View source for List of California wildfires

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{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}} {{Use American English|date=March 2024}}
[[File:1990- Most destructive California wildfires.svg |thumb |upright=1.25 |About 75% of California's 20 most destructive wildfires—measured in terms of structures burned—have occurred since 2015.<ref name=Calfire_202501>{{cite web |title=Top 20 Most Destructive California Wildfires |url=https://34c031f8-c9fd-4018-8c5a-4159cdff6b0d-cdn-endpoint.azureedge.net/-/media/calfire-website/our-impact/fire-statistics/top20_destruction.pdf |website=from fire.ca.gov |publisher=CalFire |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250122010715/https://34c031f8-c9fd-4018-8c5a-4159cdff6b0d-cdn-endpoint.azureedge.net/-/media/calfire-website/our-impact/fire-statistics/top-20-destructive-ca-wildfires.pdf |archive-date=22 January 2025 |date=January 2025  |url-status=live}} (Supplements [https://web.archive.org/web/20241219022316/http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2022/ph240/chunduru1/docs/calfire-24oct22.pdf December 2024 version] with early 2025 data)</ref>]]
[[File:AERONET La Jolla.2007295.terra.250m.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.25|[[Santa Ana winds]] in California expand fires and spread smoke over hundreds of miles, as in this October 2007 satellite image.]]
[[File:The Rim Fire in the Stanislaus National Forest near in California began on Aug. 17, 2013-0004.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.25|The [[Rim Fire]] consumed more than 250,000 acres (100,000&nbsp;ha) of forest near [[Yosemite National Park]], in 2013.]]

This is a partial and incomplete list of [[wildfire]]s in the US state of [[California]].  California has dry, windy, and often hot weather conditions from spring through late autumn that can produce moderate to severe wildfires. Pre-1800, when the area was much more forested and [[Ecology of California|the ecology]] much more resilient, 4.4-11.9 million acres (1.8-4.8 million hectares) of forest and shrubland burned annually.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Stephens|first1=Scott L.|last2=Martin|first2=Robert E.|last3=Clinton|first3=Nicholas E.|date=2007-11-15|title=Prehistoric fire area and emissions from California's forests, woodlands, shrublands, and grasslands|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112707004379|journal=Forest Ecology and Management|language=en|volume=251|issue=3|page=210|doi=10.1016/j.foreco.2007.06.005|issn=0378-1127|quote=area burned annually in California varied from 1,814,614 to 4,838,293 ha (excluding the desert region in Southeastern California) during the prehistoric period. With the land area of California equaling 40,396,822 ha (CCDB, 2003), this results in 4.5–12.0% of the state’s lands burning annually|access-date=2020-08-24|archive-date=2018-08-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180812111636/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112707004379|url-status=live|url-access=subscription}}</ref> California land area totals 99,813,760 or roughly 100 million acres, so since 2000, the area that burned annually has ranged between 90,000 acres, or 0.09%, and 1,590,000 acres, or 1.59% of the total land of California.<ref>{{Cite web|title=California Wildfire Emission Estimates {{!}} California Air Resources Board|url=https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/wildfire-emissions|access-date=2020-08-24|website=ww2.arb.ca.gov|archive-date=2020-08-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200830060656/https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/wildfire-emissions|url-status=live}}</ref> During the [[2020 California wildfires|2020 wildfire season]] alone, over 8,100 fires contributed to the burning of nearly 4.5 million acres of land.

== Causes ==
[[Climate change in California]] has lengthened the fire season and made it more extreme from the middle of the 20th century.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Climate change: What role is it playing in the California fires |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0ewe4p9128o |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-09 |title=Intensifying climate whiplash set the stage for devastating California fires |url=https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-01-09/climate-whiplash-study-california-fires |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>

Since the early 2010s, wildfires in California have grown more dangerous because of the accumulation of wood fuel in forests, higher population, and aging and often poorly maintained electricity transmission and distribution lines, particularly in areas serviced by [[Pacific Gas and Electric Company|Pacific Gas and Electric]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=BORUNDA |first1=ALEJANDRA |last2=ELLIOTT |first2=KENNEDY |title=See how a warmer world primed California for large fires |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2018/11/climate-change-california-wildfire/ |website=National Geographic |date=15 November 2018 |access-date=22 November 2018 |archive-date=15 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215154708/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2018/11/climate-change-california-wildfire/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Twenty-first century California, USA, wildfires: fuel-dominated vs. wind-dominated fires|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334547958|access-date=2020-08-24|website=ResearchGate|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Historical patterns of wildfire ignition sources in California ecosystems|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328788068|access-date=2020-08-24|website=ResearchGate|language=en}}</ref> [[United States]] [[taxation in the United States|taxpayers]] pay about [[United States dollar|US$]]3 billion a year to fight wildfires, and big fires can lead to billions of dollars in property losses.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/real-estate/wildfires-are-growing-growing-more-costly-n106266|title=Wildfires are growing more costly|date=2014-05-14|newspaper=[[NBC News]]|access-date=2019-10-07|archive-date=2020-10-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013190300/https://www.nbcnews.com/business/real-estate/wildfires-are-growing-growing-more-costly-n106266|url-status=live}}</ref> At times, these wildfires are fanned or made worse by strong, dry winds, known as [[Diablo wind]]s when they occur in the [[Northern California|northern part of the state]] and [[Santa Ana winds]] when they occur in the [[Southern California|south]]. However, from a historical perspective, it has been estimated that prior to 1850, about 4.5 million acres (17,000&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) burned yearly, in fires that lasted for months, with wildfire activity peaking roughly every 30 years, when up to 11.8 million acres (47,753&nbsp;km<sup>3</sup>) of land burned.<ref name="SJMN_1">{{cite news | url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/08/23/california-fires-state-feds-agree-to-thin-millions-of-acres-of-forests/ | title=California fires: State, feds agree to thin millions of acres of forests - New plan would last 20 years, reshaping California's landscape | last=Rogers | first=Paul | newspaper=[[San Jose Mercury News]] | date=2020-08-23 | access-date=2020-09-11 | quote=Before the Gold Rush in 1849, large parts of California burned every few decades. Lightning fires burned for months, and native tribes burned the land, clearing out dead vegetation. ... Stephens, the UC fire scientist, estimates that before the Gold Rush, roughly 4.5 million acres a year in California burned. By the 1950s and 1960s, that was down to about 250,000 acres a year. | archive-date=2020-09-13 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200913035721/https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/08/23/california-fires-state-feds-agree-to-thin-millions-of-acres-of-forests/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="why won't anybody listen">{{cite web |last1=Weil |first1=Elizabeth |title=They Know How to Prevent Megafires. Why Won't Anybody Listen? |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/they-know-how-to-prevent-megafires-why-wont-anybody-listen |website=ProPublica |date=28 August 2020 |access-date=14 September 2020 |archive-date=13 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200913234007/https://www.propublica.org/article/they-know-how-to-prevent-megafires-why-wont-anybody-listen |url-status=live }}</ref> The much larger wildfire seasons in the past can be attributed to the policy of [[Indigenous peoples of California|Native Californians]] regularly setting [[controlled burn]]s and allowing natural fires to run their course, which prevented devastating wildfires from overrunning the state.<ref name="SJMN_1" /> There are conservation issues that aren't allowing as many controlled burns necessary to lessen the damage for when a wildfire starts.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Writer |first=Katherine Fung Senior |date=2025-01-09 |title=How red tape strangled California forest management before LA fires |url=https://www.newsweek.com/controlled-burns-california-forest-management-los-angeles-fires-2012492 |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=Newsweek |language=en}}</ref>

