California's 10 Most Destructive Wildfires

Chris Dolce and Brian Donegan
Published: August 18, 2016
A number of destructive wildfires have raged across parts of California so far this year.
The Clayton fire near Lower Lake destroyed at least 268 structures in mid-August, according to Cal Fire. Another 57 homes were destroyed by the Soberanes fire to the south of Monterey after it ignited in late July.
(MORE: An Update on Several Active California Wildfires)
Most recently, the Blue Cut fire has damaged or destroyed an unknown number of structures in Southern California near Cajon Pass.
With that in mind, what are the most damaging wildfires in the state's history? Here are the 10 worst, according to Cal Fire, which includes two that occurred last year.

10. Sayre Fire

Flames engulf the Sylmar section of Los Angeles.
(PortlandOregon.Gov)

• Los Angeles County (Southern California)
• November 2008
• Destroyed 604 structures
• 11,262 acres burned
• No deaths reported

9. Fountain Fire

Fountain Fire locator map.

• Shasta County (north-central California); caused by arson
• August 1992
• Destroyed 636 structures
• 63,960 acres burned
• No deaths reported

8. Paint Fire

Paint Fire locator map.

• Santa Barbara County (Southern California); caused by arson
• June 1990
• Destroyed 641 structures
• 4,900 acres burned
• 1 death

7. Butte Fire

A burned residence from the Butte Fire.
(California Natural Resources Agency)

• Amador and Calaveras counties (east-central California, near the Sierra Nevada)
• September 2015
• Destroyed 921 structures
• 70,868 acres burned
• 2 deaths

6. Jones Fire

Jones Fire locator map.

• Shasta County (north-central California); unknown cause
• October 1999
• Destroyed 954 structures
• 26,200 acres burned
• 1 death

5. Old Fire

Smoke plume clearly visible on satellite imagery.
(NASA)

• San Bernardino County (southeastern California); Human-caused
• October 2003
• Destroyed 1,003 structures
• 91,281 acres burned
• 6 deaths

4. Witch Fire

The Witch Fire viewed from a satellite.
(NASA)

• San Diego County (Southern California); caused by power lines
• October 2007
• Destroyed 1,650 structures
• 197,990 acres burned
• 2 deaths

3. Valley Fire

Burn scars viewed from satellite imagery.
(NASA)

• Lake, Napa and Sonoma counties (central California)
• September 2015
• Destroyed 1,955 structures
• 76,067 acres burned
• 4 deaths

2. Cedar Fire

Entire neighborhoods were leveled by the 2003 Cedar Fire.
(NOAA)

• San Diego County (Southern California); human-caused
• October 2003
• Destroyed 2,820 structures
• 273,246 acres burned
• 15 deaths

1. Tunnel Fire (Oakland Hills)

Entire neighborhoods were leveled by the 1991 Oakland Hills firestorm, California's most destructive single wildfire on record. (Cal EMA)

• Alameda County (Bay Area)
• October 1991
• Destroyed 2,900 structures
• 1,600 acres burned
• 25 deaths

MORE: Western Wildfires, August 2016