2017 California wildfires

2017 California wildfires
Smoke from the Alamo and Whittier fires during the 2017 California fire season, on July 8, 2017.
Statistics[2]
Total fires	9,560[1]
Total area	1,548,429 acres (6,266.27 km2)
Impacts
Deaths	45 civilians, 2 firefighters
Non-fatal injuries	12 firefighters, 199 civilians
Structures destroyed	10,280
Damage	≥$18.0 billion (2018 USD) (Second-costliest on record)[3][4]
Map
A map of wildfires in California in 2017, using Cal Fire data
Season
← 2016 2018 →

In terms of property damage, 2017 was the most destructive wildfire season on record in California at the time,^[5] surpassed by only the 2018 season and the 2020 season,^[6][7][8][9] with a total of 9,560 fires^[1] burning 1,548,429 acres (6,266.27 km²) of land, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, including five of the 20 most destructive wildland-urban interface fires in the state's history.^[2][10][11] Throughout 2017, the fires destroyed or damaged more than 10,000 structures in the state (destroyed 9,470, damaged 810), a higher tally than the previous nine years combined.^[2] State data showed that the large wildfires killed 47 people – 45 civilians and 2 firefighters – almost higher than the previous 10 years combined.^[12] The total property damage and total amount of burned land were both surpassed by the 2018 California wildfires.

Throughout the early months of 2017, there was heavy rainfall over most of California, which triggered widespread flooding, thus temporarily mitigating the state's historic drought conditions. However, according to a report published by the National Interagency Fire Center, the potential for large fires was "expected to remain near normal through the spring, but once fine fuels dry out, there will likely be a spike in grass fire activity."^[13]

In December 2017, strong Santa Ana winds triggered a new round of wildfires, including the massive Thomas Fire in Ventura County.^[14][15] At the time, the Thomas Fire was California's largest modern wildfire, which has since been surpassed by the Mendocino Complex's Ranch Fire in 2018. The December 2017 fires forced over 230,000 people to evacuate, with the 6 largest fires burning over 307,900 acres (1,246 km²) and more than 1,300 structures.^[16][17]

During the year, 5 of the 20 most destructive wildfires in the state's history burned between October and December: #1 Tubbs, #6 Nuns, #7 Thomas, #11 Atlas, and #17 Redwood Valley.^[11] The wildfires collectively caused at least $18.0 billion (2018 USD) in damages, including $13.2 billion in insured losses, $3 billion in other economic losses, and $1.8 billion in fire suppression costs, making the 2017 California fires the second-costliest on record.^[3][4] The total economic cost, including fire suppression, insurance, direct and indirect economic losses, and recovery expenditures is estimated at $180 billion (2017 USD).^[18] This number includes economic harm to the wine industry, where several wineries in Napa and Sonoma were destroyed, and where many wine grapes were severely damaged by smoke. Cal Fire spent $700 million during fiscal year 2017, far exceeding the approximately $426 million the agency had budgeted that year for fire suppression.^[12] This made 2017 the most expensive firefighting year on record in California state history.^[19]

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2017 will be remembered as a year of extremes. It was the third-warmest year on record for the United States, and it was the second-hottest in California, bringing to the surface the question of long-term climate change and its contribution to the 2017 California fires. The hotter temperatures dry out vegetation, making them easier to burn, predisposing vulnerable regions like California to more wildfires in the coming decades as temperatures continue to rise and rainfall continues to decline.^[12] Historically, it has been estimated that prior to 1850, about 4.5 million acres (17,000 km²) burned yearly, in fires that lasted for months.^[20]