The 2026 California wildfires are a series of active wildfires currently ongoing in California.
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 autumn. 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.
In 2026, the state and surrounding areas were experiencing extreme heat and its mountains had minimal snow pack during the winter into spring, raising concerns for an active fire season, as the snowpack was only 18% of average.
List of wildfires
The following is a list of fires that burned more than , produced significant structural damage, or resulted in casualties. NameCounty AcresStart dateContainment dateNotesImageRef.ParamountKern, KingsSpringsRiversideCaused evacuations for the city of Moreno Valley.TumeyFresnoTowerKernGrew to 2,000 acres in less than 2 hours. Prompted evacuations east of Bakersfield.CanyonKernCause under investigation. Burned in the El Paso Mountains Wilderness.NeuraliaKernBurned near California City. Camp Roberts Bob Monterey, San Luis Obispo May 14 — Burned in Camp Roberts Impact Range. "Camp Roberts Bob Fire". fires.cornea.is. Retrieved May 17, 2026.RowleeKernMay 15 Prompted evacuations.Santa Rosa IslandSanta BarbaraJune 4Burned on eastern Santa Rosa Island in Channel Islands National Park. Human-caused.RiverKernBurned in Kern River Canyon and caused the closure of State Route 178.SandyVenturaMay 27Burned in the Simi Valley and prompted mandatory evacuation orders for more than 23,000 people. Destroyed one structure.BainRiversideMay 19May 29Prompted evacuations in Riverside and Jurupa Valley. Destroyed one structure and injured five people.Border 6San Diego June 1June 6The Border 6 Fire burned 1,516 acres in California and 1,009 acres in Mexico.MacyLos Angeles, KernJune 5June 7Burned near Lancaster.WaltzMariposaJune 5June 9Burned near Cathey's Valley.WylyKernJune 13June 16Burned along State Route 58 near Bealville.ShoreRiversideJune 15Burned in the San Timoteo Badlands, prompted evacuations for areas near Redlands.MateoSan DiegoJune 20Burned in Camp Pendleton North.LostKernBurned northwest of McKittrick and prompted evacuations.PipelineSan DiegoBurned in Camp Pendleton.3-1 PitLassenBurned southeast of McArthur, prompted evacuation warnings.VanMariposaBurned south of Catheys Valley.SummitLos AngelesPrompted evacuations southeast of Llano. Pistachio Kern July 11 July 11 "Pistachio Fire | CAL FIRE". www.fire.ca.gov. Retrieved July 11, 2026.ElephantLassen, Plumas, SierraPrompted evacuation warnings northeast of Loyalton. Impacted air quality in the Reno–Sparks metropolitan area.ThornSan DiegoBiscarLassen, Washoe (NV)Burned 15 miles north of Honey Lake and prompted evacuations.RockInyoLittleAlamedaPrompted evacuations in the Pleasanton Ruby Hill neighborhood.FieldsMercedCinder ComplexInyoFishKernBurned northeast of Arvin.GannCalaverasEquipment caused. Burned southwest of San Andreas and prompted evacuations. Destroyed 48 structures and damaged 3. Caused one civilian fatality.MP18HumboldtBurning north of Hoopa.RidgeLos AngelesPrompted evacuations near Gorman.BugLassen, Sierra, Washoe (NV)Burned north of Cold Springs and the Reno Stead Airport, prompted evacuations. Burned 12,817 acres in California and 80,916 in Nevada.AntelopeKern, San Luis ObispoBurned near the junction of State Routes 46 and 41.TimberMontereyBurning southeast of Big Sur Village and prompting evacuations.PlainsSan Luis ObispoBurned north of Highway 58.AlpaughTulareBurned in Alpaugh.PlaskettMontereyBurning east of State Route 1 near Plaskett.LucasLake, MendocinoDomeMariposaBurning north of Wawona in Yosemite National Park.Bouquet FireLos AngelesBurning in the Los Angeles National Forest References