== Effects ==
More than 350,000 people in California live in towns sited completely within zones deemed to be at very high risk of fire. In total, more than 2.7 million people live in "very high fire hazard severity zones", which also include areas at lesser risk.<ref name=rgj>{{cite news|author1=Ryan Sabalow|author2=Phillip Reese|author3=Dale Kasler|agency=The Sacramento Bee|title=Destined to Burn: California races to predict which town could be next to burn|date=April 11, 2019|url=https://krcrtv.com/news/local/destined-to-burn-california-races-to-predict-which-town-could-be-next-to-burn|access-date=2019-11-17|via=KRCR News|archive-date=2019-11-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117210741/https://krcrtv.com/news/local/destined-to-burn-california-races-to-predict-which-town-could-be-next-to-burn|url-status=live}}</ref> 

On lands under CAL FIRE's jurisdictional protection (i.e. not federal or local responsibility areas), the majority of wildfire ignitions since 1980 have been caused by humans. The four most common ignition sources for wildfires on CAL FIRE-protected lands are, in order: equipment use, powerlines, arson, and lightning.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Boxall |first=Bettina |date=January 5, 2020 |title=Human-caused ignitions spark California's worst wildfires but get little state focus |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/environment/story/2020-01-05/human-caused-ignitions-spark-california-worst-wildfires |url-status=live |access-date=July 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230619094218/https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2020-01-05/human-caused-ignitions-spark-california-worst-wildfires |archive-date=June 19, 2023}}</ref>

A 2023 study found that these wildfires are affecting the California ecosystem and disrupting the habitats.<ref name="abcnews.go.com">{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=California wildfires altering ecosystems, disrupting wildlife habitats: Study |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/extreme-wildfires-disrupting-wildlife-ecosystems-california-researchers/story?id=105034054 |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=ABC News |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Ayars">{{Cite journal |last1=Ayars |first1=Jessalyn |last2=Kramer |first2=H. Anu |last3=Jones |first3=Gavin M. |date=2023-11-28 |title=The 2020 to 2021 California megafires and their impacts on wildlife habitat |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |language=en |volume=120 |issue=48 |doi=10.1073/pnas.2312909120 |issn=0027-8424|doi-access=free |pmid=37983516 |pmc=10691208 }}</ref> It found that in the 2020 and 2021 fire seasons 58% of the area affected by wildfires occurred in those two seasons since 2012.<ref name="abcnews.go.com"/><ref name="Ayars" /> These two fires destroyed 30% of the habitat of 50 species as well as 100 species that had 10% of their habitats burn. 5-14% of the species' habitats burned at a "high severity."<ref name="abcnews.go.com" /><ref name="Ayars" />

