California wildfires
Every recorded wildfire record since 1996 · 58 counties with a record
NOAA's Storm Events Database records 1,592 wildfire records in California from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 56 a year since 2000. The deadliest was Camp Fire (November 8, 2018) in Butte County and 2 more: 86 deaths, 12 injuries and $20 billion in damage in 2025 dollars. California ranks 1st of 48 states and territories by count and 4th of 48 per square mile.
Wildfires in California, 1996 to 2026
Wildfire records per year (NOAA Storm Events); 2026 to June 30, 2026.
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $1 million
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- Records
- 1,5921996 to June 30, 2026
- A year since 2000
- 56average
- Deaths
- 2481,708 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $30.1Bas filed
- Busiest year
- 2003130 records
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; deaths and damage as filed, damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
Are wildfire records common in California?
California averages about 56 wildfire records a year since 2000, 1st of 48 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2003 (130). Per 10,000 square miles of land, California records 102 wildfire records since 1996, 4th of 48 states and territories by that measure.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1996, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.
Which counties in California have the most wildfire records?
Per square mile, Mariposa County leads California: 101 days with a wildfire record since 1996, 69.7 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Riverside County has the most wildfire records (256 since 1996); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1996 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.
When is fire season in California?
41% of its wildfire records since 1996 fell in July and August. The busiest month is July (329 records).
The values, month by month
Jan 39 · Feb 20 · Mar 15 · Apr 18 · May 85 · Jun 206 · Jul 329 · Aug 319 · Sep 278 · Oct 184 · Nov 63 · Dec 36 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1996.
What were the deadliest wildfire records in California?
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-11-08 | Camp Fire · WildfireButte County and 2 more · forecast zone Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley The Camp Fire began on the morning of November 8, 2018, by Camp Creek Road, near Pulga in Butte County. The fire was not fully contained until November 25. This fire was the most destructive wildfire in California history, destroying much of the city of Paradise, the community of Concow, and damaging the towns of ... | 86 | 12 | $20.0B | |
| 2025-01-07 | Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire · WildfireLos Angeles County · forecast zone Est San Gabriel Mountains One storm episode: 8 records in 2 places, 2025-01-07 to 2025-01-09; the totals are the episode's. The combination of very strong Santa Ana winds, mountain wave activity and critically dry vegetation resulted in a significant outbreak of wildfires across Los Angeles and Ventura counties. The Palisades Fire (23,707 acres) and the Eaton Fire (14,021 acres) combined to become the most significant natural disaster in ... | 29 | 13 | – | |
| 2003-10-25 | Cedar Fire and Paradise Fire · WildfirePine Hills, San Diego County One named storm filed by several offices: 3 records in 3 episodes, 2003-10-25 to 2003-10-26; the totals are the storm's. Named the Cedar Fire, this fire was started around sunset on October 25 by a lost hunter. Wind gusts from the northeast over 30 mph began within 2 hours of the fire's start. Atmospheric conditions remained favorable for rapid fire growth for the four days following with maximum temperatures ranging between 88 and 98, ... | 16 | 109 | $1.8B | |
| 2020-09-07 | WildfireButte County and 2 more · forecast zone Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley Immediate evacuation orders where given to Berry Creek, Brush Creek, Forbestown, Clipper Mills, and Feather Falls areas the evening of September 8. Later that night gusty north and east winds continued to push the fires from the North Complex down the terrain, which would eventually make a run into Butte County and ... | 16 | 0 | – | |
| 2007-10-21 | Witch Fire and Harris Fire · WildfireSan Diego County · forecast zone San Diego County Valleys One named storm filed by several offices: 9 records in 6 episodes, 2007-10-21 to 2007-10-23; the totals are the storm's. The Harris Fire was the first and deadliest fire in a series of devestating wildfires to impact the San Diego CWA during the latter half of October. The fire was likely started by a campfire about one mile east of Potrero along Harris Ranch Road. Wind gusts at Potrero were 55-70 mph during the first two days of the ... | 10 | 127 | $895M | |
| 2017-10-08 | Redwood Valley Fire · WildfireMendocino County · forecast zone Southeastern Mendocino Interior Strong downslope winds combined with a hot dry airmass resulted in extreme fire behavior. It is speculated that above normal winter rains yielded abundant fuels that became primed for rapid intense fire spread by late summer and early fall. | 8 | 1 | $46M | |
| 2003-10-25 | Old Fire and Grand Prix Fire · WildfireSan Bernardino County One named storm filed by several offices: 2 records in 2 episodes, 2003-10-25 to 2003-11-01; the totals are the storm's. Named the Old Fire, this fire was started by an arsonist on October 25. It consumed 91,200 acres before it was fully contained on November 5, 2003. During the month of October, it destroyed 850 houses, 10 commercial buildings, 1460 power poles, 220 electrical transformers, several miles of highway and utility ... | 6 | 12 | $1.6B | |
| 2015-09-12 | Valley Fire and Butte Fire · WildfireColusa County and Lake County · forecast zone Clear Lake/Southern Lake County One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. Extreme fire behavior with winds and very dry fuels combining to enhance rapidly moving fires which destroyed hundreds of homes and caused multiple deaths in the Valley and Butte Fires. The Valley Fire is considered the 3rd most destructive wildfire in California history, the Butte Fire the 7th most destructive. | 6 | 5 | – | |
| 2018-07-23 | Carr Fire · WildfireShasta County and Tehama County · forecast zone Northern Sacramento Valley One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places, 2018-07-23 to 2018-07-27; the totals are the episode's. Large wildfires developed across Northern California at the end of July during a period of high temperatures, low humidity and unusually dry fuels. A powerful fire whirl developed with the Carr Fire, creating significant wind damage to western Redding and rapid fire growth. The Mendicino Complex became the largest ... | 5 | 16 | $1.8B | |
| 2017-12-04 | Thomas Fire · WildfireVentura County · forecast zone Ventura County Coast One storm episode: 5 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. Strong surface high pressure building in the Great Basin generated strong and gusty Santa Ana winds across sections of Ventura and Los Angeles counties. North to northeast wind gusts up to 73 MPH were reported. During this event, the Thomas Fire ignited across Ventura county, eventually spreading into Santa Barbara ... | 5 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths direct and indirect, as filed by the National Weather Service, summed over each storm (one episode, or one named storm filed by several offices). Storm names from the titles of FEMA declarations that name the storm's counties.
