2008 California wildfires

none May 2025 February 2025 2008 California wildfires Summer 2008 California wildfires on July 9.jpg Some of the wildfires as seen from space during the height of the summer outbreak on July 9, 2008. National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2008 http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2008_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf National Interagency Fire Center 12 August 2015 24 September 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150924081052/http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2008_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf deadWildland Fire Accidents and Fatalities by Year http://www.nifc.gov/safety/reports/year.pdf National Interagency Fire Center 28 August 2015 17 September 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080917060451/http://www.nifc.gov/safety/reports/year.pdf dead Over $651.5 million (2008 USD)http://calfire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/fact_sheets/2008Summary.pdf CAL FIRE 2008 Wildland Fire Summary CalFire September 2011 December 11, 2017 November 25, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181125173958/http://calfire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/fact_sheets/2008Summary.pdf dead 6,255 1,593,690 acre km2 At least 93 32 (13 firefighters)http://www.fire.ca.gov/fire_protection/downloads/siege/2008/2008FireSiege_full-book_r6.pdf 2008 June Fire Siege Cal Fire September 2008 2 September 2015 24 September 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150924013241/http://www.fire.ca.gov/fire_protection/downloads/siege/2008/2008FireSiege_full-book_r6.pdf dead yes 2008 California wildfires The 2008 wildfire season was one of California's most devastating in the 21st century. While 6,255 fires occurred, about two-thirds as many as in 2007, the total area burned— 1,593,690 acre km2 offhttps://www.fire.ca.gov/media/11397/fires-acres-all-agencies-thru-2018.pdf California Wildfires and Acres for all Jurisdictions CalFire August 24, 2020 September 11, 2020 December 28, 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20221228012125/https://www.fire.ca.gov/media/11397/fires-acres-all-agencies-thru-2018.pdf dead—far exceeded that of previous years. By July 5, 2008, 328 wildfires were burning, and those fires were only 81% contained.https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aZK3Eq8VW6Zk&refer=us/ California's Wildfires Have Scorched 527,000 acres Bloomberg Nancy Moran Brandt, Nadja 2008-07-07 2008-07-05 For the first time since 1977, the US military helped with ground-based firefighting, when Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger dispatched 400 California National Guard troops, including Chief Medical Officer Susan Pangelinan, to manage fire lines.https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna25494278 Military joining fire battles up, down California NBC News 2008-07-02 2008-07-07 He said the number of fires had stretched the state's fire-fighting resources thin. "One never has resources for 1,700 fires. Who has the resources for that?" Schwarzenegger said, adding, "Something is happening, clearly. There's more need for resources than ever before... it's fire season all year round."'Critical day' for growing Goleta fire; Big Sur blaze only 5% contained http://travel.latimes.com/articles/la-trw-fires6-2008jul06 https://web.archive.org/web/20110930154852/http://travel.latimes.com/articles/la-trw-fires6-2008jul06 2011-09-30 Los Angeles Times 2008-07-05 Tami Abdollah 2008-07-07 live Background 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.Weather: Fire Season Climatology (Northern California) https://www.nwcg.gov/publications/pms437/weather/fire-season-climatology#TOC-Northern-California June 25, 2024 National Wildfire Coordinating Group April 25, 2024 May 13, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210513095421/https://www.nwcg.gov/publications/pms437/weather/fire-season-climatology#TOC-Northern-California liveToohey Grace June 22, 2024 California wildfires have already burned 90,000 acres, and summer is just beginning https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2024-06-22/spring-wildfire-sees-a-boom-concerning-for-rest-of-year June 25, 2024 Los Angeles Times June 25, 2024 https://web.archive.org/web/20240625010426/https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2024-06-22/spring-wildfire-sees-a-boom-concerning-for-rest-of-year live List of wildfires Below is a list of all fires that exceeded 1000 acre during the 2008 fire season.Large Fires 2008 http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/pub/cdf/images/incidentstatsevents_179.pdf CAL FIRE 14 August 2015 18 November 