2005 California wildfires


7,162 wildfires burned of land in the US state of California in 2005.

Background

The timing of "fire season" in California is variable, depending on the amount of prior winter and spring precipitation, the frequency and severity of weather such as heat waves and wind events, and moisture content in vegetation. Northern California typically sees wildfire activity between late spring and early fall, peaking in the summer with hotter and drier conditions. Occasional cold frontal passages can bring wind and lightning. The timing of fire season in Southern California is similar, peaking between late spring and fall. The severity and duration of peak activity in either part of the state is modulated in part by weather events: downslope/offshore wind events can lead to critical fire weather, while onshore flow and Pacific weather systems can bring conditions that hamper wildfire growth.

List of wildfires

Below is a list of all fires that exceeded during the 2005 fire season. The list is taken from CAL FIRE's list of large fires.
NameCountyAcresKmStart dateContained DateNotes
Dos AmigosMercedJune 3, 2005June 3, 2005-
FiveFresnoJune 4, 2005June 5, 2005-
SperryStanislausJune 4, 2005June 4, 2005-
PioneerSan BernardinoJune 18, 2005June 19, 2005-
ParadiseSan BernardinoJune 22, 2005June 25, 2005-
SobobaRiversideJune 22, 2005June 24, 2005-
HackberrySan BernardinoJune 22, 2005June 27, 2005-
BaileyMaderaJuly 2, 2005July 2, 2005-
ToveyLos AngelesJuly 5, 2005July 6, 2005-
MillwoodTulareJuly 7, 2005July 7, 2005-
NineTulareJuly 9, 2005July 9, 2005-
TeslaAlamedaJuly 19, 2005July 20, 2005-
China LakeKernJuly 19, 2005July 19, 2005-
KingstonSan BernardinoJuly 22, 2005July 23, 2005-
CowpieMercedAugust 1, 2005August 1, 2005-
HalloranSan BernardinoAugust 3, 2005August 3, 20051 civilian killed-
DeerLakeAugust 9, 2005August 9, 2005-
ThirtySixTehamaAugust 10, 2005August 11, 2005-
BarrelModocAugust 22, 2005August 22, 2005-
HardingSierraAugust 24, 2005August 24, 2005-
MantonTehamaAugust 26, 2005August 29, 2005-
BlaisdellRiversideAugust 26, 2005August 30, 2005-
GormanKernSeptember 3, 2005September 5, 2005-
PineTulareSeptember 19, 2005September 19, 2005-
TopangaLos AngelesSeptember 28, 2005October 7, 2005-
San TimoteoRiversideSeptember 28, 2005September 28, 2005-
HarvardLos AngelesSeptember 29, 2005October 4, 2005-
RiverMaderaOctober 5, 2005October 5, 2005-
Border 50San DiegoOctober 5, 2005October 8, 2005-
WoodhouseRiversideOctober 5, 2005October 7, 2005-
SchoolVenturaNovember 18, 2005November 19, 2005-

Labor Day brush fire

On Labor Day Monday, September 5, 2005, a small brush fire erupted and burned parts of Rancho Peñasquitos and Black Mountain Open Space Park. The wildfire quickly grew to, and triggered the evacuation of 200 homes in Rancho Peñasquitos, before further growth was stopped by firefighters. The fire was fully extinguished by September 7. Despite its small size, the brush fire was the worst wildfire to affect San Diego City in two years, since the Cedar Fire of 2003. The wildfire resulted in 6 injuries, but did not result in structural damages. The brush fire determined to have been started by a teenage boy, who was subsequently arrested.