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California Large Wildfire History

Since 1980, 2,299 wildfires of 1,000 acres or more have been mapped in California, 36 of them above 100,000 acres. The largest burned 501,082 ac; together they cover about 26,054,017 ac.

Fires by decade

'80
'90
'00
'10
'20

Largest in California

Biscuit · 2002501,082 acRanch · 2018410,203 acRanch · 2018410,202 acRanch · 2018410,201 acRush · 2012315,512 acRush · 2012307,083 acThomas · 2017281,791 acThomas · 2017281,790 acCedar · 2003270,686 acRim · 2013256,916 ac

All mapped large fires

Station160,833 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 29, 2019
La Brea97,815 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
La Brea97,815 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 29, 2019
Guiberson17,527 ac
2009 · perimeter dated September 24, 2009
Guiberson17,527 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Guiberson17,527 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 29, 2019
Corral12,243 ac
2009 · perimeter dated August 20, 2009
Corral12,243 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Sugarloaf9,354 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Jesusita8,734 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Jesusita8,734 ac
2009 · perimeter dated May 17, 2009
Lockheed7,783 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Lockheed7,783 ac
2009 · perimeter dated August 23, 2009
Big Meadow Supress7,553 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 21, 2021
Sheep7,238 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Chalk6,847 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Chalk6,847 ac
2009 · perimeter dated September 1, 2009
Gloria6,436 ac
2009 · perimeter dated September 8, 2009
Gloria6,436 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Knight6,129 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Cassel6,098 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Shu Cassel6,098 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 29, 2019
Lt-17(Backbone)5,194 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Goose3,949 ac
2009 · perimeter dated October 20, 2009
Yuba3,829 ac
2009 · perimeter dated August 20, 2009
Yuba3,829 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Tennant3,184 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Grouse3,040 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 21, 2021
Grouse3,040 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Mill Creek 42,831 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Forks2,811 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Lion2,577 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Cottonwood2,411 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Cottonwood2,411 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 29, 2019
Bryson2,257 ac
2009 · perimeter dated August 28, 2009
Bryson2,257 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Morris2,237 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Explosives1,989 ac
2009 · perimeter dated June 19, 2009
Explosives1,989 ac
2009 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Mcphalis Vmp1,835 ac
2009 · perimeter dated June 18, 2009

Source: National Interagency Fire Center, Interagency Fire Perimeter History. Only fires with a mapped perimeter of 1,000 acres or more appear; the state is inferred from the responsible unit code. A record of past fires is not a forecast. See About the Data.