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161118020210/http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/pub/cdf/images/incidentstatsevents_179.pdf dead The list is taken from CAL FIRE's list of large fires. Name County Acres Km2 Start Date Contained DateContainment 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.KCAL-TV Los Angeles What containment and other wildfire related terms mean September 12, 2024 https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/what-does-containment-mean-wildfire-evacuation-warning-order-red-flag/ 2025-07-25 NotesWawona Nw Mariposa 1130 acres km2 1 tablecenApril 9, 2008April 19, 2008Honey Bee Tulare 1225 acres km2 1 tablecenMay 6, 2008May 23, 2008Colyear Tehama 1331 acres km2 1 tablecenMay 6, 2008May 9, 2008Avocado Fresno 1100 acres km2 1 tablecenMay 20, 2008May 21, 2008Summit Santa Cruz 4270 acres km2 1 tablecenMay 22, 2008May 27, 2008Clover Tulare 15300 acres km2 1 tablecenMay 28, 2008July 20, 2008Indians Monterey 81378 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 8, 2008July 10, 2008Jackson Sacramento 6400 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 10, 2008June 12, 2008Ophir Butte 1600 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 10, 2008June 13, 200841 Madera 3300 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 10, 2008June 11, 2008Lagrange Tuolumne 1346 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 10, 2008June 11, 2008Humboldt Butte 23344 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 11, 2008June 21, 2008Whiskey Tehama 7783 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 12, 2008June 22, 2008Albion River Lightning Mendocino 1000 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 20, 2008June 30, 2008Lime Complex Trinity 98715 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 20, 2008August 15, 2008Mad Complex Trinity 3705 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 20, 2008July 21, 2008Hells Half Complex Trinity 15146 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 20, 2008July 28, 2008South Complex Humboldt 29327 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 20, 2008September 15, 2008Brown Complex San Benito 3870 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008June 24, 2008West Branch Butte 3206 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008June 21, 2008Frey Butte 10000 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008June 21, 2008Flea Valley Butte 1248 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008June 21, 2008Flea Valley 2 Butte 1248 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008June 21, 2008Paradise Humboldt 1076 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008August 1, 2008Blue 2 Complex Siskiyou82186 acres km2 1 tablecen June 20, 2008Merged into the Klamath Theater Complex FirePopcorn Lassen 3000 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008June 22, 2008Cub Complex Lassen 19718 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008July 20, 2008Peterson Complex Lassen 7842 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008July 2, 2008Wild Napa 4200 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008June 26, 2008Basin Complex Monterey 162818 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008July 27, 2008Wagers Lightning Mendocino 3000 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008June 21, 2008Jack Smith Lightning Mendocino 3000 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008July 13, 2008Mallo B Mendocino 4466 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008July 17, 2008Squaw 1 Lightning 2 Mendocino 3000 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008July 13, 2008Red Mountain 1 Mendocino 7515 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008August 1, 2008Gate Lightning Mendocino 3000 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008July 13, 2008Soda Complex Lake 8632 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008July 26, 2008Canyon Complex Plumas 47680 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008September 30, 2008Iron Alps Complex Trinity 105805 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008September 9, 2008 10 fatalitiesSta 57 Ono Cdf Igo 2 Shasta 4000 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008July 24, 2008Whitmore Old Crow C2 Shasta 2054 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008July 15, 2008EO2A Shasta 1200 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008July 6, 2008Stein Shasta 1148 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008July 7, 2008Moon Shasta 6030 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008August 9, 2008Platina 4 Trinity 12980 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008July 4, 2008Lewiston 8 Trinity 1311 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008July 23, 2008Lakehead Shasta 27936 