At least 9,093 separate wildfires charred of land in the US state of California in 2007. Thirty of those wildfires were part of the Fall 2007 California firestorm, which burned approximately 972,147 acres (about 3,934 km2, or 1,520 mi2) of land from Santa Barbara County to the U.S.–Mexico border. At the peak of the wildfire activity in October 2007, the raging wildfires were visible from space.
The wildfires killed a total of 17 people, with nine of them dying directly from the fires; 203 others were injured, including at least 124 firefighters.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in seven California counties where fires were burning. President George W. Bush concurred, and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts. Over 6,000 firefighters worked to fight the blazes; they were aided by units of the United States Armed Forces, United States National Guard, almost 3,000 prisoners convicted of non-violent crimes, and 60 firefighters from the Mexican cities of Tijuana and Tecate.coyotehowls The fires forced approximately 1,000,000 people to evacuate from their homes, becoming the largest evacuation in California's history.
Major contributing factors to the extreme fire conditions were drought in Southern California, hot weather, and the unusually strong Santa Ana winds, with gusts reaching 112 mph (180 km/h). California's "fire season," which traditionally runs from June to October, has become a year-round threat, due to a mixture of perennial drought and the increasing number of homes built in canyons and on hillsides, surrounded by brush and forest.
The fires had numerous sources. Several were triggered by power lines damaged by the high winds. One fire started when a semi-truck overturned. Another was suspected as having been deliberately caused; the suspect was shot and killed in flight by state authorities. A 10-year-old boy admitted that he accidentally started the Buckweed Fire by playing with matches. The causes of the remaining fires remain under investigation. The last active fire of the October 2007 fires, the Harris Fire, was fully extinguished on November 16, 2007, about 27 days after the series of wildfires had begun to ignite. The October 2007 wildfires collectively caused over $2 billion in property damages.
During the season, the National Interagency Fire Center reported that two firefighters were killed. One died in a helicopter crash, and the second was killed in a bulldozer rollover.
Background
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.
List of wildfires Below is a list of all fires that exceeded during the 2007 fire season. The list is taken from CAL FIRE's list of large fires. Name County Acres Km Start date Contained Date Notes 241Orange March 11, 2007March 13, 2007 2 structures destroyed SierraRiverside March 11, 2007March 12, 2007 Las FloresSan Bernardino March 31, 2007 April 1, 2007 1 structure destroyed GoldenInyo April 14, 2007 April 15, 2007 JamesKern April 29, 2007 May 5, 2007 IslandLos Angeles May 10, 2007 May 15, 2007 6 structures destroyed GormanLos Angeles May 19, 2007 May 22, 2007 ShannonTulare June 3, 2007 June 4, 2007 GoldledgeTulare June 3, 2007 June 28, 2007 InkopahImperial June 5, 2007 June 6, 2007 AngoraEl Dorado June 24, 2007 July 2, 2007 309 structures destroyed; cost at least $152.7 million in property damage and fire suppression WhiteKern June 24, 2007 July 3, 2007 31 structures destroyed MissionMonterey June 28, 2007 June 28, 2007 ZacaSanta Barbara July 4, 2007 September 4, 2007 1 structure destroyed Antelope ComplexPlumas July 5, 2007 July 13, 2007 2 structures destroyed Inyo ComplexInyo July 6, 2007 July 16, 2007 33 structures destroyed Rock 2Tulare July 6, 2007 July 7, 2007 FletcherModoc July 10, 2007 July 19, 2007 11 structures destroyed Elk ComplexSiskiyou July 10, 2007 September 15, 2007 1 firefighter fatality China-Back ComplexSiskiyou July 13, 2007 July 21, 2007 BangorButte August 7, 2007 August 7, 2007 TarKings August 10, 2007 August 19, 2007 GrouseTulare August 27, 2007September 8, 2007 WallowTrinity August 29, 2007 September 3, 2007 NorthLos Angeles September 2, 2007 September 8, 2007 LickSanta Clara September 3, 2007 September 11, 2007 24 structures destroyed MoonlightPlumas September 3, 2007 September 15, 2007 21 structures destroyed PineSan Diego September 12, 2007 September 16, 2007 Butler 2San Bernardino September 14, 2007 October 1, 2007 3 structures destroyed RanchLos Angeles October 20, 2007 October 30, 2007 10 structures destroyed CanyonLos Angeles October 21, 2007 October 27, 2007 8 structures destroyed Sedgewick FireSanta Barbara October 21, 2007 October 30, 2007 HarrisSan Diego October 21, 2007 November 5, 2007 472 structures destroyed, 1 civilian fatality WitchSan Diego October 21, 2007 November 6, 2007 1,650 structures destroyed, 2 civilian fatalities McCoy FireThese wildfires merged into the Witch Fire.San Diego October 21, 2007 October 26, 2007 1 structure destroyed BuckweedLos Angeles October 21, 2007 November 1, 2007 63 structures destroyed SantiagoOrange October 21, 2007 November 9, 2007 24 structures destroyed Little Mountain FireSan Bernardino October 22, 2007 October 24, 2007 MagicLos Angeles October 22, 2007 October 27, 2007 SlideSan Bernardino October 22, 2007 October 31, 2007 272 structures destroyed RiceSan Diego October 22, 2007 November 1, 2007 248 structures destroyed Grass ValleySan Bernardino October 22, 2007 October 29, 2007 178 structures destroyed Meadowridge FireLos Angeles October 23, 2007 October 30, 2007 PoomachaSan Diego October 23, 2007 November 13, 2007 217 structures destroyed Ammo (Horno) FireSan Diego October 23, 2007 October 29, 2007 JackMariposa October 29, 2007 December 15, 2007 CorralLos Angeles November 24, 2007 November 27, 2007 86 structures destroyed
