Basin Complex Fire

{{Short description|2008 wildfire in Southern California}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}

{{Infobox wildfire

| title = Basin Complex Fire

| image = BasinFireArea-JPBurnsParkDSC 2015-w.jpg

| caption = Aerial view of Basin Fire Burn Area at Julia Pfeiffer Burns Park, on September 1.

| reference = {{cite web|title=Top 20 Largest California Wildfires|url=http://www.fire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/fact_sheets/20LACRES.pdf|website=CAL FIRE|access-date=14 August 2015|archive-date=2 September 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090902172859/http://www.fire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/fact_sheets/20LACRES.pdf|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Inciweb: Basin Complex|url=http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/1367/|website=InciWeb|access-date=13 October 2016|archive-date=26 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161226160200/http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/1367/|url-status=dead}}

| cost = $120 million (2008 USD)

| date = {{Unbulleted list|{{Start date|2008|6|21}} – |{{End date|2008|7|27}}}}

| location = Monterey County, California

| latd =

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| area = {{Convert|162,818|acre|km2|0}}

| buildings = {{ubl}}

| cause = Lightning

| landuse =

| injuries = None reported

| fatalities = None reported

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}}

The Basin Complex Fire was a massive wildfire near Big Sur that ignited on June 21, 2008, and was the result of a lightning strike. It eventually grew to {{convert|162,818|acre|km2}}, becoming the second-largest wildfire of the 2008 California wildfire season and burning most of the Ventana Wilderness. State and federal officials spent more than $120 million to fight the fire, making it the most expensive fire in California history up to that point and the second most expensive in U.S. history, exceeded only by the Biscuit Fire in 2002.{{cite web|title=Basin Complex Fire (Reposted)|url=http://westinstenv.org/firetrack/2008/07/25/basin-complex-fire-reposted/|work=Western Institute for Study of the Environment|publisher=W.I.S.E. Fire Tracking|date=July 25, 2008|access-date=June 22, 2011|archive-date=March 27, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327045300/http://westinstenv.org/firetrack/2008/07/25/basin-complex-fire-reposted/|url-status=usurped}} Eventually, the Thomas Fire surpassed the Basin Complex Fire in firefighting costs as well.