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008August 23, 2008Oliver Mariposa 2200 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008June 26, 2008North Mountain Tuolumne 2889 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008July 3, 2008American River Complex Placer 20541 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008July 30, 2008Yuba River Complex Sierra 4254 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008July 15, 2008Whiskeytown Complex Shasta 6420 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008July 19, 2008Klamath Theater Complex Siskiyou 192038 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 21, 2008September 30, 2008 2 firefighters killed.Popcorn Lassen 3000 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 22, 2008July 8, 2008Mill Complex Tehama 2100 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 22, 2008June 29, 2008Walker Lake 15000 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 22, 2008June 29, 2008Orr Springs Rd Ukv 2 Mendocino 3000 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 22, 2008July 10, 20085-8 Cliff Lightning Mendocino 1000 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 22, 2008July 13, 2008Venture Shasta 1912 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 22, 2008July 4, 2008Corral Lassen 12500 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 23, 2008July 7, 2008Oliver Mariposa 2789 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 23, 2008July 6, 2008Mill Creek Tehama 13580 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 24, 2008July 1, 2008Piute Kern 37026 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 28, 2008July 25, 2008Hardy Mendocino 5581 acres km2 1 tablecenJune 30, 2008June 30, 2008Gap Santa Barbara 9443 acres km2 1 tablecenJuly 1, 2008July 28, 2008Butch Lightning Mendocino 2800 acres km2 1 tablecenJuly 4, 2008July 4, 2008Lost Pipe Lightning Mendocino 1200 acres km2 1 tablecenJuly 4, 2008July 10, 2008Jack Smith Lightning Mendocino 2000 acres km2 1 tablecenJuly 4, 2008July 15, 2008Albion Lightning Mendocino 3000 acres km2 1 tablecenJuly 4, 2008July 8, 2008Horse Lightning Mendocino 1000 acres km2 1 tablecenJuly 4, 2008July 8, 2008Orr Series Lightning Mendocino 3000 acres km2 1 tablecenJuly 4, 2008July 13, 2008Montgomery Flat Lightning Mendocino 3000 acres km2 1 tablecenJuly 4, 2008July 15, 2008Alder Creek Beach Mendocino 1000 acres km2 1 tablecenJuly 7, 2008July 7, 2008Tehipite Fresno 11596 acres km2 1 tablecenJuly 19, 2008November 11, 2008Panther Siskiyou 72344 acres km2 1 tablecenJuly 24, 2008September 30, 2008Telegraph Mariposa 34091 acres km2 1 tablecenJuly 25, 2008September 15, 2008Rich Plumas 6112 acres km2 1 tablecenJuly 29, 2008August 10, 2008Craig Butte 2001 acres km2 1 tablecenAugust 3, 2008August 11, 2008Rim Butte 1651 acres km2 1 tablecenAugust 13, 2008August 13, 2008Empire Butte 2000 acres km2 1 tablecenAugust 13, 2008August 13, 2008Camp Beldon and Pit Butte 47647 acres km2 1 tablecenJuly 8, 2008August 13, 2008Smokey Butte 1324 acres km2 1 tablecenAugust 13, 2008August 13, 2008Jack Siskiyou 6900 acres km2 1 tablecenAugust 17, 2008August 22, 2008Gladding Placer 1000 acres km2 1 tablecenSeptember 1, 2008September 3, 2008Gulch Shasta 2847 acres km2 1 tablecenSeptember 7, 2008September 11, 2008Hidden Tulare 3668 acres km2 1 tablecenSeptember 10, 2008September 30, 2008Chalk Monterey 16269 acres km2 1 tablecenSeptember 25, 2008October 29, 2008November San Diego 1400 acres km2 1 tablecenOctober 8, 2008October 9, 2008Marek Los Angeles 4824 acres km2 1 tablecenOctober 12, 2008October 16, 2008Sesnon Los Angeles 14703 acres km2 1 tablecenOctober 13, 2008October 18, 2008Juliett San Diego 4026 acres km2 1 tablecenOctober 13, 2008October 17, 2008Lackerman Butte 1310 acres km2 1 tablecenOctober 23, 2008October 23, 2008Tea Santa Barbara 1940 acres km2 1 tablecenNovember 13, 2008November 17, 2008Sayre Los Angeles 11,200 acres km2 1 tablecenNovember 14, 2008November 20, 2008Freeway Complex Riverside 30305 acres km2 1 tablecenNovember 15, 2008November 22, 2008 Summer fires The Summer 2008 fires were a concentrated outbreak of wildfires during the late spring and summer of 2008. Over 3,596 individual fires were burning at the height of the period, burning large portions of forests and chaparral in California, injuring at least 34 individuals and killing 32. The majority of the fires were started by lightning from dry thunderstorms on June 20,Firefighters battling hundreds of blazes https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Firefighters-battling-hundreds-of-blazes-3207428.php San Francisco Chronicle 2008-06-23 2008-07-07 Demian Bulwa although some earlier fires ignited during mid-May. International aid from Greece, Cyprus, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, Canada, Mexico, and