2003 California wildfires
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}} {{Use American English|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox wildfire
| image = File:October 2003 wildfires.jpg
| caption = Satellite view of the October 2003 wildfires in Southern California, depicting the smoke blowing out over the Pacific Ocean.
| reference = {{cite web|title=Cedar Fire Memorial |url=http://www.lakesidehistory.org/CedarFire/cedar_fire_memorial.htm |website=www.lakesidehistory.org |access-date=5 September 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160623225606/http://www.lakesidehistory.org/CedarFire/cedar_fire_memorial.htm |archive-date=23 June 2016 }}
| cost = >$2.729 billion (2003 USD){{cite web|url=http://air-worldwide.com/_public/NewsData/001563/AIRCurrents_CaliWildfires.pdf|title=California Wildfire: How Large Can The Losses Be?|author1=Dr. Tomas Girnius|author2=Tyler Hauteniemi|author3=Scott Stransky|publisher=AIRCurrents|date=August 2008|access-date=December 11, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171212031708/http://air-worldwide.com/_public/NewsData/001563/AIRCurrents_CaliWildfires.pdf|archive-date=December 12, 2017|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.fire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/fact_sheets/2003summaryfinal.pdf|title=CDF 2003 Fire Season Summary|publisher=CalFire|date=May 2005|access-date=December 11, 2017|archive-date=December 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171208215004/http://www.fire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/fact_sheets/2003summaryfinal.pdf|url-status=dead}}
| total_fires = 9,116
| total_area = {{convert|1,020,460|acre|km2}}
| injuries = At least 1 firefighter, 36 civilians
| fatalities = 24 civilians{{cite web|url=http://www.fire.ca.gov/fire_protection/downloads/2003FireStoryInternet.pdf|title=California Fire Siege 2003: The Story|author1=Jack A. Blackwell|author2=Andrea Tuttle|publisher=CalFire|date=2004|access-date=December 11, 2017|archive-date=December 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221134049/http://www.fire.ca.gov/fire_protection/downloads/2003FireStoryInternet.pdf|url-status=dead}}
1 firefighter
| is_season = yes
| year = 2003
| season_name = California wildfires
}}
During 2003, 9,116 wildfires{{cite web|url=http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2003_statssumm/fires_acres.pdf|title=National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State in 2003|publisher=National Interagency Fire Center|date=2004|access-date=18 October 2016|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}} burned {{convert|1,020,460|acre|km2}} across the US state of California. In October, a major wildfire outbreak in Southern California burned more than 750,000 acres, destroyed thousands of homes, and killed two dozen people.{{cite report |url=https://www.fire.ca.gov/downloads/2003FireStoryInternet.pdf |title=California Fire Siege 2003: The Story |author= |date=2003 |publisher=California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection |page= |docket= |quote= |author-link= |access-date=January 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070624152520/https://www.fire.ca.gov/downloads/2003FireStoryInternet.pdf |archive-date=June 24, 2007 |url-status=dead}} Many of the victims were killed in their cars while trying to flee.[https://nsjfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Faces-20031.pdf Mutch, R.W.] "FACES: The Story of the Victims of Southern California‘s 2003 Fire Siege", by Robert W. Mutch; Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center; July 2007.[https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5297020.pdf USDA] "The 2003 San Diego County Fire Siege Fire safety Review"; USDA Forest Service; 2003.
Fires
Below is a list of fires that exceeded {{convert|1000|acre|km2}} during the 2003 fire season.{{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}} The list is taken from CAL FIRE's list of large fires.
