How big are California wildfires? One’s large enough to swallow Sacramento — twice
Multiple large wildfires burning in California have killed firefighters and civilians alike, destroyed thousands of structures, created air-quality hazards and forced mandatory evacuations.
As of Sunday morning, the Mendocino Complex fires have burned a total of 331,399 acres — and are the largest blaze in state history.
Other fires in the state are also reaching massive sizes: Carr Fire near Redding has burned 191,211 acres, the Ferguson Fire in Mariposa County has burned 95,946 acres and the Donnell Fire in the Stanislaus National Forest has burned 27,769 acres.
Those sizes can be hard to visualize. Here’s what each of these fires looks like compared to a nearby California city.
Mendocino Complex Fires
Started: July 27
Size: 331,399 acres
The River and Ranch fires – which combined are the largest fire in state history – would stretch across the Bay Area. Drag the fire perimeters around the map to compare their scale to other places. Pan north to see the fire’s location in Lake County.
Carr Fire
Started: July 23
Size: 191,211 acres
The fire, located just outside of Redding, would cover a good portion of Sacramento County. Drag its fire perimeter around the map to compare its scale to other places. Pan north to find the fire’s location near Redding.
Ferguson Fire
Started: July 13
Size: 95,946 acres
Burning just outside of Yosemite National Park, the fire would cover a good portion of Fresno. Drag its fire perimeter around the map to compare its scale to other places. Pan northeast to find the fire’s location near Yosemite Valley.
Donnell Fire
Started: Aug. 1
Size: 27,769 acres
The fire, now burning in the Stanislaus National Forest, would stretch across Modesto. Drag its fire perimeter around the map to compare its scale to other places. Pan northeast to find its location.
This story was originally published August 9, 2018 at 11:36 AM with the headline "How big are California wildfires? One’s large enough to swallow Sacramento — twice."