Soberanes Fire

2016 wildfire in Central California

Soberanes Fire

The Soberanes Fire burning along the coastal ridge on July 25, 2016

Date(s)|

* July 22, 2016 (2016-07-22) –
* October 12, 2016 (2016-10-12)

Location| Soberanes Creek, Garrapata State Park, Santa Lucia Preserve, Monterey County, California
Coordinates| 36°28′N 121°18′W﻿ / ﻿36.46°N 121.30°W﻿ / 36.46; -121.30
Statistics[1]
Burned area| 132,127 acres (53,470 ha)
Land use| Residential; open space
Impacts
Deaths| 1 bulldozer operator
Structures destroyed|

* 57 homes
* 11 outbuildings

Damage| $260 million (2016 USD)[2]
Ignition
Cause| Illegal campfire
Perpetrator(s)| Unknown
Map

Location in Northern California

The Soberanes Fire was a large wildfire that burned from July to October 2016 in the Santa Lucia Mountains of Monterey County, California. It destroyed 57 homes and killed a bulldozer operator, and cost about $260 million to suppress, making it at the time the most expensive wildfire to fight in United States history.[3][2] At the fire's peak, over 5,000 personnel were assigned to the blaze. The fire was the result of an illegal campfire in Garrapata State Park. By the time it was finally extinguished, the fire had burned 132,127 acres (53,470 ha) along the Big Sur coast in the Los Padres National Forest, Ventana Wilderness, and adjacent private and public land in Monterey County,[1][4][5] ranking it 18th on the list of the largest California wildfires in terms of acreage burned.[6]

## The fire

[edit]

The final perimeter of the Soberanes Fire, October 22, 2016 Soberanes Fire burnout operations on Chews Ridge, September 17, 2016

The fire was first reported by hikers in Garrapata State Park at 8:48 a.m. on Friday July 22, 2016,[1] and was later determined to have started from an unattended illegal campfire.[7] By Saturday morning, the fire had grown to 2,000 acres (810 ha) and forced the evacuation of about 300 homes in the community along Palo Colorado Canyon.[8]

By the morning of Sunday, July 24, the fire had grown to over 10,000 acres (4,000 ha), with 5% of the fire perimeter contained.[9] Officials said that Toro Park would be closed so that firefighters could use the area as a base camp. Evacuation warnings were also issued for all of Carmel Highlands.[9]

On Tuesday, July 26, acting California governor Tom Torlakson declared a state of emergency in Monterey County due to the fire.[10][11]

By Saturday, July 30, the fire had spread south and east into the Los Padres National Forest.[12]

Almost a month later, on August 26, the fire had grown to over 90,000 acres (36,000 ha) and was only 60% contained.[1] The majority of the fire by then was within the Los Padres National Forest and the Ventana Wilderness, and unified command of the fire suppression work was transferred from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to the United States Forest Service's Alaska Interagency Incident Management Team.[13][14]

By September 18, the fire had increased in size to 113,260 acres (45,830 ha). Containment was still only at 61%, and 1,921 firefighters were at work. Some evacuation orders on the northern perimeter had been lifted, and crews were working on burnout operations to establish a containment line on the northeast side of the fire, near Chews Ridge. Heavy smoke resulted from the burnouts.[1] As of 23 September 2016[update] the costs to fight the fire exceeded $200 million, making it the most expensive fire suppression effort in United States history at the time.[15]

By October 9, the fire had burned 132,127 acres (53,470 ha) and was 99% contained. Incident management personnel expected to attain full containment by October 15. Fire personnel had been reduced to 704 workers, with many engaged in fire suppression repair efforts. On October 28, three months after the wildfire had started, fire management personnel reported that the fire was 100% contained, and that remaining smoldering hotspots would be put out by rains expected shortly afterward. By that time, restoration crews had completed suppression repair work on 374 miles (602 km) of the fire line.[1]

## Damage, deaths and injuries

[edit]

The largest madrone in the United States was burned and possibly killed by the 2016 Soberanes Fire. Bulldozer operator Robert Reagan, 35, of Fresno County, died July 26, 2016, when his bulldozer overturned while he was building a fire line near Palo Colorado Canyon in Big Sur.

