2007 California wildfires

Below is a list of all fires that exceeded {{convert|1000|acre|km2}} during the 2007 fire season.{{cite web|title=Large Fires 2007|url=http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/pub/cdf/images/incidentstatsevents_167.pdf|website=CAL FIRE|access-date=21 August 2015|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304200939/http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/pub/cdf/images/incidentstatsevents_167.pdf|url-status=dead}} The list is taken from CAL FIRE's list of large fires.

{{reflist|group=nb}}

{{Main|October 2007 California wildfires}}

Image:SantaAnaWinds QuikSCAT 2002feb.jpg image from 2002 showing the speed of the Santa Ana winds (m/s)]]

{{see also|Southwestern North American megadrought}}

The October 2007 fires occurred following an extremely dry previous winter: in Los Angeles, with only {{convert|3.21|in|mm|1|disp=or}} of rainfall between July 2006 and June 2007, it was the driest “rain year” on record by {{convert|1.14|in|mm|1}}.{{cite web | url =https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11778590&ft=1&f=1001 |title = NPR: Water Flows in Los Angeles Despite Drought|author = Kahn, Carrie | website=NPR |date=July 6, 2007 | access-date = 2007-10-24}} The record drought was exacerbated by the seasonal Santa Ana winds, blowing at an abnormally high strength. This combination of wind, heat, and dryness turned the chaparral into fire fuel. Officials believed that some of the fires generated their own winds, similar to the Oakland firestorm of 1991. The effects of the smoke were felt as far away as Brentwood in the East Bay, near Stockton, where it impacted local weather. High-speed Santa Ana winds also rendered the use of dropping water from fire fighting aircraft inefficient: until such winds abate, most payloads of water are just dispersed by the wind over an area so large that the water evaporates before it can reach a large fire on the ground.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reported,{{cquote|Santa Ana winds blowing up to {{convert|60|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} combined with temperatures into the 90s to create in the worst possible fire conditions.{{cite news|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20071022-9999-1n22main.html |title=County asks for 1,000 more firefighters |author=McDonald, Jeff and Janine Zuniga and Kristina Davis |work=The San Diego Union-Tribune |date=October 22, 2007 |access-date=2007-10-22 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023092223/http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20071022-9999-1n22main.html |archive-date=October 23, 2007 }}}} At one point, swirling winds threatened to bring fire into densely populated urban areas. At the height of the Santa Ana winds on October 22, sustained wind speeds reached {{convert|90|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, with wind gusts up to {{convert|112|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} reported.

Image:Oct 21-22 2007 Skyline Comparison.JPG skyline from October 21, 2007 (left and center) to October 22, 2007 (right)]]

Image:Mira Mesa Senior High as an evacuation site during the 2007 Witch Creek Fire (brighter).jpg]]

Image:Firehome3.jpg

On October 21, the Harris Fire damaged and disabled the Southwest Power Link, a 500,000-volt power line from Arizona to San Diego.{{cite news |url=http://www.sddt.com/Search/article.cfm?SourceCode=20071023czd|title=Fires wreak havoc on region's electricity supply|work=Jeran Wittenstein | publisher=San Diego Daily Transcript | date=October 23, 2007|access-date=2007-10-26}} Power outages were reported in Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, and other counties on October 22 to 333,500 Southern California Edison customers, most being restored within 24 hours. The power outage also affected the areas of Ojai, Oxnard, Simi Valley, Santa Clarita, Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills, Rialto, Fontana, San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, Mira Loma, Hesperia, Corona, Bloomington, Irvine, Calimesa and Rubidoux. This outage also caused 230 people to be without power in Malibu.{{cite news|url=http://www.knbc.com/news/14390468/detail.html?dl=mainclick|title=SoCal Crews Respond To 'Fire After Fire'|work=KNBC|publisher=KNBC.com|date=October 22, 2007|access-date=2007-10-22}}{{Dead link|date=May 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The California Independent System Operator Corp declared an energy transmission emergency in southern California on October 23, due to wildfires affecting the lines. 500,000-, 230,000- and 138,000-volt lines were disabled in San Diego, and some lines in other areas were also disabled. 24,992 people lost power, due to the lack of power from the power grid. During the crisis, Mexico provided power to help augment the electrical needs of the San Diego area.{{cite news | url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1026/p01s09-ussc.html | title=From far and wide, helpers pour into a fire-stricken San Diego | work=scmonitor.com | publisher=The Christian Science Monitor | date=October 26, 2007|access-date=2007-10-28}}

