Fire, Tuolumne County (more info…)
Yosemite National Park Wilderness
*1,781 acres, 60% contained
Moraine, Tulare County (more info…)
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness
*740 acres, 70% contained
Rattlesnake, Tulare County (more info…)
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness
*6,857 acres, 40% contained
Dolan Fire, Monterey County (more info…)
Hwy 1, 10 miles south of Big Sur (Los Padres National Forest)
*124,924 acres, 98% contained
Slink Fire, Mono County (more info…)
2 miles west of Coleville (Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest)
*26,759 acres, 90% contained
Apple Fire, Riverside County (more info…)
Oak Glen/Cherry Valley (San Bernardino National Forest)
*33,424 acres, 95% contained
Bobcat Fire, Los Angeles County (more info…)
North of Duarte (Angeles National Forest)
*115,796 acres, 92% containment
Bullfrog Fire, Fresno County (more info…)
SE of Bullfrog Lake (Sierra National Forest)
*1,185 acres, 60% contained
El Dorado Fire, San Bernardino County (more info…)
West of Oak Glen (San Bernardino National Forest)
*22,744 acres, 95% contained
*1 fatality
Top 20 Wildfire Records
- 5 of the Top 20 largest wildfires in California History have occurred in 2020.
- Largest Wildfires – #1 August Complex, #3 SCU Lightning Complex, #4 LNU Lightning Complex, #5 Creek Fire, #6 North Complex and #18 SQF Complex
- Most Destructive – #5 North Complex, #10 Glass Fire, #11 LNU Lightning Complex, #12 CZU Lightning Complex, #17 August Fire, #19 Creek Fire.
Deadliest Wildfires – #5 North Complex and #16 LNU Lightning Complex.