The fire destroyed 57 homes and 11 outbuildings in the Garrapata Canyon and Palo Colorado Canyon areas during the first three weeks.[1] Robert Baird, supervisor of the Los Padres National Forest, estimated that firefighters saved US$6.8 billion worth of real estate.[16]

The fire burned and possibly killed the largest Pacific madrone tree in the United States, within the Joshua Creek Canyon Ecological Reserve. The tree was 125 feet (38 m) tall and more than 25 feet (7.6 m) in circumference. The madrone was listed on the American Forests National Big Tree list in 2003, a register of the biggest trees by species in the United States.[17][18]

The California Department of Parks and Recreation announced on September 28, 2016, that Garrapata State Park east of Highway 1, where the fire started, would remain closed through the winter.[19]

### Legal actions

[edit]

On Tuesday, July 26, at 11:00 PM, Robert Oliver Reagan, an on-call bulldozer operator contracted by Czirban Concrete Construction to CalFire, was killed when his bulldozer rolled over, pinning him, while he was maneuvering around a fire truck on a steep slope in the Palo Colorado Canyon area.[20][21][22]

In March 2017, Reagan's widow filed a wrongful death suit against the state of California for her husband's death while fighting the fire.[23] They later dropped the suit due to a law that gives the state immunity from wrongful death lawsuits.[24]

In April 2017, Czirban Concrete Construction, the contractor by whom Reagan was employed, was fined $20,000 for failing to report the fatality, failing to require seat belts on the equipment, failing to warn employees of the applicable hazards, and other offenses.[25][26] Ian Czirban, the head of the company, was also charged by Monterey County prosecutors with six felonies for tax evasion and insurance fraud, and a misdemeanor charge for failing to maintain workers' compensation insurance.[26] Czirban disputed the fines and charges, saying that he was not Reagan's employer and did not own the equipment at issue.[26] He entered a plea of "not guilty" on May 11, 2017.[27][28] In October 2019, Czirban was found guilty of two counts of willfully failing to file a payroll tax return, one count of not having a workers' compensation insurance policy, and one count of filing a false document.[29] He was convicted and sentenced to 300 days of home confinement and three years of felony probation for violating state labor laws.[30]

Another company, Industrial Defense Development, was fined $6,000 for injuries that another firefighter sustained when the water truck he was driving rolled over an embankment.[25]

## Cause

[edit]

On August 2, 2016, officials announced that their investigation found that the fire had been caused by an unattended illegal campfire.[7] While no suspect was identified, Monterey County District Attorney Dean Flippo said that, if an arrest were made, the culprit could be charged with negligence and manslaughter.[7]

## See also

[edit]