Notes
October 2007 wildfires
Wind and weather
The October 2007 fires occurred following an extremely dry previous winter: in Los Angeles, with only of rainfall between July 2006 and June 2007, it was the driest “rain year” on record by . The record drought was exacerbated by the seasonal Santa Ana winds, blowing at an abnormally high strength. This combination of wind, heat, and dryness turned the chaparral into fire fuel. Officials believed that some of the fires generated their own winds, similar to the Oakland firestorm of 1991. The effects of the smoke were felt as far away as Brentwood in the East Bay, near Stockton, where it impacted local weather. High-speed Santa Ana winds also rendered the use of dropping water from fire fighting aircraft inefficient: until such winds abate, most payloads of water are just dispersed by the wind over an area so large that the water evaporates before it can reach a large fire on the ground.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reported, At one point, swirling winds threatened to bring fire into densely populated urban areas. At the height of the Santa Ana winds on October 22, sustained wind speeds reached , with wind gusts up to reported.
Impact
On October 21, the Harris Fire damaged and disabled the Southwest Power Link, a 500,000-volt power line from Arizona to San Diego. Power outages were reported in Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, and other counties on October 22 to 333,500 Southern California Edison customers, most being restored within 24 hours. The power outage also affected the areas of Ojai, Oxnard, Simi Valley, Santa Clarita, Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills, Rialto, Fontana, San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, Mira Loma, Hesperia, Corona, Bloomington, Irvine, Calimesa and Rubidoux. This outage also caused 230 people to be without power in Malibu. The California Independent System Operator Corp declared an energy transmission emergency in southern California on October 23, due to wildfires affecting the lines. 500,000-, 230,000- and 138,000-volt lines were disabled in San Diego, and some lines in other areas were also disabled. 24,992 people lost power, due to the lack of power from the power grid. During the crisis, Mexico provided power to help augment the electrical needs of the San Diego area.
Authorities have stated that the evacuations, which displaced more than 900,000 people, have been the largest evacuation number in the history of California. By mid-morning on October 22, 2007, thousands of evacuees were taking shelter in Qualcomm Stadium and other locations throughout San Diego. On the afternoon of October 22, 2007, the Marines evacuated some planes from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar to other military bases in California and Arizona. The Navy moved all non-essential personnel from Naval Base San Diego barracks onto nearby vessels to accommodate refugees. The San Diego Wild Animal Park moved some animals to the on-site animal hospital for their protection.
The Horno Fire had charred in Camp Pendleton by 4:00 A.M PDT, on October 24, 2007. It caused the closure of Interstate 5 and it also caused Amtrak California to stop Pacific Surfliner service between Oceanside and San Clemente. Traffic was being diverted to Interstate 15, which had itself been closed earlier. Illegal migrant workers were endangered by the crisis, sometimes staying at work in the fields within mandatory evacuation zones. Many had lived in the canyons nearby and distrusted officials. When fleeing the fires, some were arrested, while others were turned away from shelters due to lack of adequate identification. Some Mexican firefighters expressed concern about their countrymen, while others felt the migrant workers were aware of the risks they were taking. coyotehowls
Only a few cases of looting were documented. Six people were arrested for stealing supplies from Qualcomm stadium, another was arrested for theft after being found in possession of stolen goods in the Jamul fire area, and two were arrested near the Tecate border crossing.
Air quality and effects on health The concentration of particulate matter 10 micrometers and smaller (designated PM10) reached unhealthy levels as a result of the fires. PM10 particles are small enough to enter deep into the lungs, and possibly the bloodstream. San Diego city attorney Michael Aguirre, citing concerns over weather conditions and air quality, urged the city to consider a voluntary evacuation of the entire city.
Response
Government agencies and volunteers worked together to mitigate the effects of the fires. According to the state of California's Consolidated Response web page, "There are 17 active fires in Southern California. The priority for fighting fires as of 19:30 on October 21 were the Buckweed, Witch, Harris, Canyon, Ranch, Santiago, and Sedgewick Fires." March Air Reserve Base is the primary staging area for relief supplies as coordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.