New Zealand helped fight the fires.Bush surveys record-breaking California wildfires Deb Riechmann 2008-07-17 2008-07-17 https://www.usatoday.com/weather/wildfires/2008-07-17-california-wildfires_N.htm USA Today The first of the wildfires was the Big Horn Fire, which ignited on May 13.http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=257 Big Horn Fire General Information 2015-08-14 2015-04-02 https://web.archive.org/web/20150402181840/http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=257 dead Three other minor wildfires ignited subsequently, but were extinguished by May 17. On May 20, the Avocado Fire ignited in Fresno County, only to be extinguished 2 days later.http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=262 Avocado Fire General Information 2015-08-14 2015-04-02 https://web.archive.org/web/20150402100122/http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=262 dead On May 22, 2008, the human-caused Summit Fire broke out in the Santa Cruz Mountains, which became the first major fire.https://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9344864?nclick_check=1 Homes burn as wildfire rages in Santa Cruz Mountains San Jose Mercury-News 22 May 2008 2008-08-02 On July 5, 2008, California Governor Schwarzenegger commented that "I've been driving up and down the state of California going to all the various fires, and you can imagine, this state is very prepared for fire, but when you wake up one morning and have 500 fires across the state, it was a real shock to me... only to find the next morning there were 1,000 fires, and the next morning 1,400 fires, and then 1,700 fires igniting over 14 days." The Gap Fire near Goleta in Santa Barbara County burned 8,357 acre ha off.Jablon Rovert California wildfires strain state's resources http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_9798240?source=rv 2008-07-05 2008-07-05 https://web.archive.org/web/20110717002534/http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_9798240?source=rv 2011-07-17 dead The fire was contained on July 29, after several weeks of activity.San Diego Union-Tribune 2008-07-29 9,443-acre Goleta wildfire fully containment [sic] http://legacy.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20080729-0349-ca-californiafires-goleta.html 2015-08-14 2012-08-30 https://web.archive.org/web/20120830144417/http://legacy.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20080729-0349-ca-californiafires-goleta.html dead By July 11, 2008, it was reported that a total of 793,483 acre ha off was burned, a total exceeding the initial estimate of 510,000 acre ha off burned by the October 2007 California wildfires.https://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fire24oct24,0,5795853.story?coll=la-home-center 1,155 homes—and counting Christine Hanley Janet Wilson Mitchell Landsberg Los Angeles Times October 24, 2007 2007-10-24 On July 12, 2008, the area burned reached 801,726 acre ha off, exceeding the estimated 800,000 acre ha off burned by the 2003 California wildfires, making the Summer 2008 wildfires the greatest wildfire event in Californian history, in terms of burned area. On that date 20,274 personnel had been committed to fight the fires. Total resources included 467 hand crews, 1,503 engines, 423 water tenders, 291 bulldozers, 142 helicopters, 400 soldiers and numerous air tankers. The fire was responsible for the deaths of 23 individuals.Big Sur Evacuated as Wildfires Race to the California Coast http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jul2008/2008-07-02-093.asp July 2, 2008 July 2, 2008 Environment News ServiceCalifornia Continues To Burn https://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/32141/Northern-California-Continues-To-Burn.html July 4, 2008 July 4, 2008 Bill Johnson Mymotherlode On July 25, a blaze sparked by target shooting broke out in Mariposa County, in the Sierra Nevada foothills of central California.https://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/07/27/fire.yosemite/?iref=hpmostpop CNN 2,000 homes threatened by 'erratic' wildfire near Yosemite - CNN.com 2008-07-27 2010-05-24 By the following day, the Telegraph Fire had gone from 1,000 to 16,000 acre ha off, and within days had destroyed 21 homes in the community of Midpines. Residents were evacuated from approximately 300 homes that were immediately threatened, with an additional 4,000 homes placed on standby for evacuation in Midpines, Greeley Hill, and Coulterville.Garance Burke Wildfire threatens homes and vacations in Yosemite Associated Press July 29, 2008 http://www.11alive.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=119175 https://archive.today/20110514033840/http://www.11alive.