* 2016 California wildfires
* Wildfire suppression
* Aerial firefighting

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g "Soberanes Fire". InciWeb. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
2. ^ a b Gilpin, Lyndsey (October 5, 2016). "The Most Expensive Wildfires in US History". High Country News. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
3. ^ Geiling, Natasha (September 23, 2016). "California fire becomes the most expensive in history". ThinkProgress. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
4. ^ "Soberanes Fire map". InciWeb Incident Information System. National Wildfire Coordinating Group. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
5. ^ Wright, Tommy (September 1, 2016). "Soberanes Fire could be beneficial for condors". Monterey Herald. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
6. ^ "SOBERANES FIRE". Big Sur Fire Brigade. October 12, 2016. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
7. ^ a b c Larson, Amy (August 2, 2016). "Soberanes Fire caused by illegal unattended campfire, Cal Fire says". Retrieved August 2, 2016.
8. ^ Seaver, Lauren (July 23, 2016). "2,000-acre Soberanes Fire in Garrapata State Park forces evacuations". KSBW. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
9. ^ a b Seaver, Lauren. "Soberanes Fire grows to 10,262 acres; containment up to 5 percent". KSBW. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
10. ^ "Acting Governor Torlakson Declares State of Emergency in Los Angeles and Monterey Counties". Office of the Governor. July 26, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
11. ^ Myers, John (July 25, 2016). "Who's governor of California? This week, it's not Jerry Brown". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
12. ^ Leyde, Tom (July 30, 2016). "Soberanes Fire spreads further into Los Padres Forest". Monterey Herald. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
13. ^ "Soberanes Fire". California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. August 26, 2016. Retrieved August 30, 2016. "As of August 26, CAL FIRE is no longer in unified command of the fire as the majority of the activity is now burning on National Forest Land."
14. ^ "Soberanes Fire update for Aug. 30, 2016". InciWeb Incident Information System. National Wildfire Coordinating Group. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
15. ^ Thomas, Madeleine (September 22, 2016). "California's Soberanes Fire Is the Most Expensive in America — Ever". Pacific Standard. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
16. ^ Alexander, Kurtis (October 2, 2016). "Soberanes Fire nears record firefighting cost in U.S." San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
17. ^ Alexander, Kurtis (October 6, 2016). "Giant Pacific madrone is a likely victim of Soberanes Fire". seattlepi.com. Seattle Post Intelligencer. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
18. ^ "Remembering Fallen Champion Trees".
19. ^ California State Parks (September 28, 2016). "Areas of Garrapata State Park to Remain Closed". www.parks.ca.gov. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
20. ^ "Soberanes Fire Latest: Fatality Reported, 20 Homes Destroyed". Patch Media. July 27, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
21. ^ "Bulldozer operator killed fighting Soberanes Fire identified". KSBW. July 29, 2016. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
22. ^ Dozer Rollover Fatality
23. ^ Goldberg, Ted (March 22, 2017). "Family of Bulldozer Operator Killed in Soberanes Fire Suing California". KQED News. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
24. ^ "A 1960s Law Blocks Firefighting Contractors From Suing State". KQED. November 8, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
25. ^ a b Bodley, Michael (March 14, 2017). "State fines 2 companies thousands for Soberanes Fire accidents". San Francisco Chronicle. SFGate. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
26. ^ a b c Lyons, Jenna (April 18, 2017). "Contractor fined in Soberanes Fire death facing 6 new felony charges". SFGate. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
27. ^ Goldberg, Ted (May 12, 2017). "Employer of Contractor Killed in Soberanes Fire Pleads Not Guilty". KQED News. KQED. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
28. ^ "Case SS170589A People of the State of California vs. Czirban, Ian Nathaniel". portal.monterey.courts.ca.gov. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
29. ^ Goldberg, Ted (October 16, 2019). "A Contractor Died Fighting a 2016 Wildfire – His Employer Was Just Convicted of Violating Labor Laws". KQED. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
30. ^ "Man Who Hired Dozer Driver Killed in Big Sur Fire Sentenced for Breaking Labor Laws". December 13, 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2020.

* v
* t
* e

Big Sur

Populated places|

* Big Sur Village
* Slates Hot Springs
* Posts
* Gorda
* Lucia
* Jamesburg
* Palo Colorado Canyon
* Plaskett
* Tassajara Hot Springs

Land use|

| Federal|

* Los Padres National Forest
* Ventana Wilderness
* Silver Peak Wilderness
* Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
* Pfeiffer Beach

|

State|

* John Little State Natural Reserve
* Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
* Joshua Creek Canyon Ecological Reserve
* Point Sur State Historic Park
* Point Sur Lighthouse
* Point Lobos
* Ishxenta State Park
* Garrapata State Park
* Limekiln State Park
* Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
* Andrew Molera State Park
* Southern Redwood Botanical Area
* Point Sur State Marine Reserve and Marine Conservation Area
* Big Creek State Marine Reserve and Marine Conservation Area

Local / county|

* Palo Corona Regional Park
* Mill Creek Redwood Preserve

University|

* Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve

Private|

* Glen Deven Ranch
* El Sur Ranch
* Mitteldorf Preserve
* Palo Corona Ranch
* Santa Lucia Preserve

Management|

* Big Sur land use
* California Coastal Commission
* Big Sur Land Trust
* Big Sur Multi-Agency Advisory Council
* Big Sur Local Coastal Program Defense Committee
* South Coast Land Use Advisory Committee

Geographical features|

* Santa Lucia Range
* Malpaso Creek
* McWay Falls
* McWay Creek
* Little Sur River
* Big Sur River
* Ragged Point
* Anderson Canyon
* Palo Colorado Canyon
* Pfeiffer-Redwood Creek
* Jade Cove
* Sand Dollar Beach
* Cone Peak
* Pico Blanco
* Ventana Double Cone
* Junipero Serra Peak
* Chews Ridge
* Notley's Landing
* Big Creek Bridge
* Bixby Creek Bridge
* Pfeiffer Beach
* San Carpóforo Canyon

