2017 California wildfires

In terms of property damage, 2017 was the most destructive wildfire season on record in California at the time,[4] with a total of 9,133 fires burning 1,381,405 acres (5,590.35 km2) of land, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, including five of the 20 most destructive wildland-urban interface fires in the state's history.[1][5] Throughout 2017, the fires destroyed or damaged more than 10,000 structures in the state (destroyed 9,470, damaged 810), a higher tally than the previous nine years combined. State data showed that the large wildfires killed 47 people – 45 civilians and 2 firefighters – almost higher than the previous 10 years combined.[6] The total property damage was surpassed by the 2018 California wildfires.

2017 California wildfires
Smoke from the Alamo and Whittier fires during the 2017 California fire season, on July 8, 2017.
Statistics[1]
Total fires9,133
Total area1,381,405 acres (5,590.35 km2)
Cost≥$18.0 billion (2018 USD) (Costliest to date)[2][3]
Buildings destroyed10,280
Deaths45 civilians, 2 firefighters
Non-fatal injuries12 firefighters, 199 civilians
Season
← 2016
2018 →

Throughout the early months of 2017, there was heavy rainfall over most of California, which triggered widespread flooding, thus temporarily mitigating the state's historic drought conditions. However, according to a report published by the National Interagency Fire Center, the potential for large fires was "expected to remain near normal through the spring, but once fine fuels dry out, there will likely be a spike in grass fire activity."[7]

In December 2017, strong Santa Ana winds triggered a new round of wildfires, including the massive Thomas Fire in Ventura County.[8][9] At the time, the Thomas Fire was California's largest modern wildfire, which has since been surpassed by the Mendocino Complex's Ranch Fire in 2018. The December 2017 fires forced over 230,000 people to evacuate, with the 6 largest fires burning over 307,900 acres (1,246 km2) and more than 1,300 structures.[10][11]

During the year, 5 of the 20 most destructive wildfires in the state's history burned between October and December: #1 Tubbs, #6 Nuns, #7 Thomas, #11 Atlas, and #17 Redwood Valley Complex.[12] The wildfires collectively caused at least $18.0 billion (2018 USD) in damages, including $13.2 billion in insured losses, $3 billion in other economic losses, and $1.8 billion in fire suppression costs, making the 2017 California fires the costliest on record.[2][3] The total economic cost, including fire suppression, insurance, direct and indirect economic losses, and recovery expenditures is estimated at about $180 billion (2017 USD).[13] This number includes economic harm to the wine industry, where several wineries in Napa and Sonoma were destroyed, and where many wine grapes were severely damaged by smoke. Cal Fire spent $700 million during fiscal year 2017, far exceeding the approximately $426 million the agency had budgeted that year for fire suppression.[6] This made 2017 the most expensive firefighting year on record in California state history.[14]

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2017 will be remembered as a year of extremes. It was the third-warmest year on record for the United States, and it was the second-hottest in California, bringing to the surface the question of long-term climate change and its contribution to the 2017 California fires. The hotter temperatures dry out vegetation, making them easier to burn, predisposing vulnerable regions like California to more wildfires in the coming decades as temperatures continue to rise and rainfall continues to decline.[6]

Wildfire maps

This section contains maps of the locations and burn areas of the fires that occurred during the largest outbreaks of the season. The burn areas of some major fires are included in some of the maps.

October 2017
Location of the California wildfires in October 2017
2017 California wildfires. Each dot shows the location (but not the extent) of a satellite-detected heat source. Click to enlarge.
December 2017
Location of the California wildfires in December 2017
The 2017 Northern California wildfires, from January 1 to October 11.

Wildfires

Below is a list of all fires that exceeded 1,000 acres (400 ha) during the 2017 California wildfire season, as well as the fires that caused significant damage.[15] The information is taken from CAL FIRE's list of large fires, and other sources where indicated.

