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| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Northern California
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Northern California
| cost =
| cost =
| area = {{convert|305,133|acre|ha|0|abbr=on}}
| area = {{convert|305,188|acre|ha|0|abbr=on}}
| buildings = 2,342
| buildings = 2,342
| cause = Lightning strikes
| cause = Lightning strikes

Revision as of 14:39, 28 September 2020

This article is about the wildfire. For the lunar feature, see North Complex.
North Complex Fire
Date(s)August 17, 2020 – present
LocationBetween Quincy (origin) and Oroville, California
Coordinates39°51′N 120°58′W / 39.85°N 120.96°W / 39.85; -120.96
Statistics[1]
Burned area305,188 acres (123,505 ha)
Impacts
Deaths15
Non-fatal injuriesAt least 16
Structures destroyed2,342
Ignition
CauseLightning strikes
Map
North Complex Fire is located in California
North Complex Fire
Location in Northern California
Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
8km
5miles
North Complex
North Complex
Location of North Complex

The North Complex Fire is a massive wildfire currently burning in Northern California in the counties of Plumas and Butte.[2] The fires were started by lightning on August 17, 2020; by September 5, all the individual fires had been put out with the exception of the Claremont and Bear Fires, which merged on that date. Starting on September 8, strong winds caused the Bear Fire to explode in size to the southwest. As of September 20, the complex fire has burned an estimated 291,200 acres (117,800 ha). The fire is being managed by the U.S. Forest Service in conjunction with Cal Fire, with the incident base in Quincy. The North Complex Fire is currently the fifth-largest fire recorded in California's modern history.[3]

Events

On August 17, 2020, dry thunderstorms sparked 21 wildfires in the Plumas National Forest and Lassen National Forest, the largest of which were the Claremont and Bear Fires along the canyon of the Middle Fork Feather River. The storms were a result of the remnants of Tropical Storm Fausto passing over California, which started hundreds of wildfires simultaneously across Northern California. By August 22, 16 of the original 21 fires had been contained.[4] The Sheep Fire near Susanville was originally included as part of the North Complex,[5] but on September 5, it was assigned to a separate incident.[6] The Sheep Fire has burned about 29,000 acres (12,000 ha) and is 95 percent contained.

Claremont Fire

The Claremont Fire was spotted around 9:00 AM on August 17.[7] The fire originated along Claremont Creek, a tributary of the Middle Fork just south of Quincy, and quickly jumped the ridge northwards towards American Valley. On August 20 an evacuation advisory was issued for East Quincy[8] which was quickly changed to a mandatory evacuation for East Quincy and residents along Quincy-La Porte Road. On August 22 the fire jumped California State Route 70 at the Massack Rest Area southeast of Quincy.[4] On August 23, aided by high winds, the fire began advancing rapidly east forcing Spring Garden and Greenhorn to be evacuated.[9] The fire threatened State Route 70 and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks, shutting both down intermittently for several days.

On August 27, the Claremont Fire was at 20,697 acres (8,376 ha) and 47 percent contained.[10] Mandatory evacuations were lifted in East Quincy, but with continued strong west winds, Greenhorn and Sloat to the east were evacuated on August 28.[11] On August 30 crews conducted backfire operations on the eastern side of the fire and prevented it from spreading towards Spring Garden and Cromberg.[12] On September 1 mandatory evacuations were lifted for Quincy-La Porte Road.[13] On September 5, with fire activity much lower on the eastern sides, evacuation orders were lifted for Spring Garden, Greenhorn, Sloat and Cromberg.[14] On the morning of August 31 it was at 22,780 acres (9,220 ha), and 59 percent contained.[15] On the morning of September 4 it had grown to 24,330 acres (9,850 ha), and containment had dropped to 49 percent.[16]