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=119175 May 14, 2011 dead August 14, 2015 During August, wildfire activity began to diminish, although there were still hundreds of wildfires still burning. On August 29, wildfire activity had largely ended, although three more wildfires ignited after September 1,http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_archived?archive_year=2008 Archived Fires (2008) 2015-08-14 2015-04-02 https://web.archive.org/web/20150402124848/http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_archived?archive_year=2008 dead beginning with the Gladding Fire.http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=311 Gladding Fire General Information 2015-08-14 2015-04-02 https://web.archive.org/web/20150402134801/http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=311 dead On September 10, the Colony Fire was 100% contained, ending the last of the Summer 2008 California wildfires.http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=320 Colony Fire General Information 2015-08-14 2015-04-02 https://web.archive.org/web/20150402132922/http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=320 dead The Summer 2008 wildfires burned a total of 1,162,197 acre km2 between May 2008 and September 2008, comprising the vast majority of burned land by wildfires in California in 2008.All statewide fires from 6/22/08 to 8/11/08 http://www.fire.ca.gov/downloads/incidents/All_statewide_Fires_0622_081108_a.pdf California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection 2015-08-14 2015-09-24 https://web.archive.org/web/20150924013224/http://www.fire.ca.gov/downloads/incidents/All_statewide_Fires_0622_081108_a.pdf deadWildland Fire Information http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents CAL FIRE 2008-07-07 2011-10-09 https://web.archive.org/web/20111009065817/http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents dead In total, the Summer 2008 wildfires burned a total of 1,161,197 acre ha 0, which accounts for 84% of the total area burned during the 2008 wildfire season.All statewide fires from 6/22/08 to 8/11/08 http://www.fire.ca.gov/downloads/incidents/All_statewide_Fires_0622_081108_a.pdf California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection 2015-08-14 2015-09-24 https://web.archive.org/web/20150924013224/http://www.fire.ca.gov/downloads/incidents/All_statewide_Fires_0622_081108_a.pdf deadhttp://travel.latimes.com/articles/la-trw-fires3-2008jul03?content=ntially+whipping+up+the+blaze+anew.&single_page=y#show Push is on to stall Goleta fire before winds; more evacuations at Big Sur Catherine Saillant Bailey, Eric Los Angeles Times 2008-07-02 2008-07-07 In addition, the Summer 2008 fires cost over $92.38 million (2008 USD) to fight.http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_archived?archive_year=2008 Archived Fires 2008 cdfdata.fire.ca.gov 2015-08-21 2015-04-02 https://web.archive.org/web/20150402124848/http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_archived?archive_year=2008 dead The Basin Complex Fire in the Ventana Wilderness became the third largest wildfire in California's history based on size (until it was surpassed in size by the 2013 Rim Fire), and also the second-costliest wildfire to extinguish in U.S. history.August 2015 Weather The fires broke out after three years of below-normal rainfall dehydrated much of California's forests and woodlands, making them prone to wildfires. Spring 2008 for California was the driest on record for many locations; for example, San Francisco registered only 0.67 in mm of rain out of a normal of 5.18 in cm 0 from March to May.Dry weather, spring freeze cost local farmers millions http://lakeconews.com/content/view/4599/764/ Elizabeth Larson 2008-06-16 2008-07-07 https://web.archive.org/web/20080617214938/http://lakeconews.com/content/view/4599/764/ 2008-06-17 dead As vegetation turned into bone-dry tinder in early June, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a statewide drought for the first time in 17 years.Governor declares drought in California https://www.sfgate.com/green/article/governor-declares-drought-in-california-3210427.php San Francisco Chronicle Kelly Zito Yi, Matthew 2008-06-05 2008-07-07 Dry thunderstorms and lightning, rarely seen on the California coastline in June, rolled onshore on the weekend of June 20–21. The storm unleashed 25,000 to 26,000 dry lightning strikes across Northern and Central California, igniting more than 2,000 fires.Fire season may get worse http://www.sacbee.com/fires/story/1047393.html Sacramento Bee 2008-06-29 2008-07-07 Chris Bowman https://web.archive.org/web/20080705110023/http://www.sacbee.com/fires/story/1047393.html July 5, 2008Lightning storm sparks 800 plus fires in California http://www.meteogroup.co.uk/uk/home/weather/weather_news/news/archive/2008/june/ch/320dbc4565/article/lightning_storm_sparks_800_plus_fires_in_california.html