2015 California wildfires

By the end of 2015 a total of 8,745 wildfires were recorded across the state of California, burning 893,362 acres (3,615 km²).^[1] Approximately 3,159 structures were damaged or destroyed by wildfires, and at least 7 fatalities were recorded.

2015 California wildfires
Smoke from the 2015 California wildfires as seen from space, on August 18, 2015
Statistics[1]
Total fires	8,745
Total area	893,362 acres (3,615 km2)
Impacts
Deaths	2 firefighters and 7 civilians killed
Non-fatal injuries	At least 1
Damage	≥4.771 billion (2015 USD)[2][3]
Map
A map of wildfires in California in 2015, using Cal Fire data
Season
← 2014 2016 →

On September 11, after the Butte Fire exploded from a size of 32,000 acres (129 km²)^[4] to 65,000 acres (263 km²), in the Amador and Calaveras counties, Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency.^[5]

Background

Further information: List of California wildfires

The timing of "fire season" in California is variable, depending on the amount of prior winter and spring precipitation, the frequency and severity of weather such as heat waves and wind events, and moisture content in vegetation. Northern California typically sees wildfire activity between late spring and early fall, peaking in the summer with hotter and drier conditions. Occasional cold frontal passages can bring wind and lightning. The timing of fire season in Southern California is similar, peaking between late spring and fall. The severity and duration of peak activity in either part of the state is modulated in part by weather events: downslope/offshore wind events can lead to critical fire weather, while onshore flow and Pacific weather systems can bring conditions that hamper wildfire growth.^[6][7]

Nationwide fire season

The National Interagency Fire Center reported in mid-August that the 2015 fire season had been the most destructive since 2011. Nationwide, a total of 6,058,694 acres (24,519 km²) had burned, which is roughly triple the total land area burned from the same time span in 2014.^[8] By the end of August, in terms of the land area burned, the 2015 nationwide wildfire season had surpassed any other wildfire season in the last 10 years, with 7,825,559 acres (31,669 km²) burned.^[9]

Fatalities

The season also proved to be a deadly one for firefighters battling the many blazes throughout the state. A United States Forest Service member from South Dakota died on July 31 from carbon monoxide poisoning, while battling the Frog Fire in the Modoc National Forest.^[10] A second firefighter was killed on August 8 by a falling tree, while battling the Sierra Fire south of Echo Summit.^[11] A 72-year-old disabled woman was killed in her home by the fast-moving Valley Fire.^[12]

List of wildfires

Below is a list of all fires that exceeded 1,000 acres (400 ha) during the 2015 California wildfire season, as well as the fires that caused significant damage.^[13] The information is taken from CAL FIRE's list of large fires, and other sources where indicated.

Name	County	Acres	Km2	Start Date	Containment Date	Notes	Ref
Round	Inyo	7,000	28.3	February 6, 2015	February 12, 2015		[14]
Highway	Riverside	1,049	4.2	April 18, 2015	April 24, 2015		[15]
Lake	San Bernardino	31,359	126.9	June 17, 2015	August 1, 2015		[16]
Park Hill	San Luis Obispo	1,791	7.2	June 20, 2015	June 24, 2015		[17]
North	San Bernardino	4,250	17.2	July 17, 2015	July 21, 2015	7 houses and 44 vehicles destroyed	[18]
Wragg	Napa	8,051	32.6	July 22, 2015	August 6, 2015		[19]
Rocky	Lake, Colusa, Yolo	69,438	281.0	July 29, 2015	August 14, 2015	96 structures destroyed	[20]
Fork Complex	Shasta	36,503	147.7	July 30, 2015	November 3, 2015		[21][22]
River Complex	Trinity	77,081	311.9	July 30, 2015	October 29, 2015		[23]
Frog	Lassen	4,863	19.7	July 30, 2015	August 20, 2015	1 firefighter killed	[24]
Humboldt Lightning	Humboldt	4,883	19.8	July 30, 2015	August 19, 2015		[25]
Mad River Complex	Humboldt	73,137	296.0	July 30, 2015	September 13, 2015	includes Route Complex Fire	[26]
Rough	Fresno	151,623	613.6	July 31, 2015	November 5, 2015		[27]
Dodge	Lassen	10,570	42.8	August 3, 2015	August 17, 2015		[28]
Gasquet	Del Norte	30,361	122.9	August 3, 2015	October 15, 2015	Fires: Feeder (100%), Coon (100%), Bear (100%) and Peak (100% containment)	[29]
Jerusalem	Lake, Napa	25,118	101.6	August 9, 2015	August 25, 2015		[30]
Cabin	Glendora	1,723	7.0	August 14, 2015	November 20, 2015	5 structures destroyed	[31]
Cuesta	San Luis Obispo	2,446	9.9	August 16, 2015	August 28, 2015		[32]
Tesla	Alameda	2,700	10.9	August 19, 2015	August 22, 2015		[33]
Butte	Amador	70,868	286.8	September 9, 2015	October 1, 2015	2 civilians fatalities 475 residences & 343 outbuildings destroyed	[34]
Valley	Lake	76,067	307.8	September 12, 2015	October 15, 2015	4 civilian fatalities, 1,955 structures destroyed; 6th most destructive wildfire in modern California history (as of 2022)[35]	[36]
Tassajara	Monterey	1,086	4.4	September 19, 2015	September 27, 2015	1 civilian fatality	[37]
Solimar	Ventura	1,388	5.6	December 25, 2015	December 29, 2015	1 minor ankle injury[38]	[39]

Gallery of maps

• Maps of significant wildfires in 2015 in California
• 
  Rocky Fire
• 
  Rough Fire
• 
  Butte Fire

See also

• List of California wildfires
• 2015 Oregon wildfires
• 2015 Washington wildfires
• Climate change in California
• 2014–15 North American winter