==Statistics==

===Area burned per year===
[[File:Oakland firestorm 1.jpg|thumbnail|right|Remains of houses destroyed in the [[Oakland firestorm of 1991]]]]
[[File:California fires October 2003.jpg|thumbnail|right|Satellite image from October, 2003 including Cedar Fire, one of the largest wildfires in California history]]
Starting in 2001, the [[National Interagency Fire Center]] began keeping more accurate records on the total fire acreage burned in each state.<ref>{{cite web|title=Statistics|url=https://www.nifc.gov/fireInfo/fireInfo_statistics.html|website=[[National Interagency Fire Center]]|access-date=24 August 2015|archive-date=12 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150812043933/http://www.nifc.gov/fireInfo/fireInfo_statistics.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Year
! Fires
! Acres 
! Hectares<!-- The metric analogue of the Imperial unit "acres" for land area is "hectares", not square kilometres. -->
! Ref
|-
| [[2000 California wildfires|2000]]||7,622||{{convert|295,026|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref name="all jurisdictions" />
|-
| [[2001 California wildfires|2001]]||9,458||{{convert|329,126|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref>{{cite web|title=National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2001|url=http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2001_stats_summ/appendices.pdf|website=[[National Interagency Fire Center]]|access-date=12 August 2015|archive-date=27 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627145328/https://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2001_stats_summ/appendices.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| [[2002 California wildfires|2002]] ||8,328||{{convert|969,890|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref>{{cite web|title=National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2002|url=http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2002_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf|website=[[National Interagency Fire Center]]|access-date=12 August 2015|archive-date=27 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627145348/https://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2002_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="large fires">{{cite web|title=2002 Large Fires|url=http://www.fire.ca.gov/fire_protection/downloads/LF2002.pdf|website=CAL FIRE|date=February 11, 2003|access-date=December 10, 2017|archive-date=December 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171208215137/http://www.fire.ca.gov/fire_protection/downloads/LF2002.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| [[2003 California wildfires|2003]] ||9,116||{{convert|1,020,460|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref>{{cite web|title=National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2003|url=http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2003_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf|website=[[National Interagency Fire Center]]|access-date=12 August 2015|archive-date=27 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627145402/https://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2003_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="2003 large fires">{{cite web|title=Large Fires 2003|url=http://www.fire.ca.gov/fire_protection/downloads/LF2003final.pdf|website=CAL FIRE|access-date=17 October 2016|archive-date=25 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181125181237/http://www.fire.ca.gov/fire_protection/downloads/LF2003final.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Otay Fire">{{cite web|url=http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=68|title=Otay Fire|publisher=CAL FIRE|date=October 27, 2003|access-date=December 10, 2017|archive-date=February 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215174312/http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=68|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| [[2004 California wildfires|2004]] ||8,415||{{convert|264,988|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref>{{cite web|title=National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2004|url=http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2004_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf|website=[[National Interagency Fire Center]]|access-date=12 August 2015|archive-date=27 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627145428/https://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2004_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="2004 large fires">{{cite web|title=Large Fires 2004|url=http://www.fire.ca.gov/fire_protection/downloads/LARGEFIRE2004final.pdf|website=CAL FIRE|access-date=28 August 2015|archive-date=25 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181125181214/http://www.fire.ca.gov/fire_protection/downloads/LARGEFIRE2004final.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| [[2005 California wildfires|2005]] ||7,162||{{convert|222,538|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref>{{cite web|title=National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2005|url=http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2005_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf|website=[[National Interagency Fire Center]]|access-date=12 August 2015|archive-date=27 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627145435/https://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2005_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="2005 large fires">{{cite web|title=Large Fires 2005|url=http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/pub/cdf/images/incidentstatsevents_113.pdf|website=CAL FIRE|access-date=19 September 2015|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304193148/http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/pub/cdf/images/incidentstatsevents_113.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| [[2006 California wildfires|2006]] ||8,202||{{convert|736,022|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref>{{cite web|title=National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2006|url=http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2006_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf|website=[[National Interagency Fire Center]]|access-date=12 August 2015|archive-date=27 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627145524/https://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2006_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="2006 large fires">{{cite web|title=Large Fires 2006|url=http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/pub/cdf/images/incidentstatsevents_123.pdf|website=CAL FIRE|access-date=28 August 2015|archive-date=18 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161118060633/http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/pub/cdf/images/incidentstatsevents_123.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| [[2007 California wildfires|2007]] ||9,093||{{convert|1,520,362|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref name="all jurisdictions">{{cite web|url=https://www.fire.ca.gov/media/11397/fires-acres-all-agencies-thru-2018.pdf|title=California Wildfires and Acres for all Jurisdictions|publisher=[[CalFire]]|date=August 24, 2020|access-date=September 11, 2020|archive-date=December 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221228012125/https://www.fire.ca.gov/media/11397/fires-acres-all-agencies-thru-2018.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2007|url=http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2007_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf|website=[[National Interagency Fire Center]]|access-date=12 August 2015|archive-date=19 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119040426/https://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2007_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| [[2008 California wildfires|2008]] ||6,255||{{convert|1,593,690|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref name="all jurisdictions" />
|-
| [[2009 California wildfires|2009]] ||9,159||{{convert|422,147|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref>{{cite web|title=National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2009|url=http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2009_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf|website=[[National Interagency Fire Center]]|access-date=12 August 2015|archive-date=27 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627145539/https://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2009_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="2009 large fires">{{cite web|title=Large Fires 2009|url=http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/pub/cdf/images/incidentstatsevents_178.pdf|website=CAL FIRE|access-date=20 August 2015|archive-date=5 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305023031/http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/pub/cdf/images/incidentstatsevents_178.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| [[2010 California wildfires|2010]] ||6,554||{{convert|109,529|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref>{{cite web|title=National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2010|url=http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2010_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf|website=[[National Interagency Fire Center]]|access-date=12 August 2015|archive-date=27 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627145550/https://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2010_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| [[2011 California wildfires|2011]] ||7,989||{{convert|168,545|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref>{{cite web|title=National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2011|url=http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2011_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf|website=[[National Interagency Fire Center]]|access-date=12 August 2015|archive-date=13 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180913121251/https://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2011_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="2011 large fires">{{cite web|title=Large Fires 2011|url=http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/pub/cdf/images/incidentstatsevents_214.pdf|website=CAL FIRE|access-date=21 August 2015|archive-date=24 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160824154833/http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/pub/cdf/images/incidentstatsevents_214.