Zaca Fire
{{Short description|2007 wildfire in Southern California}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox wildfire
| title = Zaca Fire
| image = Zaca3.jpg
| caption = An active flame front of the fire
| reference = {{cite web|title=Zaca Fire Incident Information|url=http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=190|website=CAL FIRE|date=4 September 2007|access-date=25 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181203095212/http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=190|archive-date=3 December 2018|url-status=dead}}
| cost = $118.3 million (2017 USD)
| date = {{Unbulleted list|{{Start date|2007|07|04}} – |{{End date|2007|10|29}}}}
| location = {{Unbulleted list|San Rafael Mountains,| Los Padres N.F.,|Santa Barbara County,| California}}
| coordinates = {{coord|34.7159|-119.7828|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_map = USA California Southern
| pushpin_map_caption =The location of the Zaca Fire in Southern California.
| area = {{convert|240,207|acre|km2|0}}
| cause = Sparks from a grinding machine on private property
| landuse =
| buildings = 1
| injuries = 43
| fatalities =0
| perps =
| motive =
}}
The Zaca Fire was a very large wildfire in the San Rafael Mountains, northeast of the Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County, California. It was the single largest wildfire of the 2007 California wildfire season. The fire started on July 4, 2007, and by August 31, it had burned over {{convert|240207|acre|km2|3}}, making it California's second largest fire in recorded history at that time after the Cedar Fire of 2003.[http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=190] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417062934/http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=190|date=2015-04-17}} Cal Fire update page{{Cite web |url=http://yubanet.com/zaka.shtml |title=Zaca Fire information on Yuba net |access-date=2007-08-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070901174321/http://www.yubanet.com/zaka.shtml |archive-date=2007-09-01 |url-status=dead }} As of 2024, it is California's 13th-largest recorded fire in modern history.{{cite web|title=Top 20 Largest California Wildfires|url=https://www.fire.ca.gov/media/4jandlhh/top20_acres.pdf|website=CAL FIRE|date=October 24, 2022|access-date=December 4, 2022|archive-date=January 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115134922/https://www.fire.ca.gov/media/4jandlhh/top20_acres.pdf|url-status=dead}} The fire was contained on September 4, 2007,{{cite web |url=http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/770 |title=Zaca Wildland Fire |access-date=2007-09-03 }} with the fire being brought under control on October 29, 2007.
Progression
On July 4, 2007, at 10:53 a.m. PDT, the Zaca Fire started as a result of sparks from a grinding machine on private property, which was being used to repair a water pipe.[https://web.archive.org/web/20070927010032/http://www.keyt.com/news/local/8362337.html "Officials Find Cause of Zaca Fire", KEYT3 news, July 6, 2007] Archived at Wayback Machine It spread to a size of {{convert|240,207|acres|km2}} in August.{{cite web|url=http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/state/california/fires/article189539044.html|title=Earlier wildfires may hold key to stopping giant Thomas Fire|author=Giana Magnoli|work=The Tribune|date=December 13, 2017|access-date=December 14, 2017|archive-date=December 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171214033816/http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/state/california/fires/article189539044.html|url-status=live}} By August 12, progress was being made on the fire through the combined efforts of firefighters and aircraft. Firefighters were able to turn the direction of the fire away from the Paradise Road community.{{cite web |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20247741/ |title=Critical turn in the Zaca Fire: DC-10 Airtanker flies over and Evacuation Order downgraded |access-date=2007-08-22 |last=Daniel |first= Stacy |author2=Tina Leonard |date=August 12, 2007 |work=KSBY-TV—San Luis Obispo, CA |publisher=MSNBC }}{{dead link|date=August 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
The Zaca Fire neared containment on September 2. On September 4, 2007, the fire had cost $117 million to fight, and was 100% contained. Hotspots within the fire perimeter continued to burn for over another month, until the Zaca Fire was fully brought under control on October 29, 2007."[http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/news/article/770/6659/ Zaca Fire Controlled But Not Out]{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}" InciWeb. Retrieved on November 6, 2007 Of the 43 non-fatal injuries, 2 occurred when a helicopter assigned to the incident crashed."[https://www.independent.com/news/2007/jul/08/zaca-fire-copter-crashes/ Zaca Fire Copter Crashes] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181026064536/https://www.independent.com/news/2007/jul/08/zaca-fire-copter-crashes/ |date=2018-10-26 }}" by J'Amy Brown, Santa Barbara Independent. Retrieved on October 20, 2018
Effects
The fire had primarily burned away from populated areas in extremely steep and rugged areas of the San Rafael Mountains in the Los Padres National Forest and the Santa Ynez River Recreation Area. It only destroyed one Forest Service outbuilding. Its impacts on the environment and area water resources are not yet fully known."[http://www.independent.com/news/2007/oct/18/zaca-fire-impacts-will-linger-years/ Zaca Fire Impacts Will Linger for Years] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020031859/http://www.independent.com/news/2007/oct/18/zaca-fire-impacts-will-linger-years/ |date=2007-10-20 }}" by Ray Ford, Santa Barbara Independent. Retrieved on November 6, 2007 Many trails and campgrounds in the Dick Smith Wilderness were destroyed. Since then, a number of them have been rebuilt.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category|Zaca Fire}}
- [http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_maps?incident_id=190 CDF—California Dept. Forestry: Maps of the Zaca Fire]
- [http://calfire.blogspot.com/search/label/Zaca%20Fire California Fire News: daily coverage of the "Zaca Fire" wildland fire including fire perimeter maps, photos] - Over 100 pages labeled "Zaca Fire"
- [https://archive.today/20071220042444/http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/08/15/state/n160335D87.DTL Associated Press: "Giant fire in Los Padres forest to cross into Ventura County"]
- [http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-zacafire4aug04,1,1254771.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california Los Angeles Times - "Santa Barbara fire flares anew"]
- [http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2007/07/07/news/featurednews/breaking01.txt Santa Maria Times - "Zaca Fire takes unexpected turn"].
- [https://www.cccarto.com/calwildfire/ Southern California's Worst Brush Fires]
{{California wildfires by size}}
{{2007 California wildfires}}
Category:2007 California wildfires
Category:Los Padres National Forest
Category:Mt. Pinos Ranger District, Los Padres National Forest
Category:Santa Barbara Ranger District, Los Padres National Forest
Category:Santa Lucia Ranger District, Los Padres National Forest