https://web.archive.org/web/20110721215310/http://www.meteogroup.co.uk/uk/home/weather/weather_news/news/archive/2008/june/ch/320dbc4565/article/lightning_storm_sparks_800_plus_fires_in_california.html 2011-07-21 MeteoGroup 2008-07-07 2008-06-24 Marcus Wohlsen live The number of wildfires skyrocketed in the days after the thunderstorms and high daily daytime temperatures of over 120 F C on on 0 dramatically increased the various fires' growth. The same thunderstorms also caused fires in Oregon.May 2011 A heat wave commenced on July 7, with temperatures in inland locations, such as the Central Valley soaring above 115 F C on 0. Lake Berryessa recorded a high temperature of 126 F C on 0, prompting weather agencies like the National Weather Service to issue high fire danger warnings.Hot weather brings smog, fire warnings https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/hot-weather-brings-smog-fire-warnings-3205290.php San Francisco Chronicle 2008-07-07 2008-07-08 Demian Bulwa These near to record-breaking temperatures concerned many firefighters, who feared that the high heat, low humidity, and high-elevation winds could make firefighting more strenuous.Inland temperatures heading into record territory https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/high-temperature-records-fall-around-bay-area-3206152.php San Francisco Chronicle 2008-07-08 2008-07-08 John CotéBig Sur fire crews worry about hotter weather https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Big-Sur-fire-crews-worry-about-hotter-weather-3206143.php San Francisco Chronicle 2008-07-08 2008-07-08 Talyor Michael Meredith May Contributing factors John Juskie, a National Weather Service science officer, was quoted in June 2008 in the Los Angeles Times stating "in historic terms, we're at record dry levels." The spring of 2008 not only broke the record for least inches of rainfall, at 0.17 of an inch, it represented less than one-third of the previous record low of 0.55 of an inch of rainfall in 1934. A record lack of rainfall, severely dry vegetation and uncharacteristically windy weather combined to create tinderbox conditions across Northern California. In most areas of Northern California, the grasses and brush were as dry in June as they normally would be in October. Moisture content was less than 2%, compared with about 40% normally for this time of year, fire officials stated. In addition, "no one has seen a springtime like this with the winds," Juskie said.https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-jun-24-me-fire24-story.html Lightning takes Northern California fires from bad to worse Eric Bailey Los Angeles Times June 24, 2008 2008-07-22 Smoke and air quality Air quality in northern and central California deteriorated as a result of smoke from the wildfires, especially in the Central Valley from Bakersfield in the southern San Joaquin Valley section to Redding in the northern Sacramento Valley section. Wildfires' smoke, ash chokes Northern Californians https://4minniecute.blogspot.com/2008/06/wildfires-smoke-ash-chokes-northern.html 2008-07-07 2008-06-28 Associated Press CNNMyriad wildfires pollute air, pose health risks and keep on spreading https://www.sfgate.com/health/article/Myriad-wildfires-pollute-air-pose-health-risks-3206927.php San Francisco Chronicle 2008-06-27 2008-07-07 Demian Bulwa Northern California From June 21 to June 27, much of Northern California was covered in a thick blanket of smoke, which reduced visibility and turned the sky yellow and the Moon red.Editorial: An early fire season https://www.sfgate.com/opinion/article/an-early-fire-season-3208160.php San Francisco Chronicle 2008-06-25 2008-07-07Smoky haze raises health risk in Valley http://www.sacbee.com/fires/story/1037922.html Sacramento Bee Maddalena Jackson 2008-06-25 2008-07-07 https://web.archive.org/web/20080705110013/http://www.sacbee.com/fires/story/1037922.html July 5, 2008 dead mdy-all Some areas endured record levels of air pollution, along with hazardous concentrations of particulate matter. These smoky and hazy conditions prompted health officials to issue air quality advisories and warnings, as particulate matter reached unhealthy levels in the North Bay on June 25.Smoke from Lake County fire a danger to some https://www.sfgate.com/health/article/Smoke-from-Lake-County-fire-a-danger-to-some-3208652.php San Francisco Chronicle 2008-06-26 2008-07-07 Steve Rubenstein In the San Francisco Bay Area, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District urged the elderly and people with respiratory problems to stay indoors. In spite of the warnings, health officials noted a jump in the number of people with eye and throat irritation. The bad air quality also forced the cancellation of the 