Jump to content

2026 California wildfires

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2026 California wildfires
Landsat 9 imagery of the Santa Rosa Island Fire burning in Channel Islands National Park on May 16, 2026
Statistics[1]
Total fires4,393
Total area228,390 acres (92,426 ha)
Impacts
Deaths1
Structures destroyed95
← 2025

The 2026 California wildfires are a series of active wildfires currently ongoing in California.

Background

[edit]

The timing of "fire season" in California is variable, depending on the amount of prior winter and spring precipitation, the frequency and severity of weather such as heat waves and wind events, and moisture content in vegetation. Northern California typically sees wildfire activity between late spring and early fall, peaking in the summer with hotter and drier conditions. Occasional cold frontal passages can bring wind and lightning. The timing of fire season in Southern California is similar, peaking between late spring and autumn. The severity and duration of peak activity in either part of the state is modulated in part by weather events: downslope/offshore wind events can lead to critical fire weather, while onshore flow and Pacific weather systems can bring conditions that hamper wildfire growth.[2][3]

In 2026, the state and surrounding areas were experiencing extreme heat and its mountains had minimal snow pack during the winter into spring, raising concerns for an active fire season, as the snowpack was only 18% of average.[4][5][6]

List of wildfires

[edit]

The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), produced significant structural damage, or resulted in casualties.