Name County Acres Start Date Containment Date Notes Ref
JayneFresno5,738April 20, 2017April 21, 2017[16]
OperaRiverside1,350April 30, 2017May 2, 2017[17]
ElmFresno10,345May 18, 2017May 21, 2017[18]
GateSan Diego2,056May 20, 2017May 23, 2017[19]
OakwoodMadera1,431June 10, 2017June 13, 2017[20]
HighwayKern1,522June 18, 2017June 28, 2017[21]
HolcombSan Bernardino1,503June 19, 2017June 29, 2017[22]
SchaefferTulare16,031June 24, 2017August 10, 2017[23]
Salmon August ComplexSiskiyou65,888June 25, 2017December 8, 2017[24][25]
ManzanitaRiverside6,309June 26, 2017June 30, 2017[26]
HillSan Luis Obispo1,598June 26, 2017June 30, 20174 homes destroyed[27]
WintersYolo2,269July 6, 2017July 12, 2017[28]
AlamoSan Luis Obispo28,687July 6, 2017July 19, 20171 home destroyed, 1 damaged[29]
WallButte6,033July 7, 2017July 17, 201741 homes, 48 outbuildings destroyed, 10 damaged[30]
WhittierSanta Barbara18,430July 8, 2017October 5, 201716 homes, 30 outbuildings destroyed, 7 damaged[31]
ParkfieldMonterey1,816July 8, 2017July 11, 2017[32]
GarzaFresno48,889July 9, 2017July 21, 20171 structure destroyed[33]
Long ValleyLassen83,733July 11, 2017July 21, 2017[34]
DetwilerMariposa81,826July 16, 2017August 24, 201763 homes, 68 structures destroyed (131 total), 21 damaged[35]
Modoc July ComplexModoc83,120July 24, 2017August 16, 2017[36]
Orleans ComplexSiskiyou27,276July 25, 2017September 26, 2017[37]
EmpireMariposa6,370August 1, 2017November 27, 2017[38]
Parker 2Modoc7,697August 3, 2017August 29, 2017[39]
YoungSiskiyou2,500August 7, 2017August 28, 2017Merged into the Eclipse Complex's Oak fire[40]
South ForkMariposa7,000August 13, 2017November 27, 2017[41]
BlaineRiverside1,044August 13, 2017August 16, 2017[42]
Eclipse ComplexSiskiyou78,698August 15, 2017November 29, 2017[43]
PierTulare36,556August 29, 2017November 29, 2017[44]
RailroadMadera12,407August 29, 2017October 24, 20175 homes, 9 structures destroyed[45]
PonderosaButte4,016August 29, 2017September 9, 201732 homes, 22 outbuildings, 15 damaged[46]
MudLassen6,042August 29, 2017September 1, 2017[47]
SlinkardMono8,925August 29, 2017September 12, 2017[48]
HelenaTrinity21,846August 30, 2017November 15, 2017133 structures destroyed[49]
La TunaLos Angeles7,194September 1, 2017September 9, 20175 homes, 5 structures destroyed[50]
PalmerRiverside3,874September 2, 2017September 6, 2017[51]
MissionMadera1,035September 3, 2017September 13, 20174 structures destroyed[52]
BuckTrinity13,417September 12, 2017November 20, 2017[53]
LionTulare18,900September 24, 2017December 2, 2017[54]
CanyonRiverside2,662September 25, 2017October 4, 20176 structures damaged[55]
CherokeeButte8,417October 8, 2017October 16, 2017[56]
AtlasNapa/Solano51,624October 8, 2017October 31, 20176 fatalities, 785 structures destroyed, 40 damaged[57]
TubbsNapa/Sonoma36,807October 8, 2017October 31, 201722 fatalities, 1 injured, 5,643 structures destroyed[58]
NunsSonoma56,556October 8, 2017October 30, 2017Merged with the Norrbom, Adobe, Partrick, Pressley, and Oakmont Fires. 3 fatalities, 1,200 structures destroyed[59]
Redwood Valley ComplexMendocino36,523October 8, 2017October 28, 20179 fatalities, 43 injured, 545 structures destroyed[60][61]
La PorteButte6,151October 9, 2017October 18, 2017[62]
CascadeYuba9,989October 9, 2017October 18, 20174 fatalities, 143 residential, 123 outbuildings destroyed[63]
SulphurLake2,207October 9, 2017October 26, 2017150 structures destroyed[64]
Canyon 2Orange9,217October 9, 2017October 18, 201725 structures destroyed, 55 structures damaged[65]
37Sonoma1,660October 9, 2017October 13, 2017[66]
PocketSonoma17,357October 9, 2017October 31, 2017[67]
LoboNevada821October 9, 2017October 18, 2017At least 30 structures destroyed[68]
BearSanta Cruz391October 16, 2017October 27, 20177 injuries, 4 structures destroyed[69]
Buffalo FireSan Diego1,088October 17, 2017November 14, 2017[70]
WildomarRiverside866October 27, 2017October 29, 2017[71]
ThomasVentura/Santa Barbara281,893December 4, 2017January 12, 20181,063 structures destroyed, 280 structures damaged, 2 firefighters injured, 1 firefighter and 1 civilian killed[8][72][73][74][75]
CreekLos Angeles15,619December 5, 2017January 9, 2018123 buildings destroyed, 81 buildings damaged, 3 firefighters injured[76][77][78]
RyeLos Angeles6,049December 5, 2017December 12, 20176 buildings destroyed, 3 structures damaged, 1 firefighter injured[79][8][80]
Little MountainSan Bernardino260December 5, 2017December 7, 20173 injuries [81][82][83][84]
SkirballLos Angeles422December 6, 2017December 15, 20176 structures destroyed, 12 structures damaged, 3 firefighters injured[85][86][87]
LilacSan Diego4,100December 7, 2017December 16, 2017157 structures destroyed, 64 structures damaged, 3 firefighters and 4 civilians injured[88][89]
LibertyRiverside300December 7, 2017December 9, 20177 structures destroyed[90][91]

October Northern California wildfires
Main article: October 2017 Northern California wildfires

During the month of October, a series of wildfires broke out throughout Napa, Lake, Sonoma, Mendocino, and Butte counties during severe fire weather conditions, effectively leading to a major red flag warning from much of the northern California area. In the extreme conditions, shortly after the fires ignited, they rapidly grew to become massive conflagrations spanning from 1,000 to well over 20,000 acres apart within a single day.[92] In addition, the fires have destroyed an estimated 8,900+ structures, and killed at least 44 people.[93] The fires burned over 245,000 acres (99,148 ha) of land,[66] and forced over 20,000 people to evacuate.[94][95]

December Southern California wildfires
Main article: December 2017 Southern California wildfires

Multiple wildfires ignited in December across Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ventura, San Diego, Riverside, Santa Barbara Counties. The fires were exacerbated by unusually powerful and long-lasting Santa Ana winds,[96] as well as large amounts of dry vegetation grown, due to large amounts of precipitation earlier in the year. The fires burned over 307,900 acres (1,246 km2), and caused traffic disruptions, school closures, hazardous air conditions, and massive power outages. California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties,[97] and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti declared a state of emergency for the city.[98] The largest fire was the Thomas Fire, which grew to 281,893 acres, becoming California's largest modern wildfire at the time, since surpassed by the Mendocino Complex's Ranch Fire in 2018.[99][100][101][102][103]

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See also

References
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