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| [[2012 California wildfires|2012]] ||7,950||{{convert|869,599|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref>{{cite web|title=National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2012|url=http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2012_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf|website=[[National Interagency Fire Center]]|access-date=12 August 2015|archive-date=28 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180628035338/https://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2012_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| [[2013 California wildfires|2013]] ||9,907||{{convert|601,635|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref>{{cite web|title=National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2013|url=http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2013_Statssumm/fires_acres13.pdf|website=[[National Interagency Fire Center]]|access-date=12 August 2015|archive-date=11 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111004023/https://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2013_Statssumm/fires_acres13.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="2013 Redbook">{{cite web|url=http://calfire.ca.gov/downloads/redbooks/2013Redbook/2013_Redbook_Final.pdf|title=2013 Wildfire Statistics|author1=Ken Pimlott|author2=John Laird|author3=Edmond G. Brown Jr.|publisher=CAL FIRE|date=September 3, 2014|access-date=December 24, 2017|archive-date=December 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230085712/http://calfire.ca.gov/downloads/redbooks/2013Redbook/2013_Redbook_Final.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| [[2014 California wildfires|2014]] ||7,865||{{convert|625,540|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref>{{cite web|title=National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2014|url=http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2014_Statssumm/fires_acres14.pdf|website=[[National Interagency Fire Center]]|access-date=12 August 2015|archive-date=28 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180628035328/https://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2014_Statssumm/fires_acres14.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="2014 redbook">{{cite web|url=http://calfire.ca.gov/downloads/redbooks/2014Redbook/2014_Redbook_Complete.pdf|title=2014 Wildfire Activity Statistics|author=Ken Pimlott|publisher=[[CAL FIRE]]|date=2015|access-date=September 11, 2018|archive-date=December 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230085320/http://calfire.ca.gov/downloads/redbooks/2014Redbook/2014_Redbook_Complete.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| [[2015 California wildfires|2015]] ||8,745||{{convert|893,362|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref>{{cite web|title=National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2015|url=http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2015_Statssumm/fires_acres15.pdf|website=[[National Interagency Fire Center]]|access-date=26 June 2016|archive-date=28 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180628035324/https://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2015_Statssumm/fires_acres15.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| [[2016 California wildfires|2016]] ||6,986||{{convert|669,534|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref name="NIFC 2016">{{cite web|title=National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2016|url=https://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2016_Statssumm/fires_acres16.pdf|website=[[National Interagency Fire Center]]|access-date=11 November 2017|archive-date=7 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707012921/https://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2016_Statssumm/fires_acres16.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="2016 redbook">{{cite web|url=http://calfire.ca.gov/downloads/redbooks/2016_Redbook/2016_Redbook_FINAL.PDF|title=2016 Wildfire Activity Statistics|author=Ken Pimlott|publisher=[[CAL FIRE]]|date=2017|access-date=September 11, 2018|archive-date=September 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180912022335/http://calfire.ca.gov/downloads/redbooks/2016_Redbook/2016_Redbook_FINAL.PDF|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| [[2017 California wildfires|2017]] ||9,560||{{convert|1,548,429|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref name="2017 CalFire Stats">{{cite web|url=https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2017/|title=2017 Incident Archive|date=2019|access-date=September 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200904103202/https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2017/|archive-date=September 4, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="NIFC 2017">{{cite web|title=National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State 2017|url=https://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2017_Statssumm/fires_acres17.pdf|website=[[National Interagency Fire Center]]|access-date=5 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180628035319/https://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2017_statssumm/fires_acres17.pdf|archive-date=28 June 2018|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|-
| [[2018 California wildfires|2018]] ||8,527||{{convert|1,975,086|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref name="CalFire 2018 Incident Archive">{{cite web|title=2018 Incident Archive|url=https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2018/|publisher=[[CAL FIRE]]|date=2020|access-date=September 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200905140438/https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2018/|archive-date=September 5, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="2018 Year-to-Date report">{{cite web|url=https://gacc.nifc.gov/sacc/predictive/intelligence/NationalYTDbyStateandAgency.pdf|title=2018 National Year-to-Date Report on Fires and Acres Burned|publisher=[[National Interagency Fire Center|NIFC]]|date=November 9, 2018|access-date=November 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181230021023/https://gacc.nifc.gov/sacc/predictive/intelligence/NationalYTDbyStateandAgency.pdf |archive-date=December 30, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[2019 California wildfires|2019]] ||7,860||{{convert|259,823|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref>{{cite web|title=2019 Incident Archive|url=https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2019/|website=fire.ca.gov|access-date=January 2, 2022|archive-date=September 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910164905/https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2019/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[2020 California wildfires|2020]] ||9,639||{{convert|4,397,809|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref>{{cite web|title=2020 Incident Archive|url=https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/|website=CAL FIRE|access-date=January 2, 2022|archive-date=June 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200628081514/https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[2021 California wildfires|2021]] ||8,835||{{convert|2,568,948|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref>{{cite web|title=2021 Incident Archive|url=https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2021/|website=CAL FIRE|access-date=January 2, 2022|archive-date=January 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220115052141/https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2021/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[2022 California wildfires|2022]] ||7,490||{{convert|362,455|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref>{{cite web|title=2022 Incident Archive|url=https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2022|website=CAL FIRE |access-date=June 7, 2023|archive-date=June 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609183455/https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2022|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|[[2023 California wildfires|2023]] ||7,127||{{convert|324,917|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref>{{cite web|title=2023 Incident Archive|url=https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2023|website=CAL FIRE |access-date=August 5, 2024}}</ref>
|-
|[[2024 California wildfires|2024]] ||8,024||{{convert|1,050,012|acres|ha|disp=table}}||<ref name="2024 CalFire">{{Cite web |title= 2024 Incident Archive |url=https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2024 |access-date=August 16, 2024 |website=www.fire.ca.gov |publisher=[[California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection]] (Cal Fire)}}</ref>
|-
|[[2025 California wildfires|2025]] ||||||||
|-
| {{sort|9998|'''2000-23 Mean'''}} ||8,243||{{convert|974,894|acres|ha|disp=table}}||
|-
| {{sort|9999|'''2000-23 Median'''}}||8,265||{{convert|647,537|acres|ha|disp=table}}||
|}
{{notelist}}