Name County Acres Start date Containment date Notes Image Ref.
Paramount Kern, Kings 1,280 March 25 March 25 [7]
Springs Riverside 4,176 April 3 April 8 Caused evacuations for the city of Moreno Valley. [8][9][10]
Tumey Fresno 1,647 April 19 April 21 [11]
Tower Kern 2,469 May 3 May 6 Grew to 2,000 acres in less than 2 hours. Prompted evacuations east of Bakersfield. [12][13]
Canyon Kern 2,278 May 7 May 12 Cause under investigation. Burned in the El Paso Mountains Wilderness. [14]
Neuralia Kern 1,196 May 13 May 16 Burned near California City. [15]
Camp Roberts Bob Monterey, San Luis Obispo 8,000 May 14 N/a Burned in Camp Roberts Impact Range. [16]
Rowlee Kern 2,520 May 14 May 15 Prompted evacuations. [17][18]
Santa Rosa Island Santa Barbara 18,379 May 15 June 4 Burned on eastern Santa Rosa Island in Channel Islands National Park. Human-caused.
[19]
River Kern 3,535 May 18 May 22 Burned in Kern River Canyon and caused the closure of State Route 178. [20][21]
Sandy Ventura 2,183 May 18 May 27 Burned in the Simi Valley and prompted mandatory evacuation orders for more than 23,000 people. Destroyed one structure.
[22][23]
Bain Riverside 1,473 May 19 May 29 Prompted evacuations in Riverside and Jurupa Valley. Destroyed one structure and injured five people. [24][25]
Border 6 San Diego 2,525 June 1 June 6 The Border 6 Fire burned 1,516 acres in California and 1,009 acres in Mexico. [26][27][28]
Macy Los Angeles, Kern 1,194 June 5 June 7 Burned near Lancaster. [29][30]
Waltz Mariposa 1,644 June 5 June 9 Burned near Cathey's Valley. [31]
Wyly Kern 1,075 June 13 June 16 Burned along State Route 58 near Bealville. [32][33][34]
Shore Riverside 3,085 June 15 June 25 Burned in the San Timoteo Badlands, prompted evacuations for areas near Redlands. [35][36][37]
Mateo San Diego 1,377 June 15 June 20 Burned in Camp Pendleton North. [38]
Lost Kern 7,834 June 18 June 21 Burned northwest of McKittrick and prompted evacuations. [39][40][41]
Pipeline San Diego 1,065 July 6 July 8 Burned in Camp Pendleton. [42]
3-1 Pit Lassen 1,055 July 7
99%
 Burned southeast of McArthur, prompted evacuation warnings. [43]
Van Mariposa 1,108 July 8 July 11 Burned south of Catheys Valley. [44]
Summit Los Angeles 2,690 July 10 July 23 Prompted evacuations southeast of Llano. [45]
Pistachio Kern 1,301 July 11 July 11 [46]
Elephant Lassen, Plumas, Sierra 13,930 July 11 July 26 Prompted evacuation warnings northeast of Loyalton. Impacted air quality in the Reno–Sparks metropolitan area.
[47][48]
Thorn San Diego 1,234 July 15 July 19 [49]
Biscar Lassen, Washoe (NV) 69,355 July 17 August 1 Burned 15 miles north of Honey Lake and prompted evacuations. [50]
Rock Inyo 12,008 July 20 August 5 [51]
Little Alameda 1,007 July 21 July 26 Prompted evacuations in the Pleasanton Ruby Hill neighborhood. [52]
Fields Merced 1,280 July 23 July 28 [53]
Cinder Complex Inyo 2,784 July 24 August 5 [54]
Fish Kern 4,201 July 27 August 3 Burned northeast of Arvin. [55]
Gann Calaveras 10,339 August 3
90%
 Burning southwest of San Andreas and prompting evacuations. Destroyed 33 structures and caused one civilian fatality. [56]
MP18 Humboldt 1,924 August 7
10%
 Burning north of Hoopa. [57]
Ridge Los Angeles 1,107 August 7
98%
 Prompted evacuations near Gorman. [58]
Bug Lassen, Sierra, Washoe (NV) 44,304 August 8
4%
 Burning north of Cold Springs and the Reno Stead Airport, prompting evacuations.
[59]
Antelope Kern, San Luis Obispo 2,410 August 8
80%
 Burning near the junction of State Routes 46 and 41. [60]
Timber Monterey 2,478 August 9
5%
 Burning southeast of Big Sur Village and prompting evacuations. [61]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "2026 Incidents". California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved March 4, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Weather: Fire Season Climatology (Northern California)". National Wildfire Coordinating Group. April 25, 2024. Archived from the original on May 13, 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  3. ↑ Toohey, Grace (June 22, 2024). "California wildfires have already burned 90,000 acres, and summer is just beginning". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 25, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  4. ↑ Kahn, Brian. "California's Wildfire Season Is Already Overactive". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
  5. ↑ Becker, Rachel (April 1, 2026). "What California's awful snowpack means for fire season". CalMatters. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Experts warn faster snowmelt could strain water supplies, urgency for storage solutions". ABC7 San Francisco. April 10, 2026. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Paramount Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Springs Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Springs Fire in Southern California reaches 45% containment as evacuations continue". NBC News. April 4, 2026. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  10. ↑ Asperin, Alexa Mae (April 3, 2026). "Springs Fire in Moreno Valley nears full containment". FOX 11. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Tumey Fire | CAL FIRE". www.fire.ca.gov. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Watch Duty - Wildfire Maps & Alerts". Watch Duty. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  13. ↑ Segundo, Spectrum News Staff El. "Tower Fire near Bakersfield burns 2,500 acres, 50% contained". spectrumnews1.com. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Canyon Fire | CAL FIRE". www.fire.ca.gov. Retrieved May 7, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Neuralia Fire | CAL FIRE". www.fire.ca.gov. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Camp Roberts Bob Fire". fires.cornea.is. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Rowlee Fire". CAL FIRE. May 14, 2026. Retrieved May 15, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Rowlee Fire burns over 2,500 acres near Kern-Tulare county line". May 14, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Santa Rosa Island Fire". CAL FIRE. May 24, 2026. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  20. ↑ "River Fire". Cal Fire. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Update May 19, 2026 7 AM - Highway 178 remained hard closed as River Fire grew to 2,535 acres". Kern Valley Sun. May 19, 2026. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  22. ↑ "Sandy Fire". Cal Fire. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  23. ↑ Karlamangla, Soumya; Graff, Amy (May 18, 2026). "Sandy Fire in Simi Valley Forces Immediate Evacuations". The New York Times. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Bain Fire burns 700 acres, injures 4 in Southern California, evacuation orders issued".
  25. ↑ "Bain Fire- Cal Fire".
  26. ↑ "Watch Duty - Wildfire Maps & Alerts". Watch Duty. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
  27. ↑ "Fire crews battle brush fire in San Diego". cbs8.com. June 2, 2026. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  28. ↑ "700-acre cross-border brush fire prompts evacuation warnings". NBC 7 San Diego. June 2, 2026. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  29. ↑ "Macy Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Watch Duty - Wildfire Maps & Alerts". Watch Duty. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
  31. ↑ "Waltz Fire". CAL FIRE. June 6, 2026. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
  32. ↑ "Watch Duty - Wildfire Maps & Alerts". Watch Duty. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  33. ↑ "Wyly Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  34. ↑ Californian, The Bakersfield (June 13, 2026). "PHOTO GALLERY: Wyly Fire tops 1,000 acres along Highway 58 SW of Caliente". The Bakersfield Californian. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  35. ↑ "Shore Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  36. ↑ McAllister, Toni; Staff, Patch (June 15, 2026). "Evacuation Orders, Warnings, Issued For Brush Fire Burning Near Beaumont: See Map". Banning-Beaumont, CA Patch. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  37. ↑ Biswas, Shuvrajit Das (June 16, 2026). "Palm Springs fire? Smoke from Shore Fire causes fear among residents; fire department issues clarification". Hindustan Times. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  38. ↑ "Watch Duty - Wildfire Maps & Alerts". Watch Duty. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  39. ↑ "Lost Fire | CAL FIRE". www.fire.ca.gov. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
  40. ↑ Rockfellow, Mason (June 18, 2026). "Lost Fire northwest of McKittrick prompts evacuation orders". KERO-TV. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
  41. ↑ "Lost Fire burns over 7,000 acres". June 18, 2026.
  42. ↑ "Pipeline Fire | CAL FIRE". www.fire.ca.gov. Retrieved July 8, 2026.
  43. ↑ "3-1 Pit Fire | CAL FIRE". www.fire.ca.gov. Retrieved July 8, 2026.
  44. ↑ "Van Fire | CAL FIRE". www.fire.ca.gov. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  45. ↑ "Summit Fire | CAL FIRE". www.fire.ca.gov. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
  46. ↑ "Summit Fire | CAL FIRE". www.fire.ca.gov. Retrieved July 11, 2026.
  47. ↑ "Elephant Fire | CAL FIRE". www.fire.ca.gov. Retrieved July 11, 2026.
  48. ↑ Dangerfield, Alina (July 13, 2026). "Air Quality Index rises briefly due to Elephant Fire smoke". KTVN. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
  49. ↑ "Thorn Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. Cal Fire. Retrieved July 16, 2026.
  50. ↑ "Biscar Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. Cal Fire. Retrieved July 18, 2026.
  51. ↑ "Rock Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. Cal Fire. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  52. ↑ "Little Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. Cal Fire. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  53. ↑ "Fields Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. Cal Fire. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  54. ↑ "Cinder Complex Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. Cal Fire. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  55. ↑ "Fish Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. Cal Fire. Retrieved July 27, 2026.
  56. ↑ "Gann Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. Cal Fire. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  57. ↑ "MP18 Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. Cal Fire. Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  58. ↑ "Ridge Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. Cal Fire. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  59. ↑ "Bug Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. Cal Fire. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
  60. ↑ "Antelope Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. Cal Fire. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
  61. ↑ "Timber Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. Cal Fire. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2026_California_wildfires&oldid=1368898289"