Authorities have stated that the evacuations, which displaced more than 900,000 people, have been the largest evacuation number in the history of California.{{cite news | url=http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-evacuate24oct24,0,627804.story?coll=la-home-center | title=Scale of the fires' disruption on display at San Diego stadium | work=Los Angeles Times | date=October 23, 2007|access-date=2007-10-23 | first1=H.G. | last1=Reza | first2=Jill | last2=Leovy | first3=Alex | last3=Pham}} By mid-morning on October 22, 2007, thousands of evacuees were taking shelter in Qualcomm Stadium and other locations throughout San Diego.

{{cite news |access-date=2007-10-24

|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-evacuate24oct24,0,627804.story?page=1&coll=la-headlines-california

| title=Scale of the fires' disruption on display at San Diego stadium

| author = H.G. Reza, Jill Leovy and Alex Pham | newspaper=Los Angeles Times

| date=October 24, 2007

}} On the afternoon of October 22, 2007, the Marines evacuated some planes from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar to other military bases in California and Arizona.{{cite news | url=http://sosdfireblog.blogspot.com/2007/10/miramar-evacuating-some-aircraft.html | title=Miramar evacuating some aircraft|work=The San Diego Union-Tribune | date=October 22, 2007 | access-date=2007-10-22}} The Navy moved all non-essential personnel from Naval Base San Diego barracks onto nearby vessels to accommodate refugees.{{cite news|title= Military helps fight fires while personnel evacuated|publisher=CNN.com|date=October 23, 2007|url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/23/fire.military/index.html |access-date=2007-10-23}} The San Diego Wild Animal Park moved some animals to the on-site animal hospital for their protection.{{cite news | url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20071022-0934-bn22fire3new.html | title=Witch fire roars west across Rancho Bernardo and Poway | author=Martinez, Angelica and Greg Gros |newspaper=The San Diego Union-Tribune | date=October 22, 2007 | access-date=2007-10-22}}

The Horno Fire had charred {{convert|6000|acre|km2}} in Camp Pendleton by 4:00 A.M PDT, on October 24, 2007. It caused the closure of Interstate 5 and it also caused Amtrak California to stop Pacific Surfliner service between Oceanside and San Clemente.{{cite news | url=http://sosdfireblog.blogspot.com/2007/10/camp-pendleton-fire-spread-to-6000.html | title=Camp Pendleton fire spread to {{convert|6000|acre|km2}} |newspaper=The San Diego Union-Tribune | date=October 24, 2007|access-date=2007-10-24}} Traffic was being diverted to Interstate 15, which had itself been closed earlier.{{cite news | url=http://sosdfireblog.blogspot.com/2007/10/traffic-diverting-to-north-i-15.html | title=Traffic diverting to north I-15 |newspaper=The San Diego Union-Tribune | date=October 24, 2007|access-date=2007-10-24}}

Illegal migrant workers were endangered by the crisis, sometimes staying at work in the fields within mandatory evacuation zones. Many had lived in the canyons nearby and distrusted officials.{{cite news | url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15634399 | title=Fires Highlight Safety Needs of Migrant Workers | work=npr.org | publisher=National Public Radio |author=Amy Isackson | date=October 25, 2007|access-date=2007-10-28}} When fleeing the fires, some were arrested, while others were turned away from shelters due to lack of adequate identification.{{cite news | url=http://www.kcbs.com/Immigrants-Step-Out-of-the-Smoke/1141409 | title=Immigrants Step Out of the Smoke | work=kcbs.com | publisher=KCBS All News Radio 740 AM | date=October 27, 2007 | access-date=2007-10-28 | archive-date=2007-10-29 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071029033427/http://www.kcbs.com/Immigrants-Step-Out-of-the-Smoke/1141409 | url-status=dead }} Some Mexican firefighters expressed concern about their countrymen, while others felt the migrant workers were aware of the risks they were taking.{{cite news | url=http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bomberosx27oct27,1,4864765.story?coll=la-headlines-california | title=Mexican fire crew joins the fight | work=latimes.org |author=Ari B. Bloomekatz | date=October 27, 2007|access-date=2007-10-28}} coyotehowls