The costliest wildfire records in California
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-11-08 | Camp Fire · WildfireButte County and 2 more · forecast zone Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley | 86 | 12 | $20.0B | |
| 2018-07-23 | Carr Fire · WildfireShasta County and Tehama County · forecast zone Northern Sacramento Valley One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places, 2018-07-23 to 2018-07-27; the totals are the episode's. | 5 | 16 | $1.8B | |
| 2003-10-25 | Cedar Fire and Paradise Fire · WildfirePine Hills, San Diego County One named storm filed by several offices: 3 records in 3 episodes, 2003-10-25 to 2003-10-26; the totals are the storm's. | 16 | 109 | $1.8B | |
| 2003-10-25 | Old Fire and Grand Prix Fire · WildfireSan Bernardino County One named storm filed by several offices: 2 records in 2 episodes, 2003-10-25 to 2003-11-01; the totals are the storm's. | 6 | 12 | $1.6B | |
| 2000-09-29 | WildfireRed Bluff, Tehama County | 0 | 0 | $937M | |
| 2007-10-21 | Witch Fire and Harris Fire · WildfireSan Diego County · forecast zone San Diego County Valleys One named storm filed by several offices: 9 records in 6 episodes, 2007-10-21 to 2007-10-23; the totals are the storm's. | 10 | 127 | $895M | |
| 2007-06-24 | Angora Fire · WildfireAlpine County and 3 more · forecast zone Greater Lake Tahoe Area | 0 | 3 | $712M | |
| 2008-11-15 | Freeway Fire Complex · WildfireOrange County · forecast zone Orange County Coastal Areas | 0 | 14 | $206M |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.
Are wildfire records becoming more frequent in California?
California's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. NOAA recorded every event type only from 1996, so earlier decades are not comparable; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.
| Decade | California | United States | California's share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-99 | 132 | 510 | 25.9% |
| 2000s | 713 | 2,997 | 23.8% |
| 2010s | 398 | 3,650 | 10.9% |
| 2020-26 | 349 | 2,436 | 14.3% |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.
The most recent wildfire records in California
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-18 | WildfireVentura County · forecast zone Southest Ventura County Valleys | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-15 | WildfireSanta Barbara County · forecast zone San Miguel And Santa Rosa Islands | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-13 | WildfireMono County · forecast zone Mono | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-01 | WildfireSiskiyou County · forecast zone Western Siskiyou County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-02 | WildfireAmador County and 6 more · forecast zone Motherlode/Camptonville To Groveland | 0 | 1 | $25M | |
| 2025-09-02 | WildfireAmador County and 4 more · forecast zone Northern San Joaquin Valley | 0 | 0 | $25M | |
| 2025-09-01 | WildfireSiskiyou County · forecast zone Western Siskiyou County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-01 | WildfireSiskiyou County · forecast zone Western Siskiyou County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-26 | WildfireSiskiyou County · forecast zone Western Siskiyou County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-26 | WildfireSiskiyou County · forecast zone Western Siskiyou County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-21 | WildfireNapa County and Sonoma County · forecast zone North Bay Interior Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-11 | WildfireModoc County and Siskiyou County · forecast zone Northeast Siskiyou And Northwest Modoc Counties | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.
Federal disaster declarations for wildfire records in California
FEMA has declared 299 disasters in California for wildfire, counting its incident type and declarations that name fire in the title (FEMA files most storm disasters under Severe Storm); 27 were major disasters, the latest on August 4, 2026.
| Declared | Number | Title | Areas named |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-04 | FM-5662 | Gann Fire | 1 |
| 2026-07-26 | FM-5652 | Dove Fire | 1 |
| 2026-05-20 | FM-5636 | Bain Fire | 1 |
| 2026-05-18 | FM-5635 | Sandy Fire | 1 |
| 2025-09-03 | FM-5612 | 2-7 Fire | 1 |
| 2025-08-08 | FM-5605 | Canyon Fire | 1 |
| 2025-01-08 | FM-5551 | Hurst Fire | 1 |
| 2025-01-08 | FM-5550 | Eaton Fire | 1 |
| 2025-01-08 | DR-4856 | Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds | 1 |
| 2025-01-07 | FM-5549 | Palisades Fire | 1 |
| 2024-12-10 | FM-5548 | Franklin Fire | 1 |
| 2024-11-06 | FM-5545 | Mountain Fire | 1 |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), through October 2, 2026. OpenFEMA dataset page.
Next
- Mariposa County: the county's whole recordThe California county with the most wildfire records per square mile
- Wildfires across the United StatesEvery state ranked, by year and month
- Every natural hazard in CaliforniaTornadoes, floods, storms, heat and the federal declarations
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