River Fire (2020)

{{Short description|2020 wildfire in Central California}}

{{Use American English|date=May 2025}}

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

{{Infobox wildfire

|title=River Fire

|partof=the August 2020 California lightning siege

|image=River Fire plume from Aptos.jpg

|date={{Unbulleted list|{{Start date|2020|08|16}} – |{{End date|2020|09|04}}}}

|acres={{Convert|48,088|acre|ha|0}}

|reference={{cite web|title=River Fire Information|url=https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/16/river-fire/|website=Cal Fire Incidents |publisher=California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection|access-date=September 4, 2020|date=September 4, 2020}}

|caption=The River Fire smoke plume as seen from the beach at Aptos the day it started

|buildings=30 structures

|injuries=4

|structures=13}}

The River Fire was a wildfire that broke out from a lightning storm early on August 16, 2020 in Monterey County, California, south of Salinas, near River Road and Mount Toro.{{cite news |last1=Szydlowski |first1=Joe |title=Here's how a freak storm ignited, and then inflamed, the River Fire in Monterey County |url=https://www.thecalifornian.com/story/news/2020/08/18/how-freak-storm-ignited-supercharged-river-fire-wildfire-monterey-county-california/3386744001/ |access-date=7 October 2020 |agency=The Californian |date=18 August 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Cabral |first1=Angelica |last2=Cimini |first2=Kate |title=UPDATE: New evacuation orders on 4,500-acre River Fire, which is still only 10% contained |url=https://www.thecalifornian.com/story/news/2020/08/18/river-fire-burned-over-4-000-acres-two-days/3391738001/ |access-date=7 October 2020 |agency=The Californian |date=18 August 2020}} Within its first day, it spread to 2,000 acres and was 10% contained; mandatory evacuations were ordered, while air and ground crews worked the fire.{{cite news |title=Mandatory evacuations issued for 2,000-acre River Fire burning near Salinas |url=https://www.ksbw.com/article/lighting-strike-causes-vegetation-fire-south-of-salinas/33615485# |access-date=August 16, 2020 |publisher=ksbw.com |date=August 16, 2020}}

On August 17, the fire, three miles south of Salinas, spread to 2,800 acres and threatened 1,500 structures; four firefighters were injured.{{cite news |last1=Copitch |first1=Josh |title=River Fire August 17: 2,800 acres burned, 1,500 structures threatened |url=https://www.ksbw.com/article/river-fire-august-17-2800-acres-burned-1500-structures-threatened/33622250 |access-date=August 17, 2020 |publisher=ksbw.com |date=August 17, 2020}}

The fire had burned 4,070 acres by August 18, and as of August 19, the fire had grown to over 10,000 acres.{{cite news |title=UPDATE: River Fire grows to over 10,000 acres – Second blaze breaks out near Carmel Valley Village |url=https://www.montereyherald.com/2020/08/18/river-fire-now-carmel-fire-smoke-creates-unhealthy-conditions-in-carmel-valley/ |access-date=August 19, 2020 |publisher=montereyherald.com |date=August 19, 2020}} By August 21, over 42,000 acres had burned and the fire was 12% contained. The nearby Carmel Fire was over 5,069 acres and five percent contained.{{cite news |last1=Copitch |first1=Josh |title=Carmel and River Fires Aug 21: Carmel and River fires move toward Carmel Valley |url=https://www.ksbw.com/article/carmel-and-river-fires-aug-21-carmel-and-river-fires-move-toward-carmel-valley/33671631 |access-date=August 21, 2020 |publisher=ksbw.com |date=August 21, 2020}}

On September 4, Cal Fire reported that both the River Fire and the Carmel Fire were 100% contained. The River Fire had burned 48,088 acres and the Carmel Fire had burned 6,905 acres; between them, they had destroyed 103 structures and damaged 20.{{cite news |last1=Copitch |first1=Josh |title=River and Carmel Fire both 100% contained: Cal Fire |url=https://www.ksbw.com/article/river-and-carmel-fire-both-100-contained-cal-fire/33930168# |access-date=September 5, 2020 |publisher=ksbw.com |date=September 4, 2020}}

When a strong atmospheric river winter storm came to the burned area in January, 2021, a mudslide occurred and damaged homes and barns near River Road,{{cite news |last1=Nguyen |first1=Chris |title=Homes damaged, several rescued after mudslide near wildfire burn scar in Monterey Co. |url=https://abc7news.com/salinas-mudslide-monterey-county-evacuation-warning-flooding-flash-flood/10073282/ |access-date=3 February 2021 |agency=ABC 7 News |date=27 January 2021}} and trapped several horses that were later rescued.{{cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Dennis L |title=Salinas: Multiple teams join to rescue horses hit by River Road mudslide |url=https://www.montereyherald.com/2021/01/29/salinas-multiple-teams-join-to-rescue-horses-hit-by-river-road-mudslide/ |access-date=3 February 2021 |agency=Monterey Herald |date=29 January 2021}}