100 mi km 0 on Western States Endurance Run, the first in the race's 31-year history. Air quality began to improve on June 28, followed by decreased smoke and improved visibility a day later.Smoke clears slightly, but air is still bad http://www.sacbee.com/fires/story/1048773.html Sacramento Bee 2008-06-30 2008-07-07 Todd Milbourn https://web.archive.org/web/20080705110028/http://www.sacbee.com/fires/story/1048773.html July 5, 2008 dead mdy-all By June 30, residents in the Sacramento Valley saw blue skies and good air quality, as a result of onshore winds and the Delta breezes.Delta breeze clears the air in Sacramento Valley http://www.sacbee.com/fires/story/1051521.html Sacramento Bee 2008-07-01 2008-07-07 Maddalena Jackson https://web.archive.org/web/20080708222823/http://www.sacbee.com/fires/story/1051521.html July 8, 2008 dead mdy-all However, air quality in Oregon degraded as plumes of smoke drifted northward instead of concentrating in the Central Valley.Smoke from California wildfires drifts into Oregon https://blog.oregonlive.com/nwheadlines/2008/07/smoke_from_california_wildfire.html The Oregonian Noelle Crombie 2008-07-07 2008-07-04 Spare the Air Hazy conditions returned on July 7, along with high temperatures over 100 F C on in the Central Valley. The heat and smoke combined forced public health officials and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to issue "Spare the Air" advisories and an emergency plan for heat waves, respectively.Governor activates emergency plan in response to heat wave http://www.sacbee.com/fires/story/1064999.html Sacramento Bee 2008-07-07 2008-07-07 Niesha Lofing https://web.archive.org/web/20080801110048/http://www.sacbee.com/fires/story/1064999.html August 1, 2008 dead mdy-all Air quality districts issued another Spare the Air day for July 8, July 9, and July 10, as calm wind conditions in Northern California failed to blow away the smoke from the wildfires.Heat wave eases thanks to onshore breeze https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/heat-wave-eases-thanks-to-onshore-breeze-3277641.php San Francisco Chronicle 2008-07-10 2008-07-10 Jill Tucker Smoky conditions continued into late August, when most of the wildfires were extinguished. The smoke from the fires finally began to disperse on September 10, after the last of the wildfires was fully contained. 600px|center|thumb|View east of the smokey sky, from Carson City, Nevada (11 July 2008). Health Impact A paper in the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology studied a group of adolescent rhesus macaque monkeys that were exposed during infancy to smoke from northern California wildfires in 2008. They found that monkeys exposed to wildfire smoke as infants had "significantly reduced inspiratory capacity, residual volume, vital capacity, and functional residual capacity per unit of body weight." There was also a trend of reduced total lung capacity in animals exposed to wildfire smoke as infants. Adolescent monkeys exposed to wildfire smoke as infants were also found to have a lessened PBMCs responses to TLR Ligands. TLR5 has been linked with the asthma phenotype experimentally and in human subjects. An important finding in the study was that monkeys over 200 miles away from the combustion were still found to have significant immune and respiratory changes.Black Carolyn Gerriets Joan E. Fontaine Justin H. Harper Richart W. Kenyon Nicholas J. Tablin Fern Schelegie Edward S. Miller Lisa A 2017-02-13 Early Life Wildfire Smoke Exposure Is Associated with Immune Dysregulation and Lung Function Decrements in Adolescence American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology en 56 5 657–666 10.1165/rcmb.2016-0380OC 28208028 5449494 The findings were consistent with many other human group studies and suggest that children who underwent the same experience as the monkeys in the study have a high chance of exhibiting similar health problems but, that because normal development of rhesus monkeys is accelerated compared to human children the relative impact of this amount of wildfire smoke exposure might differ. November Fires thumb|300px|Smoke and highlighted burn areas imaged on November 16 by the Terra Earth observation satellite. The month of November saw a large number of fires, around 2,151, which began burning across Southern California on November 13, with 4 of them becoming major wildfires. At least 400 houses and 500 mobile homes were destroyed. According to USA Today, these wildfires combined with those from October 2007 and the Summer of 2008 were the worst group of wildfires that California had experienced in two decades.https://www.usatoday.com/weather/drought/2009-04-22-drought-california_N.htm Renewed drought conditions fan California's wildfire fears Dorell Oren 2009-04-22 USA