2013 California wildfires

The 2013 California wildfires were a group of 7,176 wildfires that burned at least 593,985 acres (240,377 ha) of land in the state of California, during 2013. The wildfires injured at least 125 people and killed at least 1, and caused over $218.15 million (2013 USD) in damage. These included several large, notable wildfires, including the Rim Fire, which became California's 3rd largest wildfire. One of the wildfires was also caused by the plane crash of the Asiana Airlines Flight 214 on July 6, 2013, which ignited a wildfire that burned around 1 acre of land.^[4]

Springs Fire

The Springs Fire was a wildfire in Ventura County and Los Angeles County, California in May 2013. Although the fire burned only 15 homes,^[5] it threatened 4,000. This threat passed when rain shower moved through the California area because of a low-pressure system off the coast. Some places got more than half an inch of rain.^[6]

The fire started at 6:45 AM on May 2, 2013, in Camarillo, California near U.S. Route 101 and burned across Pacific Coast Highway to the Pacific Ocean.^[7] Several neighborhoods were evacuated, along with the campus of California State University Channel Islands.^[8][9]

The fire burned around 24,000 acres of brushland along coastal Ventura County and into the Santa Monica Mountains.^[10] Weather conditions made favorable conditions for brush fires. The Santa Ana Winds were blowing at 40 to 50 miles per hour, spreading the fire; single-digit humidity added to the problems. By May 3, the fire was only 20 percent contained; on May 4, higher humidity made firefighters jobs easier; and on May 5 the fire was 60 percent contained.^[11] On May 6, 2013, the fire was almost extinguished as rain fell in the area.

Powerhouse Fire

The Powerhouse Fire was a wildfire in northern Los Angeles County, California mostly in the Angeles National Forest. It started at approximately 3:30 PM on May 30, 2013. It was 100% contained by June 10, 2013.

The fire burned more than 30,000 acres and destroyed 53 structures, including 24 homes.^[12] At the fire's peak it threatened more than 1000 structures.^[13] Two thousand firefighters were deployed to fight the fire. The communities of Lake Hughes, Elizabeth Lake, and Green Valley were evacuated.^[14]

The fire never posed a threat to urban areas because the majority of the blaze was located in Angeles National Forest. The Powerhouse Fire did pose a threat to local forests as well as to powerlines, watershed areas, and the habitats of threatened and endangered species.^[14]

Mountain Fire

The Mountain Fire was a wildfire in July, 2013 in Riverside County, California, about 100 miles east of Los Angeles. It burned primarily in the San Jacinto Mountains in the San Bernardino National Forest. It started on July 15, 2013 at 1:43 PM near the junction of Highway 243 and Highway 74. It burned for 16 days on steep slopes of timber and chaparral above Palm Springs. Heavy rainfall, up to 1.5 inches (3.8 cm), on July 21 helped bring the blaze under control.^[15] It was fully contained on July 30, 2013.^[16]

CalFire investigators said the fire was caused by a failure of "some type of electrical equipment" on private property and was not related to utility company equipment.^[17] At the fire's peak there were 3,500 firefighters on the lines as well as 20 helicopters, 12 airplanes and 260 engines.^[18] The cost of fighting the fire was estimated to be $25.8 million.^[16]

Rim Fire

Clover Fire

See also

• List of California wildfires
• Climate change in California
• 2014 California wildfires
• 2010 California wildfires
• 2009 California wildfires
• November 2008 California wildfires
• Summer 2008 California wildfires
• November 2007 California wildfires
• October 2007 California wildfires
• Topanga Fire
• Cedar Fire
• Old Fire (2003)
• FIRESCOPE

References

External links

• Photos of the fire at weather.com
• Current Fire Information. CAL FIRE (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection)