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 →

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.

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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[a] | Notes  | Ref

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Round | Inyo | 7,000  | 28.3 | February 6, 2015 | February 12, 2015 |  | [15]
Highway | Riverside | 1,049  | 4.2 | April 18, 2015 | April 24, 2015 |  | [16]
Lake | San Bernardino | 31,359  | 126.9 | June 17, 2015 | August 1, 2015 |  | [17]
Park Hill | San Luis Obispo | 1,791  | 7.2 | June 20, 2015 | June 24, 2015 |  | [18]
North | San Bernardino | 4,250  | 17.2 | July 17, 2015 | July 21, 2015 | 7 houses and 44 vehicles destroyed | [19]
Wragg | Napa | 8,051  | 32.6 | July 22, 2015 | August 6, 2015 |  | [20]
Rocky | Lake, Colusa, Yolo | 69,438  | 281.0  | July 29, 2015 | August 14, 2015 | 96 structures destroyed | [21]
Fork Complex | Shasta | 36,503  | 147.7 | July 30, 2015 | November 3, 2015 |  | [22][23]
River Complex | Trinity | 77,081  | 311.9 | July 30, 2015 | October 29, 2015 |  | [24]
Frog | Lassen | 4,863  | 19.7 | July 30, 2015 | August 20, 2015 | 1 firefighter killed | [25]
Humboldt Lightning | Humboldt | 4,883  | 19.8 | July 30, 2015 | August 19, 2015 |  | [26]
Mad River Complex | Humboldt | 73,137  | 296.0 | July 30, 2015 | September 13, 2015 | includes Route Complex Fire | [27]
Rough | Fresno | 151,623  | 613.6 | July 31, 2015 | November 5, 2015 |  | [28]
Dodge | Lassen | 10,570  | 42.8 | August 3, 2015 | August 17, 2015 |  | [29]
Gasquet | Del Norte | 30,361  | 122.9 | August 3, 2015 | October 15, 2015 | Fires: Feeder (100%), Coon (100%),
Bear (100%) and Peak (100% containment) | [30]
Jerusalem | Lake, Napa | 25,118  | 101.6  | August 9, 2015 | August 25, 2015 |  | [31]
Cabin | Glendora | 1,723  | 7.0 | August 14, 2015 | November 20, 2015 | 5 structures destroyed | [32]
Cuesta | San Luis Obispo | 2,446  | 9.9 | August 16, 2015 | August 28, 2015 |  | [33]
Tesla | Alameda | 2,700  | 10.9 | August 19, 2015 | August 22, 2015 |  | [34]
Butte | Amador | 70,868  | 286.8 | September 9, 2015 | October 1, 2015 | 2 civilians fatalities
475 residences & 343 outbuildings destroyed | [35]
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)[36] | [37]
Tassajara | Monterey | 1,086  | 4.4 | September 19, 2015 | September 27, 2015 | 1 civilian fatality | [38]
Solimar | Ventura | 1,388  | 5.6 | December 25, 2015 | December 29, 2015 | 1 minor ankle injury[39] | [40]

## Gallery of maps

[edit]

* Maps of significant wildfires in 2015 in California
* Rocky Fire

* Rough Fire

* Butte Fire

## See also

[edit]