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" | |||||
| Name
! County ! Acres ! Km{{sup|2}} ! Start Date ! Contained Date ! Notes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local | Riverside | {{convert|12,000|acres|km2|1|disp=tablecen}} | February 23, 2003 | February 23, 2003 | |
| Delima | Tulare | {{convert|3,000|acres|km2|1|disp=tablecen}} | May 3, 2003 | May 3, 2003 | |
| Bird | San Joaquin | {{convert|6,804|acres|km2|1|disp=tablecen}} | June 1, 2003 | June 1, 2003 | |
| Tejon | Kern | {{convert|1,155|acres|km2|1|disp=tablecen}} | June 29, 2003 | June 2, 2003 | 2 structures destroyed |
| Parkhill | San Luis Obispo | {{convert|1,200|acres|km2|1|disp=tablecen}} | July 20, 2003 | July 22, 2003 | 18 structures destroyed |
| Kibbie Complex | Tuolumne | {{convert|9,815|acres|km2|1|disp=tablecen}} | July 20, 2003 | October 2, 2003 | |
| Coyote | San Diego | {{convert|18,705|acres|km2|1|disp=tablecen}} | July 16, 2003 | July 26, 2003 | 2 structures destroyed |
| Locust | Riverside | {{convert|1,898|acres|km2|1|disp=tablecen}} | August 18, 2003 | August 20, 2003 | 1 structure destroyed |
| Canoe | Humboldt | {{convert|24,882|acres|km2|1|disp=tablecen}} | September 3, 2003 | October 15, 2003 | 2 structures damaged |
| Pass | Riverside | {{convert|2,397|acres|km2|1|disp=tablecen}} | October 21, 2003 | October 23, 2003 | 3 structures destroyed |
| Grand Prix | San Bernardino | {{convert|66,894|acres|km2|1|disp=tablecen}} | October 21, 2003 | November 5, 2003 | 136 structures destroyed |
| Piru | Ventura | {{convert|63,991 |acres|km2|1|disp=tablecen}} | October 23, 2003 | November 14, 2003 | 8 structures destroyed |
| Verdale | Los Angeles | {{convert|8,650|acres|km2|1|disp=tablecen}} | October 24, 2003 | October 24, 2003 | 1 structure destroyed |
| Simi | Ventura | {{convert|108,204|acres|km2|1|disp=tablecen}} | October 25, 2003 | November 5, 2003 | 300 structures destroyed, 21 injuries |
| Cedar | San Diego | {{convert|273,246|acres|km2|1|disp=tablecen}} | October 25, 2003 | December 5, 2003 | 2,820 structures destroyed, 15 fatalities |
| Old | San Bernardino | {{convert|91,281|acres|km2|1|disp=tablecen}} | October 25, 2003 | November 14, 2003 | 1,003 structures destroyed, 6 fatalities |
| Otay | San Diego | {{convert|46,291|acres|km2|1|disp=tablecen}} | October 26, 2003 | October 27, 2003 | 1 residential structure and 5 outbuildings destroyed, 1 firefighter injured{{cite web|url=http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=68|title=Otay Fire|publisher=CalFire|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}} |
| Mine | San Diego | {{convert|46,000|acres|km2|1|disp=tablecen}} | October 26, 2003 | October 28, 2003 | |
| Mountain | Riverside | {{convert|10,000|acres|km2|1|disp=tablecen}} | October 26, 2003 | October 29, 2003 | 61 structures destroyed |
| Paradise | San Diego | {{convert|56,700|acres|km2|1|disp=tablecen}} | October 26, 2003 | November 6, 2003 | 223 structures destroyed, 2 fatalities |
| Whitmore | Shasta | {{convert|1,200|acres|km2|1|disp=tablecen}} | October 27, 2003 | October 30, 2003 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{cite web|url=http://www.fire.ca.gov/fire_protection/downloads/2003FireStoryInternet.pdf|title=California Fire Siege 2003: The Story|author1=Jack A. Blackwell|author2=Andrea Tuttle|publisher=CalFire|date=2004|access-date=December 11, 2017|archive-date=December 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221134049/http://www.fire.ca.gov/fire_protection/downloads/2003FireStoryInternet.pdf|url-status=dead}}
{{California wildfires}}
{{California wildfires by deaths}}