20 YEARS OF MAJOR BRUSH FIRES*
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1. Sept. 9, 1987
Location: Cleveland National Forest (known as “Silverado” fire).
Size: 5,800 acres in Orange and Riverside counties.
Injuries: None.
Structures damaged: None.
Cause: Arson.
Cost: $1.3 million to fight fire.
2. Aug. 12, 1985
Location: Carbon Canyon.
Size: 1,500 acres.
Injuries: None.
Structures damaged: None.
Cause: Never determined.
Cost: $300,000 to fight fire.
3. Jan. 27, 1984
Location: Modjeska Canyon.
Size: 1,200 acres.
Injuries: None.
Structures damaged: None.
Suspected cause: Embers from controlled blaze.
Cost: $300,000 to fight fire.
4. Oct. 9, 1982
Location: Gypsum Canyon.
Size: 17,000 acres.
Injuries: None.
Structures damaged: 14 luxury homes in Villa Park-Anaheim Hills area destroyed.
Cause: Faulty utility pole.
Cost: $16 million damage and fire-fighting costs.
5. Nov. 24, 1980
Location: Indian and Trabuco Canyons.
Size: 28,200 acres.
Injuries: None.
Structures damaged: Three cabins and four other buildings destroyed.
Suspected cause: Arson.
Cost: $7 million damage to watershed.
6. Oct. 28-30, 1980
Location: North Orange County (“Owl” fire).
Size: 14,873 acres.
Injuries: None.
Structures damaged: One house, two barns destroyed.
Suspected cause: Arson.
Cost: Not available.
7. Oct. 24, 1978
Location: Carbon Canyon.
Size: 5,600 acres.
Injuries: Three minor injuries.
Structures damaged: None.
Cause: Gun target practice.
Cost: Not available.
8. Jan. 22, 1976
Location: San Clemente.
Size: 2,400 acres.
Injuries: 12 firefighters injured.
Structures damaged: 15 houses destroyed, 66 damaged.
Cause: Spark from welding equipment.
Cost: $1 million in damage.
9. Dec. 8, 1975
Location: Silverado Canyon.
Size: 1,700 acres.
Injuries: None.
Structures damaged: Three homes and several out-buildings destroyed.
Cause: Bottled gas heater explosion.
Cost: Not available.
10. Sept. 26, 1970
Location: Trabuco Canyon.
Size: 3,268 acres.
Injuries: None.
Structures damaged: One house destroyed.
Cause: Youth playing with highway flare.
Cost: Not available.
11. Oct. 29-Nov. 2,1967
Location: Paseo Grande.
Size: 50,000 acres.
Injuries: One woman killed when hit by a runaway vehicle; nine others, including four firefighters, injured.
Structures damaged: 66 homes destroyed in Lemon Heights, Santa Ana Canyon and Cowan Heights.
Suspected cause: Children playing with matches.
Cost: $2.5 million in damage.
BRUSH FIRES IN ORANGE COUNTY*
Number of Fires per Category ** Year Total Fires 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1981 118 103 13 1 0 1 0 0 1982 75 59 10 2 2 1 0 1 1983 32 21 7 2 2 0 0 0 1984 118 93 20 3 0 1 1 0 1985 123 96 21 3 1 1 1 0 1986 92 74 14 4 0 0 0 0 1987 186 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Year Total Acres 1981 407 1982 11,662 1983 445 1984 2,549 1985 2,378 1986 156 1987 2,116
N/A: not available
* Fires that start in areas under the jurisdiction of the Orange County Fire Department.
** Categories: 1) acre or less.
2) -9 acres.
3) 10-99 acres.
4) 100-299 acres.
5) 300-999 acres.
6) 1,000-4,999 acres.
7) 5,000 acres or more.
Source: Orange County Fire Department
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