Attractions|

* Camp Pico Blanco
* Sykes Camp
* Bottchers Gap
* Deetjen's Big Sur Inn
* Point Sur Lighthouse
* Naval Facility Point Sur
* Nepenthe
* Esalen Institute
* Henry Miller Memorial Library
* Big Sur Condor Discovery Center

Events|

* Big Sur Folk Festival
* Big Sur International Marathon
* Big Sur Jade Festival

Community|

* Ventana Wildlife Society
* Ventana Wilderness Alliance
* Community Association of Big Sur
* Pacific Valley School

Trails and roads|

* Pine Ridge Trail
* Coast Ridge Road
* Old Coast Road
* Nacimiento-Fergusson Road
* Big Sur Coast Highway
* Palo Colorado Road

Notable individuals|

* José Abrego
* Ansel Adams
* Juan Bautista Alvarado
* Morley Baer
* Richard Brautigan
* John B. R. Cooper
* Kaffe Fassett
* William Randolph Hearst
* Robinson Jeffers
* Jack Kerouac
* Carolyn Mary Kleefeld
* Michael Murphy
* Henry Miller
* Emile Norman
* Nathaniel Owings
* Dick Price
* Elmer S. Rigdon
* Hunter S. Thompson
* Jean Varda
* Vilmos Zsigmond

History|

* Esselen people
* Salinan people
* Ohlone people
* Rancho El Sur
* Rancho San Francisquito
* Rancho San Jose y Sur Chiquito
* Rancho Tularcitos
* Rancho Milpitas
* Rancho San Jose y Sur Chiquito
* Manchester
* Los Burros Mining District
* USS Macon
* USS Ventura
* Marble Cone Fire
* Basin Complex Fire
* Soberanes Fire
* Dolan Fire

Flora and fauna|

* ' lousewort
* Santa Lucia fir
* Yadon's rein orchid
* California coastal redwood
* Tanbark oak
* Coast live oak
* California bay laurel
* North American cougar
* Rainbow trout
* California condor

The exact boundaries of Big Sur are loosely defined.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Soberanes Fire.

* "Soberanes Fire Updates". Cal Fire Incident Information. CalFire. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
* "Soberanes Fire". InciWeb Incident Information System. National Wildfire Coordinating Group. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
* "Soberanes Fire, California". Earth Observatory. NASA. July 25, 2016. Retrieved August 2, 2016. Satellite photos of the Soberanes Fire.
* "Time Lapse Maps: How the Soberanes Fire spread". KSBW. August 1, 2016. Retrieved August 2, 2016.

* 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

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Largest California wildfires

1. August Complex (2020) (1,032,648 acres, 4,178.98 km2)
2. Dixie (2021) (963,309 acres, 3,898.37 km2)
3. Mendocino Complex (2018) (459,123 acres, 1,858.00 km2)
4. Park (2024) (428,808 acres, 1,735.32 km2)
5. SCU Lightning Complex (2020) (396,624 acres, 1,605.08 km2)
6. Creek (2020) (379,895 acres, 1,537.38 km2)
7. LNU Lightning Complex (2020) (363,220 acres, 1,469.9 km2)
8. North Complex (2020) (318,935 acres, 1,290.68 km2)
9. Santiago Canyon (1889) (~300,000 acres, 1,200 km2)
10. Thomas (2017) (281,893 acres, 1,140.78 km2)
11. Cedar (2003) (273,246 acres, 1,105.79 km2)
12. Rush (2012) (271,911 acres, 1,100.38 km2 in California)
13. Rim (2013) (257,314 acres, 1,041.31 km2)
14. Zaca (2007) (240,207 acres, 972.08 km2)
15. Carr (2018) (229,651 acres, 929.36 km2)
16. Monument (2021) (223,124 acres, 902.95 km2)
17. Caldor (2021) (221,835 acres, 897.73 km2)
18. Matilija (1932) (220,000 acres, 890 km2)
19. River Complex (2021) (199,359 acres, 806.78 km2)
20. Witch (2007) (197,990 acres, 801.2 km2)

Note: The Santiago Canyon Fire dates before 1932, when reliable fire records began.
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template