== Largest wildfires ==
{{Asof|lc=n|2024|10|2|df=US}}, the 20 largest wildfires according to the [[California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection]] have been:<ref>{{Cite web|title=Top 20 Largest California Wildfires|url=https://34c031f8-c9fd-4018-8c5a-4159cdff6b0d-cdn-endpoint.azureedge.net/-/media/calfire-website/our-impact/fire-statistics/top-20-largest-ca-wildfires.pdf?rev=097f901c128347149e2614f2fca4f546&hash=27DDE83DFEF9A69E67C73765892A2B75|date=2 October 2024}}</ref><!--linked from https://www.fire.ca.gov/our-impact/statistics-->

{{Table alignment}}
{| class="wikitable sortable col1center col7right col8right"
|-
!
! width="100" | Fire Name ''(Cause)''
! County
! Acres (Hectares)
! Start date
! data-sort-type=number | Structures
! data-sort-type=number | Deaths
|-
|1.
|[[August Complex Fire|August Complex]] ''(Lightning)''
|[[Mendocino County, California|Mendocino]], [[Humboldt County, California|Humboldt]], [[Trinity County, California|Trinity]], [[Tehama County, California|Tehama]], [[Glenn County, California|Glenn]], [[Lake County, California|Lake]], & [[Colusa County, California|Colusa]]
|'''{{convert|1,032,648|acres|ha|abbr=values}}'''
|{{dts|August 2020}}
|935
|1
|-
|2.
|[[Dixie Fire|Dixie]] ''(Powerlines)''
|[[Butte County, California|Butte]], [[Plumas County, California|Plumas]], [[Lassen County, California|Lassen]], [[Shasta County, California|Shasta]] & [[Tehama County, California|Tehama]]
|'''{{convert|963,309|acres|ha|abbr=values}}'''
|{{dts|July 2021}}
|1,311
|1
|-
|3.
|[[Mendocino Complex Fire|Mendocino Complex]] ''(Human Related)''
|[[Colusa County, California|Colusa]], [[Lake County, California|Lake]], [[Mendocino County, California|Mendocino]], & [[Glenn County, California|Glenn]]
|'''{{convert|459,123|acres|ha|abbr=values}}'''
|{{dts|July 2018}}
|280
|1
|-
|4.
|[[Park Fire|Park]] ''(Arson)''
|[[Butte County, California|Butte]], [[Plumas County, California|Plumas]], [[Shasta County, California|Shasta]], & [[Tehama County, California|Tehama]]
|'''{{convert|429,603|acres|ha|abbr=values}}'''
|{{dts|July 2024}}
|709
|0
|-
|5.
|[[SCU Lightning Complex Fire|SCU Lightning Complex]] ''(Lightning)''
|[[Stanislaus County, California|Stanislaus]], [[Santa Clara County, California|Santa Clara]], [[Alameda County, California|Alameda]], [[Contra Costa County, California|Contra Costa]], & [[San Joaquin County, California|San Joaquin]]
|'''{{convert|396,625|acres|ha|abbr=values}}'''
|{{dts|August 2020}}
|225
|0
|-
|6.
|[[Creek Fire|Creek]] ''(Undetermined)''
|[[Fresno County, California|Fresno]] & [[Madera County, California|Madera]]
|'''{{convert|379,895|acres|ha|abbr=values}}'''
|{{dts|September 2020}}
|858
|0
|-
|7.
|[[LNU Lightning Complex Fire|LNU Lightning Complex]] ''(Lightning/Arson)''
|[[Napa County, California|Napa]], [[Solano County, California|Solano]], [[Sonoma County, California|Sonoma]], [[Yolo County, California|Yolo]], [[Lake County, California|Lake]], & [[Colusa County, California|Colusa]]
|'''{{convert|363,220|acres|ha|abbr=values}}'''
|{{dts|August 2020}}
|1,491
|6
|-
|8.
|[[North Complex Fire|North Complex]] ''(Lightning)''
|[[Butte County, California|Butte]], [[Plumas County, California|Plumas]] & [[Yuba County, California|Yuba]]
|'''{{convert|318,935|acres|ha|abbr=values}}'''
|{{dts|August 2020}}
|2,352
|15
|-
|9.
|[[Thomas Fire|Thomas]] ''(Powerlines)''
|[[Ventura County, California|Ventura]] & [[Santa Barbara County, California|Santa Barbara]]
|'''{{convert|281,893|acres|ha|abbr=values}}'''
|{{dts|December 2017}}
|1,060
|2
|-
|10.
|[[Cedar Fire|Cedar]] ''(Human Related)''
|[[San Diego County, California|San Diego]]
|'''{{convert|273,246|acres|ha|abbr=values}}'''
|{{dts|October 2003}}
|2,820
|15
|-
|11.
|[[Rush Fire|Rush]] ''(Lightning)''
|[[Lassen County, California|Lassen]]
|'''{{convert|271,911|acres|ha|abbr=values}}''' ({{convert|+43,666|acres|ha|abbr=values}} in Nevada)
|{{dts|August 2012}}
|0
|0
|-
|12.
|[[Rim Fire|Rim]] ''(Campfire)''
|[[Tuolumne County, California|Tuolumne]]
|'''{{convert|257,314|acres|ha|abbr=values}}'''
|{{dts|August 2013}}
|112
|0
|-
|13.
|[[Zaca Fire|Zaca]] ''(Equipment)''
|[[Santa Barbara County, California|Santa Barbara]]
|'''{{convert|240,207|acres|ha|abbr=values}}'''
|{{dts|July 2007}}
|1
|0
|-
|14.
|[[Carr Fire|Carr]] ''(Vehicle)''
|[[Shasta County, California|Shasta]] & [[Trinity County, California|Trinity]]
|'''{{convert|229,651|acres|ha|abbr=values}}'''
|{{dts|July 2018}}
|1,614
|8
|-
|15.
|[[Monument Fire|Monument]] ''(Lightning)''
|[[Trinity County, California|Trinity]]
|'''{{convert|223,124|acres|ha|abbr=values}}'''
|{{dts|August 2021}}
|28
|0
|-
|16.
|[[Caldor Fire|Caldor]] ''(Bullet)''
|[[Alpine County, California|Alpine]], [[Amador County, California|Amador]], & [[El Dorado County, California|El Dorado]]
|'''{{convert|221,835|acres|ha|abbr=values}}'''
|{{dts|August 2021}}
|1,311
|1
|-
|17.
|[[Matilija Fire|Matilija]] ''(Undetermined)''
|[[Ventura County, California|Ventura]]
|'''{{convert|220,000|acres|ha|abbr=values}}'''
|{{dts|September 1932}}
|0
|0
|-
|18.
|[[River Complex Fire|River Complex]] ''(Lightning)''
|[[Siskiyou County, California|Siskiyou]] & [[Trinity County, California|Trinity]]
|'''{{convert|199,359|acres|ha|abbr=values}}'''
|{{dts|July 2021}}
|122
|0
|-
|19.
|[[Witch Fire|Witch]] ''(Powerlines)''
|[[San Diego County, California|San Diego]]
|'''{{convert|197,990|acres|ha|abbr=values}}'''
|{{dts|October 2007}}
|1,650
|2
|-
|20.
|[[Klamath Theater Complex Fire|Klamath Theater Complex]] ''(Lightning)''
|[[Siskiyou County, California|Siskiyou]]
|'''{{convert|192,038|acres|ha|abbr=values}}'''
|{{dts|June 2008}}
|0
|2
|}