Only a few cases of looting were documented. Six people were arrested for stealing supplies from Qualcomm stadium,{{cite news | url=http://sosdfireblog.blogspot.com/2007/10/illegal-immigrants-arrested-for.html | title=Illegal immigrants suspected of stealing supplies | work=The San Diego Union-Tribune |date=October 24, 2007|access-date=2007-10-24}} another was arrested for theft after being found in possession of stolen goods in the Jamul fire area,{{cite news | url=http://sosdfireblog.blogspot.com/2007/10/another-looting-arrest.html | title=Another looting arrest | work=The San Diego Union-Tribune |date=October 24, 2007|access-date=2007-10-24}} and two were arrested near the Tecate border crossing.{{cite news | url=http://sosdfireblog.blogspot.com/2007/10/two-looting-arrests-in-tecate.html | title=Two looting arrests in Tecate| work=The San Diego Union-Tribune |date=October 24, 2007|access-date=2007-10-24}}

The concentration of particulate matter 10 micrometers and smaller (designated PM10) reached unhealthy levels as a result of the fires. PM10 particles are small enough to enter deep into the lungs, and possibly the bloodstream. San Diego city attorney Michael Aguirre, citing concerns over weather conditions and air quality, urged the city to consider a voluntary evacuation of the entire city.{{cite news|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20071024/news_1n24aguirre.html |title=Aguirre wants San Diego evacuated in wake of wildfires |author=Vigil, Jennifer |work=The San Diego Union-Tribune |date=October 24, 2007 |access-date=2007-10-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026024544/http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20071024/news_1n24aguirre.html |archive-date=October 26, 2007 }}

{{Panorama

|image = Image:Wildfires in Eastern San Diego East County 2007.jpg

|caption = Smoke fills the horizon in East San Diego County, October 22, 2007.

|height = 200

}}

File:H-60S Seahawk from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 85.jpg, a plane captain launches an MH-60S Seahawk from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 85 to conduct operations in support of the California Department of Forestry's efforts in combating the San Diego wildfires.]]

File:Firefighters battle a blaze SoCal October 2007.jpg]]

Government agencies and volunteers worked together to mitigate the effects of the fires. According to the state of California's Consolidated Response web page, "There are 17 active fires in Southern California. The priority for fighting fires as of 19:30 on October 21 were the Buckweed, Witch, Harris, Canyon, Ranch, Santiago, and Sedgewick Fires."{{cite news | url=http://www.calfires.com/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060813192003/http://www.calfires.com/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=August 13, 2006 | title=Southern California Fire Report | work=CalFires.com | publisher=State of California | date=October 22, 2007 | access-date=2007-10-22 }} March Air Reserve Base is the primary staging area for relief supplies as coordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

With many businesses and schools closed, some people used their time off to help others. Officials estimated that 10,000 people were gathered at Qualcomm Stadium, the largest shelter point in San Diego. Besides food, blankets and water, volunteers provided toys for children, massages, and a live rock and roll band performance.

{{cite news | url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20071022-2315-bn22qcomm.html

| title=Surveyor makes order out of chaos for evacuees |newspaper=The San Diego Union-Tribune

