FAST-MOVING FIRES THREATEN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COMMUNITIES

Source: Cal Fire

Photo: Zogg Fire, Shasta County Sheriff

September 28, 2020 (San Diego) -- Critical fire weather continues to fan multiple fast-moving major wildfires, as Red Flag Warnings remain in place over much of Northern California. Today, there are 27 major wildfires with over 18,000 firefighters on the front lines. During the windy conditions experienced yesterday, the Glass Fire in Napa County erupted, as well as the Zogg Fire in Shasta County, both growing rapidly and forcing evacuations.

Since the beginning of the year, there have been over 8,100 wildfires that have burned well over 3.7 million acres in California. Since August 15, when California’s fire activity elevated, there have been 26 fatalities and over 7,000 structures destroyed.

A Red Flag Warning remains in effect through today throughout much of Northern California, due to gusty winds. A Red Flag Warning as well as the mountains of Southern California through the Santa Clarita Valley and down through parts of San Diego County, bringing gusty winds and low humidity, creating critical fire weather conditions. Warm and dry conditions persist across the state for the rest of the week.

Are you prepared if a wildfire should strike nearby? With Red Flag conditions in many parts of the state over the next few days, fires in these areas can spread rapidly. Making quick and safe evacuation is critical to protecting your life and your family. To learn ways to be prepared, visit www.ReadyForWildfire.org.

Fires of Interest:

 

**CAL FIRE Incidents**

Zogg Fire, Shasta County (more info...) NEW

Southwest Of Redding

*15,000 acres, 0% contained

*Evacuation orders in place

*CAL FIRE Team 2 in command 



Glass Fire, Napa County, (more info…)  NEW

4 miles east of Calistoga

*11,000 acres, 0% contained 

*Evacuation orders in effect and additional evacuations in progress 

*CAL FIRE Team 3 in command today



LNU Lightning Complex, multiple North Bay counties (more info…)

Napa, Lake, Sonoma, Colusa, Solano, and Yolo Counties

*363,220 acres, 98% contained

*While no growth is expected, fire suppression repair work is ongoing.

 

SCU Lightning Complex, multiple Easy Bay counties (more info…)

Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara San Joaquin, Merced, and Stanislaus Counties

*396,624 acres, 98% contained

*While no growth is expected, fire suppression repair work is ongoing.

 

Butte/Tehama/Glenn (BTU/TGU) Lightning Complex, multiple Counties (more info…)

Butte, Tehama and Glenn Counties

*19,609 acres, 97% contained

*14 structures destroyed

*While no growth is expected, fire suppression repair work is ongoing. 

 

**Unified Command Incidents**

North Complex, Plumas County (more info…)

Northeast of Oroville to southwest of Quincy (Plumas National Forest)

*306,135 acres, 78% contained

*15 fatalities

*2,342 structures destroyed

*Evacuations in place

*Includes the Bear and Claremont Fire

*CAL FIRE Team 4 is in unified command with US Forest Service IMT Team 4, Butte County Sheriff’s Office and California State Parks



Creek Fire, Fresno County (more info…)

Northeast of Shaver Lake (Sierra National Forest)

*304,640 acres, 39% contained

*Evacuations in place

*Heavy tree mortality in the area

*855 structures destroyed

*CAL FIRE Incident Management Team 1 in unified command with USFS Great Basin Team 1



SQF Complex, Tulare County (more info…)

3 miles east of Giant Sequoia National Monument

*150,286 acres, 50% contained

*Evacuations in place

*232 structures destroyed

*CAL FIRE Incident Management Team 6 in unified command with USFS Team 2



**Coordinated Command Incidents**

August Complex, multiple Counties (more info…)

Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino, Tehama and Trinity Counties

Elk Creek and Stonyford area (Mendocino National Forest)

*878,470 acres, 45% contained

*South Zone 488,897 acres, 70% contained

*North Zone 280,577 acres, 36% contained

*West Zone 108,996 acres, 65% contained

*1 fatality

*86 structures destroyed

*Includes multiple fires including the Elkhorn, Hopkins, Willow, Vinegar, and Doe fires

*A California Interagency Incident Management Team and Great Basin Team in command

*CAL FIRE Incident Management Team 3 & 5 are deployed on the West Zone of the complex



**Federal Incidents**

Snow Fire, Riverside County (more info…)

Snow Creek Rd, west of Palm Springs

*6,254 acres, 95% contained



El Dorado Fire, San Bernardino County (more info…)

West of Oak Glen (San Bernardino National Forest)

*22,680 acres, 92% contained

*1 fatality

*10 structures destroyed

*California Interagency Incident Management Team 13 in command

 

Fox Fire, Siskiyou County (more info…) 

7 miles southwest of Callahan

*2,188 acres, 89% contained

*Evacuations in place

  

Slater Fire, Siskiyou County (more info…)

5 miles North of Happy Camp (Klamath National Forest)

*154,102 acres, 38% contained

*2 fatalities

*Evacuation orders in place

 

Devil Fire, Siskiyou County (more info…)

5 miles north of Upper Devil’s Peak (Klamath National Forest)

*8,406 acres, 18% contained



Bobcat Fire, Los Angeles County (more info…)

North of Duarte (Angeles National Forest)

*114,200 acres, 62% containment

*Evacuations in place

*Unified command with the US Forest Service, Los Angeles County Fire Department and Monrovia Fire Department

 

Dolan Fire, Monterey County (more info…)

Hwy 1, 10 miles south of Big Sur (Los Padres National Forest)

*128,417 acres, 62% contained

*Structures threatened

*California Interagency Incident Command Team 15 in command



Bullfrog Fire, Fresno County (more info…)

SE of Bullfrog Lake (Sierra National Forest)

*1,185 acres, 46% contained



Fork Fire, El Dorado County, (more info…)

15 miles northeast of Pollock Pines (El Dorado National Forest)

*1,667 acres, 70% contained

 

Lake Fire, Los Angeles County (more info…)

Southwest of Lake Hughes

Angeles National Forest / Los Angeles County Fire Department

* 31,089 acres, 97% contained



Apple Fire, Riverside County (more info…)

Oak Glen/Cherry Valley (San Bernardino National Forest)

*33,424 acres, 95% contained



Red Salmon Complex – Humboldt County (more info…)

14 miles northeast of Willow Creek (Shasta-Trinity National Forest)

*111,012 acres, 31% contained        



Blue Jay Fire, Mariposa County (more info…)

Yosemite National Park Wilderness

*4,488 acres, 50% contained



Wolf Fire, Tuolumne County (more info…)

Yosemite National Park Wilderness

*1,087 acres, 35% contained



Woodward Fire, Marin County (more info…)

3 miles southwest of Olema (Point Reyes National Seashore)

*4,929 acres, 97% contained

 

Slink Fire, Mono County (more info…)

2 miles west of Coleville (Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest)

*26,759 acres, 86% contained



Moraine, Tulare County (more info…)

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness

*668 acres, 70% contained

 

Rattlesnake, Tulare County (more info…)

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness 

*4,070 acres, 0% contained



Top 20 Wildfire Records

• 5 of the Top 20 largest wildfires in California History have occurred in 2020.
• Largest Wildfires - #1 August Complex, #3 SCU Lightning Complex, #4 LNU Lightning Complex, #5 North Complex, and #6 Creek Fire.
• Most Destructive - #5 North Complex, #10 LNU Lightning Complex, #11 CZU Lightning Complex, and #17 Creek Fire.
• Deadliest Wildfires - #5 North Complex and #20 LNU Lightning Complex.