== Deadliest wildfires ==
{{Asof|lc=n|2025|1|28|df=US}}, the 20 deadliest wildfires according to the [[California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection]] have been:<ref>{{Cite web|title=Top 20 Deadliest California Wildfires|url=https://34c031f8-c9fd-4018-8c5a-4159cdff6b0d-cdn-endpoint.azureedge.net/-/media/calfire-website/our-impact/fire-statistics/top20_deadliest.pdf?rev=367e369fc1ff45769597eb0cdc7cad62&hash=34C2F991846F32BCD17978B690D0DB6D|date=28 January 2025}}</ref><!--linked from https://www.fire.ca.gov/our-impact/statistics-->

{{Table alignment}}
{| class="wikitable sortable col1center col7right col8right"
|-
!
! width="100" | Fire Name ''(Cause)''
! County
! Acres (Hectares)
! Start date
! data-sort-type=number | Structures
! data-sort-type=number | Deaths
|-
|1.
|[[Camp Fire (2018)|Camp]] ''(Powerlines)''
|[[Butte County, California|Butte]]
|{{convert|153,336|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|November 2018}}
|18,804
|'''85'''
|-
|2.
|[[1933 Griffith Park fire|Griffith Park]] ''(Unknown)''
|[[Los Angeles]]
|{{convert|47|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|October 1933}}
|0
|'''29'''
|-
|3.
|[[Oakland firestorm of 1991|Tunnel]] (Rekindle)
|[[Alameda County, California|Alameda]]
|{{convert|1,600|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|October 1991}}
|2,900
|'''25'''
|-
|4.
|[[Tubbs Fire|Tubbs]] ''(Electrical)''
|[[Napa County, California|Napa]] & [[Sonoma County, California|Sonoma]]
|{{convert|36,807|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|October 2017}}
|5,643
|'''22'''
|-
|5.
|[[Eaton Fire|Eaton]] ''(Undetermined)''
|[[Los Angeles County, California|Los Angeles]]
|{{convert|14,021|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|January 2025}}
|9,418
|'''18'''
|-
|6.
|[[North Complex Fire|North Complex]] ''(Lightning)''
|[[Butte County, California|Butte]], [[Plumas County, California|Plumas]] & [[Yuba County, California|Yuba]]
|{{convert|318,935|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|August 2020}}
|2,352
|'''15'''
|-
|7.
|[[Cedar Fire|Cedar]] ''(Signal fire)''
|[[San Diego County, California|San Diego]]
|{{convert|273,246|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|October 2003}}
|2,820
|'''15'''
|-
|8.
|[[Rattlesnake Fire|Rattlesnake]] ''(Arson)''
|[[Glenn County, California|Glenn]]
|{{convert|1,340|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|July 1953}}
|0
|'''15'''
|-
|9.
|[[Palisades Fire|Palisades]] ''(Undetermined)''
|[[Los Angeles County, California|Los Angeles]]
|{{convert|23,448|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|January 2025}}
|6,837
|'''12'''
|-
|10.
|[[Loop Fire|Loop]] ''(Unknown)''
|[[Los Angeles County, California|Los Angeles]]
|{{convert|2,028|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|November 1966}}
|0
|'''12'''
|-
|11.
|[[Hauser Creek Fire|Hauser Creek]] ''(Human Related)''
|[[San Diego County, California|San Diego]]
|{{convert|13,145|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|October 1943}}
|0
|'''11'''
|-
|12.
|[[Inaja Fire|Inaja]] ''(Human Related)''
|[[San Diego County, California|San Diego]]
|{{convert|43,904|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|November 1956}}
|0
|'''11'''
|-
|13.
|[[Iron Alps Complex Fire|Iron Alps Complex]] ''(Lightning)''
|[[Trinity County, California|Trinity]]
|{{convert|105,855|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|August 2008}}
|10
|'''10'''
|-
|14.
|[[Redwood Valley Fire|Redwood Valley]] ''(Power Lines)''
|[[Mendocino County, California|Mendocino]]
|{{convert|36,523|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|October 2017}}
|544
|'''9'''
|-
|15.
|[[Harris Fire|Harris]] ''(Undetermined)''
|[[San Diego County, California|San Diego]]
|{{convert|90,440|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|October 2007}}
|548
|'''8'''
|-
|16.
|[[Canyon Fire (1968)|Canyon]] ''(Unknown)''
|[[Los Angeles County, California|Los Angeles]]
|{{convert|22,197|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|August 1968}}
|0
|'''8'''
|-
|17.
|[[Carr Fire|Carr]] ''(Vehicle)''
|[[Shasta County, California|Shasta]] & [[Trinity County, California|Trinity]]
|{{convert|229,651|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|July 2018}}
|1,614
|'''8'''
|-
|18.
|[[LNU Lightning Complex fires|LNU Lightning Complex]] ''(Lightning/Arson)''
|[[Napa County, California|Napa]], [[Sonoma County, California|Sonoma]], [[Yolo County, California|Yolo]], [[Stanislaus County, California|Stanislaus]] & [[Lake County, California|Lake]]
|{{convert|363,220|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|August 2020}}
|1,491
|'''6'''
|-
|19.
|[[Atlas Fire|Atlas]] ''(Power Lines)''
|[[Napa County, California|Napa]] & [[Solano County, California|Solano]]
|{{convert|51,624|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|October 2017}}
|781
|'''6'''
|-
|20.
|[[Old Fire|Old]] ''(Arson)''
|[[San Bernardino County, California|San Bernardino]]
|{{convert|91,281|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|October 2003}}
|1,003
|'''6'''
|}