| date=October 22, 2007|access-date=2007-10-22}} CERT teams, in various cities, received their first activation since the program's inception in this region. Trained volunteers provided assistance ranging from coordinating relief, to acting as a fire department auxiliary.{{cite web|date=October 25, 2007|author= Kelly Strodl |url=http://www.dailypilot.com/articles/2007/10/25/publicsafety/dpt-certused25.txt |title=Daily Pilot |publisher=Daily Pilot |access-date=2014-02-07}}{{cite web | title=Emergency volunteers' debut lauded | url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/wildfires/20071126-9999-1m26cert.html | work=Metro News | publisher=The San Diego Union-Tribune | date=2007-11-26 | access-date=2009-05-12}} Religious groups such as Victim Relief Ministries, Giving Children Hope, Hope Force International, Apostolic World Relief, and the Salvation Army responded by opening places of worship, donating supplies, and feeding workers and evacuees.{{cite news| url=http://www.kansascity.com/255/story/334574.html | title=Faith community reaches out to fire victims |publisher=The Kansas City Star |date=26 October 2007|access-date=2007-10-28 }}{{dead link|date=September 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{cite news | url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/religious-group-offers-gentle-comfort-to-wildfire-victims | title=Religious Group Offers Gentle Comfort to Wildfire Victims | work=Fox News | publisher=Fox Network | date=28 October 2007 | access-date=2007-10-28 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071029022044/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,305710,00.html | archive-date=29 October 2007 | url-status=live | df=dmy-all }}

The Department of Defense contributed twelve engines for firefighting efforts. The National Guard called more than 2,400 troops,{{cite web|author=LTC Jon Seipmann |title=Press Release 10-17 |url=http://www.calguard.ca.gov/publicaffairs/Pages/PressReleases/October%2007/PressRelease10-17.aspx |work=California National Guard |publisher=State of California |date=2007-10-25 |access-date=2009-05-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509170408/http://www.calguard.ca.gov/publicaffairs/Pages/PressReleases/October%2007/PressRelease10-17.aspx |archive-date=2009-05-09 }} with 17,000 available if needed; of which 100 California National Guard medical personnel provided medical assistance. Six crews from the Navy's Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 85 based at Naval Air Station North Island were assigned to battle the Witch Creek fire. They flew MH-60 Seahawk helicopters equipped with a 420-gallon water bucket and they were the only local Navy teams trained to fight fires from the air. Marine Corps Air Station Miramar contributed several aircraft as well as fire fighting trucks to operations based in Ramona.{{cite news|url=http://legacy.utsandiego.com/news/military/20071022-1752-bn22helos.html |title=Six Navy copter crews helping fight wildfires |work=The San Diego Union-Tribune |date=October 22, 2007 |access-date=2014-06-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012135800/http://legacy.utsandiego.com/news/military/20071022-1752-bn22helos.html |archive-date=October 12, 2012 |url-status=live }} One of the larger airtankers, the Martin Mars, sent through a private contract from its home in Port Alberni, British Columbia on October 25, landing on Lake Elsinore in Riverside County, California. It has a 7,000 gallon capacity. Two other airtankers and their crews from Quebec worked on the fires, part of an annual three-month contract with the state of California.{{cite news |url=http://www.wellandtribune.ca/2007/10/24/privately-owned-bc-water-bomber-to-help-fight-california-fires |title=Privately owned B.C. water bomber flying to fight California fires |work=cbc.ca |publisher=CBC News |date=October 23, 2007 |access-date=2014-06-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714203133/http://www.wellandtribune.ca/2007/10/24/privately-owned-bc-water-bomber-to-help-fight-california-fires |archive-date=2014-07-14 |url-status=dead }}

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in seven California counties where fires burned. President George W. Bush concurred and visited the region on Thursday, October 25, 2007.{{cite news | title=Fire damage severe, but worst may be over |newspaper=The San Diego Union-Tribune | date=October 23, 2007}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna21435512 |title=Bush promises aid for victims of California fires |agency=Associated Press |date=October 23, 2007|access-date=2007-10-23}}

Rep. Duncan Hunter criticized state fire officials for delaying the use of Marine helicopters until CalFire spotters were in position to coordinate their efforts. However, California Fire Marshal Kate Dargan said that the Marines and officials at CalFire were following procedures worked out with the military after serious problems with air coordination during the 2003 California wildfires. Other state officials also praised the federal response. Aaron McLear, a spokesman for Schwarzenegger, said the governor "is getting everything he needs from the federal government".{{cite news |url=http://sosdfireblog.blogspot.com/2007/10/did-state-delay-marine-copters.html | title=Did the state delay Marine copters? | work=The San Diego Union-Tribune | date=October 23, 2007 | access-date=2007-10-23}}