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

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Containment means that fire crews have established and secured control lines around the fire's perimeter. These lines are artificial barriers, like trenches or cleared vegetation, designed to stop the fire's spread, or natural barriers like rivers. Containment reflects progress in managing the fire but does not necessarily mean the fire is starved of fuel, under control, or put out.[14]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2015" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 28, 2018. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
2. ^ Geiling, Natasha (September 23, 2016). "California fire becomes the most expensive in history". ThinkProgress. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
3. ^ Ken Pimlott (2016). "2015 Wildfire Activity Statistics" (PDF). CAL FIRE. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 20, 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
4. ^ Helsel, Phil (September 11, 2015). "California Town of 2,700 Warned Ahead of Explosive Wildfire". NBC News. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
5. ^ Serna, Joseph; Rocha, Veronica (September 11, 2015). "Brown declares state of emergency in 65,000-acre Gold Country fire". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
6. ^ "Weather: Fire Season Climatology (Northern California)". National Wildfire Coordinating Group. April 25, 2024. Archived from the original on May 13, 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
7. ^ Toohey, Grace (June 22, 2024). "California wildfires have already burned 90,000 acres, and summer is just beginning". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 25, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
8. ^ Pydynowski, Kristina (August 10, 2015). "Heart of Already Busy California Wildfire Season is Yet to Come". AccuWeather. Archived from the original on August 13, 2015. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
9. ^ "Year to date totals". National Interagency Fire Center. Archived from the original on September 3, 2015. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
10. ^ Locke, Cathy (August 4, 2015). "Firefighter at Frog fire died of carbon monoxide poisoning, smoke inhalation, autopsy shows". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
11. ^ Rocha, Veronica (August 9, 2015). "Firefighter, 21, Is 2nd Killed Battling Northern California Wildfires". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
12. ^ Kurtis Alexander; Kale Williams; Evan Sernoffsky (September 14, 2015). "Worry to horror: A caretaker's desperate attempt to get help for fire victim". SF Gate. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
13. ^ "Large Fires 2015" (PDF). CAL FIRE. 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 11, 2017. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
14. ^ "What containment and other wildfire related terms mean". Los Angeles: KCAL-TV. September 12, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
15. ^ "Round Fire". CAL FIRE. Archived from the original on August 11, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
16. ^ "Highway Fire". CAL FIRE. Archived from the original on July 23, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
17. ^ "Lake Fire". InciWeb. Archived from the original on August 9, 2015. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
18. ^ "Park Hill Fire". CAL FIRE. Archived from the original on June 24, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
19. ^ "North Fire". CAL FIRE. Archived from the original on July 21, 2015. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
20. ^ "Wragg Fire". CAL FIRE. Archived from the original on July 25, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
21. ^ "Rocky Fire". CAL FIRE. Archived from the original on August 17, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
22. ^ "Fork Complex Fire". InciWeb. Archived from the original on December 4, 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
23. ^ Fire areas reopened on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest
24. ^ "River Complex Fire". InciWeb. Archived from the original on October 26, 2015. Retrieved November 14, 2015.
25. ^ "Frog Fire". InciWeb. Archived from the original on August 31, 2015. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
26. ^ "Humboldt Lightning Fires". CAL FIRE. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
27. ^ "Mad River Complex Fire". InciWeb. Archived from the original on August 28, 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
28. ^ "Rough Fire". InciWeb. Archived from the original on September 16, 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
29. ^ "Dodge Fire". InciWeb. Archived from the original on August 16, 2015. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
30. ^ "Gasquet Fire". InciWeb. Archived from the original on December 5, 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
31. ^ "Jerusalem Fire". CAL FIRE. Archived from the original on August 17, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
32. ^ "Cabin Fire". InciWeb. Archived from the original on November 10, 2015. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
33. ^ "Cuesta Fire". CAL FIRE. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
34. ^ "Tesla Fire". CALFIRE. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
35. ^ "Butte Fire". CAL FIRE. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
36. ^ "Top 20 Most Destructive California Wildfires" (PDF). Cal Fire. January 13, 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 20, 2022. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
37. ^ "Valley Fire". CAL FIRE. October 15, 2015. Archived from the original on October 22, 2015. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
38. ^ "Tassajara Fire". CAL FIRE. Archived from the original on September 21, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
39. ^ @VCFD_PIO (December 26, 2015). "#SolimarFire Update 1250 Acres, Forward progress slowed significantly, 4 fixed wing tankers released, 1 minor injury (ankle), @VCFD" (Tweet) - via Twitter.
40. ^ "Solimar Fire". CAL FIRE. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved December 26, 2015.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2015 wildfires in California.

* 2015 California Fire Map  (a Google map created by CAL FIRE)
* California current incident information from CAL FIRE  Archived February 20, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
* California wildfires on the US Forestry Incident Information System  (InciWeb)

* v
* t
* e

California wildfires

Pre-2007|

* Santiago Canyon (1889)
* Berkeley (1923)
* Matilija (1932)
* Griffith Park (1933)
* Rattlesnake (1953)
* Harlow (1961)
* Bel Air (1961)
* Loop (1966)
* Laguna (1970)
* Clampitt (1970)
* Marble Cone (1977)
* Agoura-Malibu (1978)
* Panorama (1980)
* 49er (1988)
* Painted Cave (1990)
* Tunnel (1991)
* Fountain (1992)
* Cleveland (1992)
* Kinneloa (1993)
* Laguna (1993)
* Mount Vision (1995)
* Pendola (1999)
* Jones (1999)
* Storrie (2000)
* Poe (2001)
* Wolf (2002)
* Copper (2002)
* Biscuit (2002)
* McNally (2002)
* Curve (2002)
* Williams (2002)
* Old (2003)
* Simi (2003)
* Cedar (2003)
* Power (2004)
* Rumsey (2004)
* Topanga (2005)
* Sawtooth Complex (2006)
* Day (2006)
* Esperanza (2006)

2007|

* Island
* Angora
* Zaca
* Moonlight
* October 2007 wildfires
* Buckweed
* Harris
* Witch
* Santiago
* Rice
* Corral

