Major Southland Fires

These are major fires that have hit Southern California in the last 60 years. Los Angeles County fires are noted in boldface (+).

* DATE: September, 1970 AREA: Newhall, Simi Valley, Malibu, Fillmore* ACRES: 435,000 DATE: September, 1970 AREA: Cleveland National Forest, San Diego County ACRES: 185,000 DATE: September, 1932 AREA: Matilija Canyon, Ventura, Santa Barbara counties ACRES: 160,000 DATE: July, 1985 AREA: Wheeler Springs, Ventura County ACRES: 119,000 DATE: September, 1962 AREA: Santa Ynez Mountains, Santa Barbara County ACRES: 88,000 DATE: September, 1964 AREA: Santa Ynez Mtns., Santa Barbara, Ventura counties ACRES: 76,000 DATE: December, 1958 AREA: San Juan Capistrano, Lake Elsinore ACRES: 66,300 DATE: August, 1944 AREA: Laguna Junction, San Diego County ACRES: 65,000 * DATE: October, 1982 AREA: Dayton Canyon (Canoga Park to Malibu) ACRES: 57,000 DATE: November, 1970 AREA: Bear Creek, San Bernardino County ACRES: 53,100 * DATE: June, 1968 AREA: Bald and Liebre Mountains, Los Angeles County ACRES: 50,000 DATE: October, 1967 AREA: Santa Ana Canyon, Orange County ACRES: 48,600 * DATE: November, 1975 AREA: Big Tujunga, Los Angeles County ACRES: 46,500 DATE: October, 1985 AREA: Wheeler Canyon, Ferndale, Ventura County ACRES: 45,710 DATE: November, 1948 AREA: Santa Ana Canyon, Riverside, Orange counties ACRES: 45,000 DATE: November, 1956 AREA: Cleveland National Forest, San Diego County ACRES: 44,500 DATE: July, 1953 AREA: Santa Maria, Santa Barbara County ACRES: 42,000 * DATE: November, 1943 AREA: Topanga Canyon, Malibu, Los Angeles County ACRES: 40,000 DATE: September, 1970 AREA: Lytle Creek, San Bernardino County ACRES: 40,000 DATE: October, 1967 AREA: San Jacinto Valley, Riverside County ACRES: 35,000 DATE: October, 1967 AREA: Poway, Ramona, San Diego County ACRES: 33,000 * Four initially distinct fires burned together into one blaze with a 147-mile perimeter.

Source: Los Angeles Times, California Department of Forestry