Bear Fire

Bear Fire on Highway 162, 10 September

The Bear Fire was also spotted around 9:00 AM on August 17,[17] in the Middle Fork canyon west of the Claremont Fire near the Pacific Crest Trail. The fire started in rough, roadless country along the Wild and Scenic section of the Middle Fork. Initially, the Bear Fire was left to burn as it was not near any populated areas, and firefighting efforts were concentrated on the Claremont Fire.[18] By August 23, it was at 1,661 acres (672 ha).[19] On August 26, some areas around Bucks Lake were placed under evacuation advisory due to increased fire activity on the Bear Fire.[20] Crews also were working on containment line to the northeast as the fire expanded slightly towards Quincy.[21] By August 31 it had grown to 9,570 acres (3,870 ha), and was still 0 percent contained.[15] On the morning of September 4 it was at 12,154 acres (4,919 ha), and was 29 percent contained.[16]

September 5–present

While crews concentrated on structure protection and building containment line around the perimeter of the fires, the unpopulated area between the Claremont and Bear fires was allowed to burn naturally with the help of backfiring operations,[22] and the two fires merged on September 5,[23] at a combined 39,779 acres (16,098 ha). A total of 1,386 personnel were assigned to the fire.[24] The southern boundary of the fire was mostly held along the Middle Fork, and crews worked to build secondary containment lines south of the river.[25] Flames crossed the river in a few areas but were quickly contained. On the morning of September 8 a dry cold front moved in, bringing strong northeast winds and threatening the incomplete containment line along the river.[26]

Gavin Newsom signing AB2147 among trees that burned in the North Complex Fire

At about 10:00 AM on September 8, the Bear Fire half of the North Complex jumped the river and began heading rapidly southwest. With winds gusting to 45 miles per hour (72 km/h), the spot fire had grown to 1,000 acres (400 ha) within an hour, and by 3 PM it had grown to 20,000 acres (8,100 ha). At 11:50 AM, mandatory evacuations were issued for La Porte and Little Grass Valley Reservoir.[27] As winds picked up throughout the day, evacuation orders were issued by 3:25 PM for several communities in Butte County including Feather Falls, Clipper Mills, Berry Creek, Brush Creek, Woodleaf and Forbestown, and around Miners Ranch Road and California State Route 162.[28] Evacuation orders were also effective in Yuba County for residents along La Porte Road, New York Flat Road, and around Brownsville and New Bullards Bar Reservoir.[29][30] At 11:00 PM Kelly Ridge and Copley Hills, near Lake Oroville, were evacuated, as officials predicted strong winds would lead to extreme fire behavior.[31] By the evening of September 8 the fire had burned about 58,000 acres (23,000 ha) and was 51 percent contained.

On the early morning of September 9, evacuation warnings were issued for more areas around Lake Oroville, Concow and Paradise.[32][33] In Plumas County a mandatory evacuation order was issued for Bucks Lake[34] and an evacuation advisory for Meadow Valley.[35] As predicted, high winds drove the fire rapidly downhill and southwest, traveling 20 miles (32 km) to Lake Oroville in a few hours.[36] By 8:35 AM, the fire was estimated at 150,000 acres (61,000 ha).[18] The entire town of Berry Creek was reportedly destroyed[37], with only 3 houses left standing in the town of 1,200[38], while homes were also burned in Feather Falls. Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at University of California Los Angeles, compared the explosive wind-driven spread with the 2018 Camp Fire, which occurred just north of this area.[39]

At 4:00 PM PDT on September 9, the fire had jumped the southern arm of the lake and was burning in the hills above Oroville. It had also traveled as far west as the North Fork Feather River, threatening Paradise, although the burn scar from the Camp Fire had the potential to be used to slow fire activity[40][41]. On the south, the fire reached the South Fork Feather River, burning around the north side of Little Grass Valley Reservoir and approaching Forbestown. The city of Oroville and surrounding foothill communities were under an evacuation warning. As of 5:00 PM, at least three people were dead and twelve missing; at least 100 people were rescued. An estimated 2,000 buildings have been destroyed.[42] On the evening of September 9, the fire was estimated at 252,163 acres (102,047 ha) and was 24 percent contained.[43]