NBC Nightly News reported that with the evacuations reaching about 950,000 people, this was the largest peacetime movement of Americans since the Civil War era,{{cite news|url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/bulletin/bulletin_071024.htm |work=U.S. News & World Report |date=2007-10-24 |access-date=2007-10-24 |title=USNews.com Political Bulletin |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080402100133/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/bulletin/bulletin_071024.htm |archive-date=2008-04-02 }} although similar evacuation figures were cited for Hurricane Rita{{cite news | url=http://www.state.tx.us/page.jsp?language=eng&pageId=hurricane-rita | title=Hurricane Rita Information | work=Texas Online | publisher=State of Texas | access-date=2007-10-24 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026013939/http://www.state.tx.us/page.jsp?language=eng&pageId=hurricane-rita | archive-date=2007-10-26 | url-status=dead }} and Hurricane Katrina.{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/08/28/hurricane.katrina/|title=New Orleans braces for monster hurricane|work=CNN|date=August 29, 2005}}

File:US Navy 071023-N-5086M-023 Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Yan Ng prepares cots for potential evacuees during the San Diego wildfires, which have already burned more than 250,000 acres in San Diego County.jpg

On November 6, 2007, the state of California reported that the fires were under control. On November 9, the last vole of wildfires were finally contained. According to the state's consolidated report on the fires, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger "called on the Blue Ribbon Task Force to assess the next steps to take at federal, state and local levels of government to prevent and fight future fires. Additionally, the Governor asked the task force to review the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Fire Commission’s recommendations, generated after the 2003 fires, to evaluate if the recommendations are still the best and most effective ways in preventing and fighting fires."{{cite news | url=http://www.calfires.com/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060813192003/http://www.calfires.com/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=August 13, 2006 | title=Governor Calls on Blue Ribbon Task Force to Review State Fire Response | publisher=State of California | date=November 6, 2007 | access-date=2007-11-06 }}

• List of California wildfires
• {{C|Wildfires in California|Wildfires in California-related topics}}
• FIRESCOPE

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{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Commons category}}

{{wikinews|Wildfires burn in southern California}}

• [http://www.fire.ca.gov/master_content/downloads/Statewide_Fires_111007_am_96dpi.pdf CalFire map] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081115050418/http://www.fire.ca.gov/master_content/downloads/Statewide_Fires_111007_am_96dpi.pdf |date=2008-11-15 }}
• [http://www.latimes.com/firemap LA Times managed Google map showing fire locations and relevant information]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160305103809/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/21436901/ MSNBC managed Virtual Earth map showing fire locations]
• [https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&ie=UTF8&om=1&msa=0&msid=114250687465160386813.00043d08ac31fe3357571&ll=32.990236,-116.732483&spn=1.105782,1.757813&z=9&source=embed KPBS managed Google map with detailed San Diego area information]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20071025004901/http://www.sdcountyemergency.com/newsreleases/10242007_1600hrs_Evac_FirePerem.pdf San Diego County map showing evacuated areas]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20071023233025/http://www.cbs8.com/misc/fires_oct_07/maps.html CBS 8: San Diego fire maps]
• [https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=107327873899641045650.00043d1de33aaa4eb6ffb&om=1&ll=33.716608,-117.675847&spn=0.200187,0.32135&z=12 Orange County Register detailed map of Santiago fire]

• [http://map.sdsu.edu MAP.SDSU.EDU] - mapping, database and geographic information system for the 2003 and 2007 fires, managed by the San Diego GIS force group, and hosted by San Diego State University
• [http://www.sdfirerecovery.net The San Diego Fire Recovery Network] - a Southern California organization which addresses the widespread ecosystem changes in San Diego County caused by the 2003 and 2007 wild fires
• [http://map.sdsu.edu/firenet The GIS Data Center for San Diego Fire Recovery Network] - hosted by San Diego State University
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20071125194433/http://www.radicalurbantheory.com/mdavis/letmalibuburn.html Let Malibu Burn: A political history of the Fire Coast by Mike Davis]
• [http://webarchives.cdlib.org/a/calfires 2007 Southern California Wildfires Web Archive] at the California Digital Library.

{{California wildfires}}

{{California wildfires by deaths}}

California, 2007

Category:Wildfires in California by year