2008|

* Summit
* Indians
* Basin Complex
* Klamath Theater Complex
* Gap
* Telegraph
* Sesnon
* Tea
* Sayre
* Freeway Complex

2009|

* Jesusita
* La Brea
* Lockheed
* Station
* Guiberson

2010|

* Bull
* West
* Crown

2011|

* Lion
* Comanche Complex

2012|

* Reading
* Chips
* Barry Point
* Rush
* Ponderosa

2013|

* Summit
* Springs
* Powerhouse
* Mountain
* Silver
* Rim
* Clover

2014|

* Colby
* Etiwanda
* May 2014 San Diego County wildfires
* Tomahawk
* Poinsettia
* Cocos
* Shirley
* Butts
* Bully
* Happy Camp Complex
* Meadow
* King
* Boles

2015|

* Round
* Lake
* North
* Wragg
* Rocky
* Mad River Complex
* Humboldt Complex
* Frog
* Rough
* Jerusalem
* Cuesta
* Butte
* Valley
* Tassajara

2016|

* Sherpa
* Border
* San Gabriel Complex
* Erskine
* Trailhead
* Sand
* Soberanes
* Cold
* Pilot
* Chimney
* Clayton
* Blue Cut
* Rey
* Bogart
* Canyon
* Loma

2017|

* Gate
* Holcomb
* Schaeffer
* Salmon August Complex
* Manzanita
* Winters
* Alamo
* Wall
* Whittier
* Garza
* Detwiler
* Empire
* Parker 2
* Young
* Pier
* Railroad
* Ponderosa
* Mud
* Slinkard
* Helena
* La Tuna
* Palmer
* Mission
* October 2017 Northern California wildfires
* Atlas
* Tubbs
* Canyon 2
* December 2017 Southern California wildfires
* Thomas
* Creek
* Rye
* Skirball
* Lilac

2018|

* Lions
* Lane
* Pawnee
* Waverly
* County
* Klamathon
* Valley
* Georges
* Ferguson
* Natchez
* Carr
* Cranston
* Mendocino Complex
* Whaleback
* Donnell
* Holy
* Hirz
* Delta
* Camp
* Woolsey

2019|

* Sand
* West Butte
* Tucker
* Mountain
* Tenaja
* Walker
* Taboose
* Lime
* Red Bank
* South
* Lone
* Sandalwood
* Saddleridge
* Nustar
* Kincade
* Tick
* Getty
* Easy
* Maria

2020|

* Quail
* Grant
* Crews
* Soledad
* Mineral
* 2020 Lassen County wildfires
* Gold
* Loyalton
* Red Salmon Complex
* Apple
* August 2020 lightning wildfires
* Lake
* Dome
* River
* CZU Lightning Complex
* SCU Lightning Complex
* August Complex
* LNU Lightning Complex
* North Complex
* SQF Complex
* Dolan
* Creek
* El Dorado
* Bobcat
* Slater/Devil
* Oak
* Glass
* Zogg
* Silverado
* Mountain View
* Bond

2021|

* Palisades
* Willow
* Lava
* Tennant
* Salt
* Beckwourth Complex
* Tamarack
* Dixie
* McFarland
* Monument
* River Complex
* McCash
* Antelope
* River
* Caldor
* French
* KNP Complex
* Windy
* Fawn

2022|

* Colorado
* Electra
* Washburn
* Oak
* McKinney
* Red
* Route
* Border 32
* Mill
* Fairview
* Mosquito
* SRF Lightning Complex

2023|

* Rabbit
* Deep
* Pika
* York

2024|

* Corral
* Lake
* Post
* Point
* Thompson
* Borel
* Basin
* Park
* Nixon
* Pedro
* Boise
* Coffee Pot
* Line
* Bridge
* Airport
* Horseshoe
* Mountain
* Franklin

2025|

* January 2025 Southern California wildfires
* Palisades
* Eaton
* Wolf
* Madre
* Orleans Complex
* Gifford
* Canyon

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Wildfires in 2015

Africa|

* 2015 Western Cape fire season

America|

* 2015 California wildfires
* 2015 Washington wildfires
* 2015 Canadian wildfires
* 2015 Oregon wildfires
* Round
* Lake
* North
* Wragg
* Frog
* Rough
* Jerusalem
* Cuesta
* Butte
* Valley
* Tassajara

Asia|

* 2015 Southeast Asian haze

Europe|

* 2015 Russian wildfires

Oceania|

* 2015 Pinery bushfire
* 2015–16 Australian bushfire season
* 2015 Western Cape fire season
* 2015 Sampson Flat bushfires

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