Today 2009-05-03 Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa told residents, "If you wait until the fire gets there you have waited too long, this fire can be on you in a moment's notice."steve Gorman Los Angeles fears blackouts as wildfire burns https://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN1547041620081115 Reuters 15 November 2008 18 November 2008 California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and Orange Counties. Governor Schwarzenegger described the conditions contributing to the fires as a "perfect storm," including strong Santa Ana and sundowner winds, with gusts reaching 80 mph km/h 0, as well as high temperatures, low humidity, and dry conditions.Comments of Govovernor Schwarzenegger in televised press conference at 9:50 PDT on November 16, 2008. The most significant fires were the following: Montecito Tea Fire - a wildfire that started on November 13, 2008, in the wealthy community of Montecito, in Santa Barbara County, California, resulting in the destruction of 210 homes.http://www.fire.ca.gov/index_incidents_Tea.php State of California 2015-09-02 2015-09-24 https://web.archive.org/web/20150924013253/http://www.fire.ca.gov/index_incidents_Tea.php dead Many celebrities have homes in the area of the Tea Fire, including Oprah Winfrey, Rob Lowe, and Steven Spielberg. The home of actor Christopher Lloyd was destroyed in the fire.http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/laland/2008/11/christopher-llo.html Christopher Lloyd among the unlucky Brenoff Ann LA Times 2008-11-15 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20090615220625/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/laland/2008/11/christopher-llo.html June 15, 2009 CA MTO Tea Fire Update 3000+ Acres 14 November 2008 California Fire News https://calfire.blogspot.com/2008/11/ca-mto-tea-fire-update-2500-acres-0.html Sayre Fire - a wildfire that started on November 13, 2008, in the Sylmar section of Los Angeles, California, resulting in the destruction of at least 630 structures, including 500 mobile homes, nine single-family homes, and eleven commercial buildings.Blogspot.com The loss of more than 500 residences is the "worst loss of homes due to fire" ever in the City of Los Angeles, California, exceeding the loss of 484 residences in the 1961 Bel Air fire.Tami Abdollah and Howard Blume Schwarzenegger calls for review after Sylmar tragedy as blazes rage on Los Angeles Times 2008-11-16 https://www.latimes.com/news/local/valley/la-me-firemain17-2008nov17,0,2305426.story Freeway Complex FireOrange County Fire Authority https://web.archive.org/web/20081209070329/http://www.ocfa.org/pages/ocfa.asp?filename=freewayic.asp 2008-12-09 - The combination of 2 wildfires, one of which was known as the Corona Fire by the news media, or Triangle Complex Fire, that started at approximately 9:00 a.m. PDT on November 15, 2008, and spread across the communities of Corona, Chino Hills, Yorba Linda, Anaheim Hills and Brea in Orange and Riverside County, California, and also spread to Diamond Bar in Los Angeles County.State of California https://web.archive.org/web/20081207060240/http://www.fire.ca.gov/index_incidents_Freeway.php 2008-12-07 Later on November 15, the Landfill Fire ignited at 10:45 AM, and early on May 16, both wildfires merged into the Freeway Complex Fire. The Freeway Complex Fire burned about 30305 acre ha, injured 14 firefighters, and destroyed about 200 structures,Pirani Niyaz Townsend, Adam Jolly, Vik Heat may hamper firefighters this afternoon The Orange County Register November 17, 2008 http://www.ocregister.com/articles/orange-county-fire-2230899-triangle-complex September 2, 2015 February 12, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20090212214721/http://www.ocregister.com/articles/orange-county-fire-2230899-triangle-complex dead and forced the evacuations of about 7,000 homes.Freedom Blogging: Freedom Politics https://web.archive.org/web/20090211224536/http://bnews.freedomblogging.com/category/2008-orange-county-fires/by-the-numbers/ 2009-02-11 FOX Los Angeles. FOX 11http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Brush-Fire-Shuts-Down-Freeway-in-Corona.html Freeway Complex Fire Burns 7,300 Acres; Tens of Thousands Evacuated 2008-11-16 NBC Los Angeles 2008-11-28 Fatalities During the season, the National Interagency Fire Center reported 13 firefighter fatalities while battling wildfires. Nine were killed in a helicopter crash, while others died of a heart attack, a falling tree, and an entrapment. In all, 32 people were killed by the wildfires. See also October 2007 California wildfires 2017 California wildfires October 2017 Northern California wildfires Rush Fire List of California wildfires Notes References 33em California, 2008 Category:Wildfires in California by year