On September 10, the section of the fire that escaped from the Bear Fire was labeled as the North Complex West Zone. The approximately 70,000 acres (28,000 ha) section outside of the Plumas National Forest is being managed by Cal Fire. On September 10 authorities reported the number of deaths had increased to ten, and 16 people were reported missing.[44] Due in part to a reversal of wind direction, the fire did not burn significantly more acreage on September 10. On the same day, the burn area was revised to 244,203 acres (98,825 ha), with 23 percent containment.[45]

By September 11, winds had shifted to the southwest, blowing the fire front and smoke back over the burn area and towards Quincy. Fire activity was significantly decreased from the previous day, allowing crews to work on containment lines protecting homes around Bucks Lake and Little Grass Valley Reservoir.[46] By the morning of September 12, the fire was at 252,313 acres (102,107 ha) and 21 percent contained. A total of 3,282 personnel were assigned to the fire.[47]

On September 14, the fire had increased in size to 264,374 acres (106,988 ha), with most growth along the north flank of the fire. Containment was increased to 38 percent.[48] On September 15 continued southwest winds caused the fire to jump containment lines near Red Mountain, moving northeast towards Bucks Lake.[49] On September 16 high fire activity continued near Red Mountain, with spot fires starting in the Grizzly Lake area. The fire was also active and growing in Onion Valley south of Quincy. In the meantime, firefighters made progress on containment lines along the southeast flank of the fire, between Sly Creek Reservoir and Little Grass Valley Reservoir. The fire was at 273,335 acres (110,615 ha) and 36 percent contained.[50]

On the morning of September 17, evacuation orders were issued for Meadow Valley and Tollgate as fire activity continued to pick up on the north side.[51] By September 18 firefighters had extended containment lines up from Sly Creek Reservoir to Onion Valley. The spot fire at Grizzly Lake was contained, but not before burning 200 acres (81 ha). The fire was at 287,354 acres (116,288 ha), and containment was increased to 54 percent.[52]

Smoke

Smoke from Bear Fire in Oroville

Smoke from the fire has created extremely unhealthy air conditions in Quincy and nearby communities for several weeks. After the fire grew explosively in size on September 9, smoke reached the Sacramento Valley and the San Francisco Bay area with ash falling from the sky between Danville, San Jose, and San Francisco.[53]

