The Latest News and information about California Fires

Ignited by lightning on September 25, the Buckeye Fire covered 1,040 acres five miles west of Bridgeport near the Buckeye Hot Springs. The fire was difficult to control because of its location's hazardous terrain, but firefighters achieved full containment today, September 28 without any reported injuries. Firefighters will continue mopping up hot spots and other restorative efforts.

Roads endangered by the fire remain closed until further notice. Buckeye Road is closed between its northern intersection with US-395 and its southern intersection with CA-420. Firefighters are using the roads near the fire to continue their efforts, so drivers must exercise caution when using these roads. Additionally, the Buckeye Campground remains evacuated. On lookers are discouraged from entering the afflicted area for their own safety.

On September 10th, a lightning storm started three separate wildfires in Kern County.  The three separate fires (Milano Fire, Spring Fire and Cottonwood Fire) have now burned together and formed a large blaze that has burned over 25,000 acres.  So far, there have only been two injuries and an estimated cost to date of $5.1 million.  A total of 44 engines, 8 helicopters and 1 dozer have been working all week to put out the fire and expect to have it fully contained by Saturday morning.  In the meantime, firefighters are focusing on putting out the east side of the fire, which has the most fire activity.  For more information, call: (951) 225-4505.

Map of the affected area of Kern County.

Breckenridge Complex Fire 6 days ago

UPDATED: RED FLAG WARNING is now in effect until 11 PM PDT Thursday for dry lightning for fire zones 281 and 282.* Affected Area: fire zones 281 and 282 

Fire weather watch in effect from early Friday morning through Saturday afternoon for very low humidity and gusty east winds along upper slopes and ridges above 2500 feet for fire zones 203…204…211…212 and 283 

WIND: sustained East and Northeast winds will range from 4 to 8 MPH during the afternoon hours but will increase to 10 to 15 MPH around Midnight.  Winds will peak during the early morning hours when gusts from 20 to 30 MPH are expected along higher terrain and favored areas such as the Bald Hills…Trinity Lake…and the West slopes of the Salmon and Siskiyou Mountains. 

HUMIDITY: Minimum RH values during the afternoon hours will range from 10 to 15% with single digit RH over some interior valley locations. Very poor recovery is expected during the night and morning hours…especially along higher terrain where values will only rise to near 30%.

On Saturday, August 27th, a wildfire broke out in Pinon Hills, which is located in between San Bernardino County and Los Angeles County.  Witnesses reported that they saw a lightning strike before the blaze broke out but it has not been officially confirmed that lightning was the cause.  The fire has burned 345 acres and wind gusts in the area have made it difficult for the firefighters to combat the fire however, they now have 85% of the fire contained and expect to have it fully contained later on today.  There have only been 3 reported injuries and no structures were threatened.

Are You doing the right thing, the wrong way?

Are you doing the right thing the wrong way -for example, trying to eliminate the fire hazards around your home and in the process starting a wildland fire? Each year CAL FIRE responds to more than 1,600 fires started by Californians using equipment the wrong way.

Whether working to create a defensible space around your home, just mowing the lawn, or pulling your dirt bike over to the side of the road, if you live in a wildland area you need to use all equipment responsibly. Lawn mowers, weedeaters, chain saws, grinders, welders, tractors, and trimmers can all spark a wildland fire. Do your part, the right way, to keep your community fire safe.

Here’s how to do it the Right Way:

▪ Do all yard maintenance that requires a gas or electrical motor before 10 a.m. Not in the heat of the day, or when the wind is blowing!

▪ Lawn mowers are designed to mow lawns. Never use lawn mowers in dry vegetation.

▪ Use a weed trimmer to cut down dry weeds and grass.

▪ Remove rocks in the area before you begin operating any equipment. A rock hidden in grass or weeds is enough to start a fire when struck by a metal blade.

▪ In wildland areas, spark arresters are required on all portable gasoline powered equipment including tractors, harvesters, chain saws, weedeaters, mowers, motorcycles, and All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs).

▪ Keep the exhaust system, spark arresters and mower in proper working order and free of carbon buildup. Use the recommended grade of fuel and don’t top off.

▪ Keep the engine free of oil and dust, and keep the mower free of  flammable materials.

▪ In wildland areas, a permit may be required for grinding and welding operations, and spark shields may be required on equipment. Be sure to have 10 feet  of clearance, a 46”round point shovel, and a backpump water-type fire extinguisher ready to use.

▪ Hot exhaust pipes and mufflers can start  fires you won’t even see, until it’s too late!  Don't pull off into dry grass or brush.

▪ Keep a cell phone nearby and call 911 immediately in case of a fire. 

On Tuesday, a tanker car caught fire at a propane distribution center in Lincoln. In response to the threat of the tank exploding, Highway 65 remains partially closed and approximately 10,000 people have been evacuated from their homes. 

The inflamed tank car contains 30,000 gallons of propane and is attached to two other tank cars. There is around 170,000-500,000 gallons of propane at risk of ignition. Firefighters fear extinguishing the fire will permit the propane to leak into the nearby town, where it may find a new ignition source. One employee has been burned. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. 

Fuel fire experts flew in from Houston, Texas to outline an effective containment strategy. So far, firefighters have been hosing the tank with water to regulate its temperature. The new plan is to dig a hole near the tanker. Wednesday afternoon, a team wearing protective gear will insert a hose into the burning tanker, offloading fuel into the hole and providing the fumes space to burn off. 

On August 22nd, around 2:30 pm, a blaze started in Riverside County.  The fire was quickly contained by the next morning and only burned 189 acres.  The winds pushed the flames toward a residential area, forcing evacuations.  With the help of about 200 people, three water-dropping helicopters and three fire retardant-dropping air tankers, fire crews were able to put out the fire by 7:30 am the next morning. A welder's torch sparked the fire but authorities have not been able to find the person responsible. Anyone with information regarding the fire is urged to call the Riverside County Arson Hotline at (800) 633-2836.

Firefighters battle the Garza Fire located a few miles Northwest of Perris.

On August 18th, around 11 am, a fire broke out in Modoc County, 4 miles North of Fort Bidwell.  The blaze, known as Annie Fire, was fully contained on August 21st around 5 pm with the help of 295 personnel, 5 water tenders, 1 dozer and 1 helicopter. It managed to burn 2,076 acres but on a positive note, there were no reported injuries.  The cause of the fire is unknown and still under investigation. Additional fire information can be obtained by calling (530) 701-1437.

Map of the area of Modoc County that is being affected by Annie Fire.

As of yesterday morning, the Reliz Fire in Monterey County was fully contained.  Officers claim that a car fire was the cause of the blaze. The fire burned 214 acres in a  remote area in the Sierra de Salinas mountain range west of King City off of Monroe Canyon Road.  There were no evacuations and no buildings were threatened.  Today there is no noted fire activity but firefighters will continue to patrol the area for hot spots.  

Close up of the Reliz Fire

CAL FIRE's Burn Restrictions and Burn Permits 

During certain times of the year, when fire danger is high, residential debris burning of dead vegetation is unsafe. However, homeowners should always check with their local CAL FIRE station and local air quality management agency before burning. For more information on debris burning safety download an educational fact sheet. 

To find out it it is a permissive burn day in your area, contact your local Air Pollution Control District. Contact information may be found at the Sate air Resources Board website. 

Burn Restrictions 

When the weather begins to warm up and fire danger increases, CAL FIRE will restrict all residential debris burning. When a burn restriction is in place there is absolutely no debris burning allowed.