Fires

When did the forest near you last burn? Map shows 30 years of California wildfires

By Nathaniel Levine

Updated October 18, 2021 9:00 PM

California Wildfires: More Coverage

Over 2.7 million Californians live in very high wildfire hazard zones. Here’s what you need to know to prepare for wildfires, and why California still builds houses in these danger zones.

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A record 4.2 million acres were burned by wildfires in California in 2020. That’s more than five times the average amount over the past 30 years — 767,000 acres.

Of the 20 largest wildfires in state history, six occurred in August or September 2020: the August Complex, the SCU Lightning Complex, the Creek Fire, the LNU Lightning Complex, the North Complex and the SQF Complex.

Cal Fire keeps detailed maps of fire history, in part because the lower-fuel areas can be used to help combat future wildfires strategically. See the wildfires map below.

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Mapping California's wildfires

Explore where California has burned in the past 30 years. Click or touch the top left arrow to turn off decades of fires and simplify the presentation. Use the basemap selector to see satellite imagery, and click or touch a fire to learn its name, date or cause.