== Most destructive wildfires ==
{{Asof|lc=n|2025|1|28|df=US}}, the 20 most destructive wildfires according to the [[California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection]] have been:<ref>{{Cite web|title=Top 20 Most Destructive California Wildfires|url=https://34c031f8-c9fd-4018-8c5a-4159cdff6b0d-cdn-endpoint.azureedge.net/-/media/calfire-website/our-impact/fire-statistics/top20_destruction.pdf?rev=057c3d89da86403290fcbcef630fc692&hash=E7D05B4DCE9C3C0CE857221695C54FEF|date=28 January 2025}}</ref><!--linked from https://www.fire.ca.gov/our-impact/statistics-->

{{Table alignment}}
{| class="wikitable sortable col1center col7right col8right"
|-
!
! width="100" | Fire Name ''(Cause)''
! County
! Acres (Hectares)
! Start date
! data-sort-type=number | Structures
! data-sort-type=number | Deaths
|-
|1.
|[[Camp Fire (2018)|Camp]] ''(Power Lines)''
|[[Butte County, California|Butte]]
|{{convert|153,336|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|November 2018}}
|'''18,804'''
|85
|-
|2.
|[[Eaton Fire|Eaton]] ''(Under Investigation)''
|[[Los Angeles County, California|Los Angeles]] 
|{{convert|14,021|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|January 2025}}
|'''9,418'''
|18
|-
|3.
|[[Palisades Fire|Palisades]] ''(Under Investigation)''
|[[Los Angeles County, California|Los Angeles]]
|{{convert|23,707|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|January 2025}}
|'''6,837'''
|12
|-
|4.
|[[Tubbs Fire|Tubbs]] ''(Electrical)''
|[[Napa County, California|Napa]] & [[Sonoma County, California|Sonoma]]
|{{convert|36,807|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|October 2017}}
|'''5,646'''
|22
|-
|5.
|[[Tunnel Fire|Tunnel]] ''(Rekindle)''
|[[Alameda County, California|Alameda]]
|{{convert|1,600|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|October 1991}}
|'''2,900'''
|25
|-
|6.
|[[Cedar Fire|Cedar]] ''(Signal fire)''
|[[San Diego County, California|San Diego]]
|{{convert|273,246|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|October 2003}}
|'''2,820'''
|15
|-
|7.
|[[North Complex Fire|North Complex]] ''(Lightning)''
|[[Butte County, California|Butte]], [[Plumas County, California|Plumas]], & [[Yuba County, California|Yuba]]
|{{convert|318,935|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|August 2020}}
|'''2,352'''
|15
|-
|8.
|[[Valley Fire|Valley]] ''(Electrical)''
|[[Lake County, California|Lake]], [[Napa County, California|Napa]] & [[Sonoma County, California|Sonoma]]
|{{convert|76,067|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|September 2015}}
|'''1,955'''
|4
|-
|9.
|[[Witch Fire|Witch]] ''(Powerlines)''
|[[San Diego County, California|San Diego]]
|{{convert|197,990|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|October 2007}}
|'''1,650'''
|2
|-
|10.
||[[Woolsey Fire|Woolsey]] ''(Electrical)''
|[[Ventura County, California|Ventura]]
|{{convert|96,949|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|November 2018}}
|'''1,643'''
|3
|-
|11.
|[[Carr Fire|Carr]] ''(Vehicle)''
|[[Shasta County, California|Shasta]] & [[Trinity County, California|Trinity]]
|{{convert|229,651|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|July 2018}}
|'''1,614'''
|8
|-
|12.
|[[Glass Fire|Glass]] ''(Undetermined)''
|[[Napa County, California|Napa]] & [[Sonoma County, California|Sonoma]]
|{{convert|67,484|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|September 2020}}
|'''1,520'''
|0
|-
|13.
|[[LNU Lightning Complex Fire|LNU Lightning Complex]] ''(Lightning/Arson)''
|[[Napa County, California|Napa]], [[Solano County, California|Solano]], [[Sonoma County, California|Sonoma]], [[Yolo County, California|Yolo]], [[Lake County, California|Lake]], & [[Colusa County, California|Colusa]]
|{{convert|363,220|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|August 2020}}
|'''1,491'''
|6
|-
|14.
|[[CZU Lightning Complex Fire|CZU Lightning Complex]] ''(Lightning)''
|[[Santa Cruz County, California|Santa Cruz]] & [[San Mateo County, California|San Mateo]]
|{{convert|86,509|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|August 2020}}
|'''1,490'''
|1
|-
|15.
|[[Nuns Fire|Nuns]] ''(Powerline)''
|[[Sonoma County, California|Sonoma]]
|{{convert|54,382|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|October 2017}}
|'''1,355'''
|3
|-
|16.
|[[Dixie Fire|Dixie]] ''(Powerline)''
|[[Butte County, California|Butte]], [[Plumas County, California|Plumas]], [[Lassen County, California|Lassen]], & [[Tehama County, California|Tehama]]
|{{convert|963,309|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|July 2021}}
|'''1,311'''
|1
|-
|17.
|[[Thomas Fire|Thomas]] ''(Powerline)''
|[[Ventura County, California|Ventura]] & [[Santa Barbara County, California|Santa Barbara]]
|{{convert|281,893|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|December 2017}}
|'''1,063'''
|23
|-
|18.
|[[Caldor Fire|Caldor]] ''(Bullet)''
|[[Alpine County, California|Alpine]], [[Amador County, California|Amador]], & [[El Dorado County, California|El Dorado]]
|{{convert|221,835|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|August 2021}}
|'''1,003'''
|1
|-
|19.
|[[Old Fire|Old]] ''(Arson)''
|[[San Bernardino County, California|San Bernardino]]
|{{convert|91,281|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|October 2003}}
|'''1,003'''
|6
|-
|20.
|[[Jones Fire (1999)|Jones]] ''(Undetermined)''
|[[Shasta County, California|Shasta]]
|{{convert|26,200|acres|ha|abbr=values}}
|{{dts|October 1999}}
|'''954'''
|1
|}

