California wildfires are raging this summer, breaking records as summer fire season continues. The fires have destroyed thousands of structures and continue to cause evacuations and closures, including in several of California’s National Parks.
Google Maps continues to update its 2018 California fire map on the various blazes, as well as a Google Crisis Map with information about specific California wildfires, including the Delta Fire, the Mendocino Complex Fire, and the Carr Fire. The California fire map also includes info about air quality, evacuation orders, shelters, fire containment statistics, road closures, and more.
New wildfires in Northern California, including the Delta Fire and Hirz Fire, also continue to force mandatory evacuations and road closures, as of Friday, September 7. California has also already surpassed its annual fire budget for 2018, just two months into the fiscal year.
Google’s 2018 Statewide Fire Map for California lists all the active fires in the state for which California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) is responding.
The Mendocino Complex Fire, which includes the Ranch Fire and River Fire, is now the largest wildfire in California history at over 410,000 acres, outpacing the Carr Fire, which has destroyed more than 229,000 acres and continues to rage. California fires, many of which ignited before the August 1 start of the state’s annual wildfire season, have caused the deaths of at least 10 people so far this summer.
In addition to maps of California fires currently burning, here are some statistics and information on major current Golden State wildfires.
Delta Fire
The Delta Fire, which is picking up speed along the Interstate 5 stretch through the Shasta-Trinity National Forest between the city of Redding and the town of Dunsmuir, began Wednesday, September 5. As of Friday, September 7, it has consumed more than 25,000 acres. There is no containment yet, which refers to how much of a control line has been constructed around a fire to keep it from jumping major roadways and igniting new areas of land. A control line is also referred to as a fire trail, an actual line dug in soil to prevent a fire from burning more brush.
#DeltaFire Evening UPDATE – September 6, 2018
22,000 Acres
0% Contained
1,224 PersonnelEvacuations and Road Closures remain in effect. Visit Inciweb for more Details – https://t.co/BauKLHKuKn#ShastaTrinityNF @ShastaSheriff @SiskiyouSheriff pic.twitter.com/uHLJACfzyo
— Shasta-Trinity NF (@ShastaTrinityNF) September 7, 2018
Mendocino Complex Fire (River and Ranch Fires)
Burning across Mendocino and Lake Counties, these two Northern California wildfires started on Friday, July 27, located within 14 miles of one another. As of Friday, September 7, the Ranch Fire, aka the Mendocino Complex Fire, has burned more than 410,000 acres. It was 93% contained as of Friday.
The River Fire, which burned more than 48,000 acres as part of the Mendocino Complex Fire, has been 100% contained since August.
#RanchFire #MendocinoComplex [update] NE of Ukiah (Mendocino/Lake/Colusa/Glenn Counties) remains 410,182 acres and 93% contained. The fire has transitioned to the USFS Mendocino National Forest. For future updates on this fire please visit Inciweb at: https://t.co/YJMKMhI2mu pic.twitter.com/qlzgxiJpBh
— CAL FIRE (@CAL_FIRE) August 30, 2018
Carr Fire
The Carr Fire is one of the worst fires in California’s history. The Carr Fire has so far torched over 229,000 acres near the Northern California city of Redding, destroying more than 1,000 homes, and claiming the lives of at least eight people, including three firefighters. It continues to rage but is now 100% contained.
The rapidly spreading wildfire began Thursday, July 26, in the foothills of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and spread down toward Redding and surrounding neighborhoods and roadways including Interstate 5.
#CarrFire [Final] northwest of Anderson (Shasta County) is 100% contained at 229,651 acres. Unified Command: CAL FIRE Shasta-Trinity Unit, US Forest Service, and Whiskeytown National Park. https://t.co/QmhauhZj9m pic.twitter.com/0fkrbJvxjX
— CAL FIRE (@CAL_FIRE) August 31, 2018
The Carr Fire has stayed in the news not just because of its ferocity and “wall of flame,” as Cal Fire Deputy Chief Scott McLean called it when speaking with NBC News. Video of a so-called firenado from the Carr Fire has gone viral, showing a frightening tornado-like fire vortex that results from a massive wind updraft combined with the heat of a major blaze.
This insane footage shows the deadly 'firenado' in action pic.twitter.com/UX7ODLeZ8C
— NowThis Impact (@nowthisimpact) August 17, 2018
Ferguson Fire
The Ferguson Fire, located in the foothills west of Yosemite National Park and Sierra National Forest, is now 100% contained.
Good morning – we've made a significant milestone in the #FergusonFire! We're now at 100% containment, with a final acreage of 96,901. @Stanislaus_NF @YosemiteNPS @YosemiteFire @MariposaSheriff @R5_Fire_News @forestservice @CaltransDist10 @CALFIREMMU pic.twitter.com/7owheHSd0q
— Sierra Ntl. Forest (@Sierra_NF) August 19, 2018
The devastating wildfire consumed over 96,000 acres and claimed the lives of two firefighters. Another nine firefighters have been injured battling the Ferguson Fire, including two firefighters whose injuries were reported by ABC30.
We are saddened beyond words to report the death of Captain Brian Hughes of the Arrowhead Hotshots. Hughes' crew was on the #FergusonFire on @Sierra_NF when he was struck and killed by a tree. We grieve his loss.
Photo courtesy of Brad Torchia pic.twitter.com/Lwy2MyH1jN
— Sequoia & Kings Cyn (@SequoiaKingsNPS) July 30, 2018
With summer winds fanning the flames of the California fires, causing some blazes to grow and others to merge, these two dynamic maps are worth bookmarking, so you can stay up to date with the latest updates from affected areas in Northern California as well as Southern California.
Fortune will continue to update this post as California’s 2018 summer fires continue to rage.
