DisasterAtlasUSA

This is a record of past federal disaster declarations, not a forecast. Federal assistance figures are aid obligated under specific programs, not total damages. For current threats, check the National Weather Service and FEMA.

Home / Wildfires / California

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

What starts the fires in California

Every wildfire incident on record has a cause code. Counts are of incidents, not acres — lightning fires are fewer but tend to grow far larger.

By broad cause
Undetermined72%6.0M ac
Unknown18%5.5M ac
Human5%1.6M ac
Natural5%5.0M ac
Specific cause, where recorded
Lightning977
Recreation429
Equipment / vehicle use398
Debris / open burning153
Arson / incendiary100
Firearms36
Natural (other)18
Fireworks5
Railroad1

Source: National Interagency Fire Center, WFIGS incident records (WFIGS incident records, roughly 2014 to present). A specific cause is recorded for only some incidents; “Undetermined” and “Unknown” are the agency's own categories.

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

Paul1,337 ac
1987 · perimeter dated January 21, 2021
Verbnia-State 8201,318 ac
1987 · perimeter dated June 14, 1987
Jarrel1,308 ac
1987 · perimeter dated January 21, 2021
Trinity1,308 ac
1987 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Unknown1,300 ac
1987 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Gerber1,241 ac
1987 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Pilitas Blm-18361,224 ac
1987 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Campground1,207 ac
1987 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Campground1,207 ac
1987 · perimeter dated January 21, 2021
Unknown1,119 ac
1987 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Paul1,115 ac
1987 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Unknown1,106 ac
1987 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Winchester#11,098 ac
1987 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Peppertree Controlle1,088 ac
1987 · perimeter dated November 11, 1987
Backbone1,076 ac
1987 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Unknown1,071 ac
1987 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Assist P.N.F.1,047 ac
1987 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Laurel1,018 ac
1987 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Unknown1,001 ac
1987 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Deer12,410 ac
1986 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Los Alamos12,140 ac
1986 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Bradley9,229 ac
1986 · perimeter dated November 10, 1986
River5,469 ac
1986 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Salt/Tapo Burn4,257 ac
1986 · perimeter dated October 30, 1986
Tecalote3,987 ac
1986 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Dry Creek3,423 ac
1986 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Bedford 12,957 ac
1986 · perimeter dated June 4, 1986
Lowes2,852 ac
1986 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Valencia Burn2,768 ac
1986 · perimeter dated August 27, 1986
Bottcher2,557 ac
1986 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Bryant Canyon2,428 ac
1986 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Soup Bowl2,392 ac
1986
Salt Creek Vmp2,166 ac
1986 · perimeter dated October 6, 1986
Cascade Ck2,069 ac
1986 · perimeter dated January 21, 2021
Cascade Creek2,069 ac
1986 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Slate2,040 ac
1986 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Cameron2,031 ac
1986
Ranchita1,831 ac
1986 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Capitan1,586 ac
1986 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019
Sycamore1,546 ac
1986 · perimeter dated January 2, 2019

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.