See also

References

  1. ^ "North Complex Fire Incident Overview". InciWeb. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  2. ^ "Bear Fire Update: Evacuation Warnings Expand As Massive Blaze Grows To 254,000 Acres". 9 September 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  3. ^ "Top 20 Largest California Wildfires" (PDF). CAL FIRE. September 12, 2020. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  4. ^ a b "North Complex 8-22-2020 PM UPDATE - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  5. ^ "North Complex 8-20-2020 AM UPDATE - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  6. ^ "North Complex Fire Evening Update September 5, 2020 - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  7. ^ "Claremont Fire Information - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  8. ^ "UPDATED EVACUATION INFORMATION - Plumas County Sheriff 8-20-2020 3:20PM - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  9. ^ "EVACUATION INFORMATION UPDATE - Plumas County Sheriff 8-23-20 6:15PM - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  10. ^ "North Complex PM UPDATE 8-27-2020 - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  11. ^ "EVACUATION INFORMATION UPDATE--Plumas County Sheriff 8-28-20 - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  12. ^ "North Complex PM UPDATE 8-30-2020 - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  13. ^ "Evacuation order update 9/01/2020 - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  14. ^ "EVACUATION INFORMATION UPDATE - Plumas County - 9-5-20 2:00 PM - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  15. ^ a b "North Complex AM UPDATE 8-31-2020 - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  16. ^ a b "Morning update for the North Complex for Sept. 4, 2020 - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  17. ^ "Bear Fire Information - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  18. ^ a b Moore, Debra; Editor, Managing (September 9, 2020). "UPDATED Sept. 9 North Complex: Three died in Butte County; others injured; 2,000 structures destroyed". {{cite web}}: |last2= has generic name (help)
  19. ^ "North Complex PM UPDATE 8-23-20 - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  20. ^ "EVACUATION INFORMATION UPDATE - Plumas County Sheriff 8-26-20 9:00 AM - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  21. ^ "North Complex AM UPDATE 8-26-20 - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  22. ^ "North Complex Evening Update for Sept. 3, 2020 - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  23. ^ "North Complex Fire Morning Update, September 5, 2020 - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  24. ^ "Sept. 6: UPDATE: The North Complex - concern about forecast". September 6, 2020.
  25. ^ "North Complex Evening Update September 6, 2020 - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  26. ^ "North Complex Fire Morning Update, September 8, 2020 - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  27. ^ "Evacuation Information Update - Plumas County - 9-5-20 2:00 PM". InciWeb. 2020-09-05. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  28. ^ "Butte County Evacuation Order". InciWeb. 2020-09-08. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  29. ^ "Yuba County Evacuation Order - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  30. ^ "Yuba County Evacuation Update - Midnight - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  31. ^ "Butte County-Evacuation Order 9.8.20 11:00 pm". InciWeb. 2020-09-08. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  32. ^ "Butte County-Evacuation Order 1:50 AM". InciWeb. 2020-09-08. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  33. ^ "Butte County-Evacuation Warning-for the Town of Paradise". InciWeb. 2020-09-09. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  34. ^ "Plumas County- MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDER - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  35. ^ "Plumas County-Evacuation Advisory". InciWeb. 2020-09-09. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  36. ^ "Morning Update for September 9, 2020". InciWeb. 2020-09-09. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  37. ^ Romero, Ezra David. "As Bear Fire Tears Through Butte County, Berry Creek Residents Fear Their Town Is Gone". www.capradio.org.
  38. ^ Moffitt, Mike (10 September 2020). "Bear Fire spills into the Camp Fire scar near Paradise". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  39. ^ "Butte County Sheriff's Office: 3 dead, at least 12 missing in Bear Fire". SFGate. September 8, 2020.
  40. ^ Saam, Kelli (10 September 2020). "Firefighters plan to use Camp Fire burn scar to help contain Bear Fire/North Complex". KRCR-TV. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  41. ^ Caballero, Daisy (10 September 2020). "Burn scars have the potential to be used as fuel breaks says CAL FIRE". KRCR-TV. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  42. ^ "3 deaths reported in California's Bear Fire". September 10, 2020.
  43. ^ https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/photos/CAPNF/2020-08-18-0011-North-Complex/related_files/pict20200810-000248-0.pdf
  44. ^ "7 More Deaths Reported In North Complex West Zone Fire; At Least 16 People Still Missing". CBS Sacramento. 2020-09-10. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  45. ^ "North Complex Fire Evening Update for September 10, 2020" (PDF). InciWeb. 2020-09-10. Retrieved 2020-09-11.
  46. ^ "North Complex Fire Evening Update for September 11, 2020". InciWeb. 2020-09-11. Retrieved 2020-09-12.
  47. ^ "North Complex Fire Morning Update for September 12, 2020" (PDF). InciWeb. 2020-09-12. Retrieved 2020-09-12.
  48. ^ "North Complex Fire Morning Update for September 14, 2020" (PDF). InciWeb. 2020-09-14. Retrieved 2020-09-14.
  49. ^ "North Complex Fire PM Update September 15, 2020". InciWeb. 2020-09-15. Retrieved 2020-09-20.
  50. ^ "North Complex Fire Evening Update September 16, 2020" (PDF). InciWeb. 2020-09-16. Retrieved 2020-09-20.
  51. ^ "North Complex Fire Evening Update September 17, 2020" (PDF). InciWeb. 2020-09-17. Retrieved 2020-09-20.
  52. ^ "North Complex Fire Evening Update September 18, 2020" (PDF). InciWeb. 2020-09-18. Retrieved 2020-09-20.
  53. ^ "UPDATED: Smoke-Choked Skies Cast Eerie Dark Orange Glow Over Bay Area As Wildfire Ash Falls From Above". 9 September 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
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