==Areas of repeated ignition==
[[File:Summer 2008 California wildfires on July 9.jpg|thumb|upright|The summer 2008 wildfires were widespread and deadly, with at least 3,596 wildfires of various origins burning throughout [[Northern California|Northern]] and [[Central California]], for around four months]]
In some parts of California, fires recur with some regularity. In [[Oakland, California|Oakland]], for example, fires of various size and ignition occurred in [[1923 Berkeley, California fire|1923]], 1931, 1933, 1937, 1946, 1955, 1960, 1961, 1968, 1970, 1980, 1990, [[Oakland firestorm of 1991|1991]], 1995, 2002, and 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://montclairoak.com/tag/oakland-hills-fire/|title=Oakland Hills Fire|website=Today in Montclair, 94611|date=6 March 2012|access-date=6 April 2018|archive-date=13 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213201253/https://montclairoak.com/tag/oakland-hills-fire/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=History of Fires in the Oakland hills|url=http://www2.oaklandnet.com/oakca1/groups/fire/documents/webcontent/oak042168.pdf|website=oaklandnet.com|access-date=2014-03-24|archive-date=2014-03-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140329005514/http://www2.oaklandnet.com/oakca1/groups/fire/documents/webcontent/oak042168.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Orange County, California|Orange County]], [[Riverside County, California|Riverside County]], [[San Bernardino County, California|San Bernardino County]], and [[Los Angeles County, California|Los Angeles County]] are other examples. Orange and San Bernardino counties share a border that runs north to south through the [[Chino Hills State Park]], with the park's landscape ranging from large green [[coastal sage scrub]], [[grassland]], and [[woodland]], to areas of brown sparsely dense [[vegetation]] made drier by droughts or hot summers. The valley's grass and barren land can become easily susceptible to dry spells and drought, therefore making it a prime spot for brush fires and [[conflagration]]s, many of which have occurred since 1914. Hills and canyons have seen brush or wildfires in 1914, the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and into today.<ref>{{Cite report|title=A 100 Year History of Wildfires Near Chino Hills State Park|date=August 2012|publisher=Hills For Everyone|url=http://www.hillsforeveryone.org/projects/fire-files/A-100-Year-History-of-Wildfires-Near-CHSP.pdf|access-date=2014-03-24|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140329012854/http://www.hillsforeveryone.org/projects/fire-files/A-100-Year-History-of-Wildfires-Near-CHSP.pdf|archive-date=2014-03-29}}</ref>

On occasion, lightning strikes from [[thunderstorm]]s may also spark wildfires in areas that have seen past ignition. Examples of this are the 1999 Megram Fire, the [[2008 California wildfires]],{{citation needed|date = December 2017}} as well as the LNU and SCU Lightning Complex fires (both in 2020).

==See also==
* [[Climate of California]]
:* [[List of California floods]]
:* [[List of California tornadoes]]
:* [[List of California hurricanes]]
* [[List of wildfires]]
* [[Wildfires in the United States]]
:* [[List of Arizona wildfires]]
:* [[List of New Mexico wildfires]]
:* [[List of Oregon wildfires]]

{{clear}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Wildfires in California}}
* [http://www.fire.ca.gov/ Official California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) site]

{{California wildfires}}
{{California wildfires by size}}
{{California wildfires by deaths}}
{{Wildfires in the United States}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:California Wildfires list of}}
[[Category:Wildfires in California| ]]
[[Category:California history-related lists|Wildfires]]
[[Category:California nature-related lists|Wildfire]]
[[Category:Lists of wildfires in the United States]]