How many wildfires has California had this year? What to know as McKinney burns
The McKinney Fire in Siskiyou County has burned more than 55,000 acres as of Monday morning. The last major fire, Oak Fire, ignited in Mariposa County less than two weeks ago, burning nearly 20,000 acres.
With wildfire season now in full swing, what other fire incidents have occurred in California so far in 2022?
Active fires
There are nine active fires of interest in California as of Monday morning, according to the the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire — although not all are classified as Cal Fire incidents.
The most expansive fire is the McKinney Fire, which is the largest to date this year. It ignited Friday and has burned more than 55,000 acres along California’s border with Oregon at Highway 96 and McKinney Creed Road, southwest of the Klamath River.
It is 0% contained as of Monday morning, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. Evacuation orders remain in place for surrounding rural communities, including Yreka, but no new evacuations were ordered.
The Oak Fire in Mariposa County, which started on July 22, ignited near Yosemite National Park on Highway 140 and Carstens Road, according to Cal Fire. It has burned 19,244 acres and is 72% contained.
The Pebble Fire ignited Sunday and burned 55 acres in Fresno County, on Pebble Lane and Ripple Lane. It is 50% contained.
The Meamber Fire, another fire incident that affected Siskiyou County, also started Sunday. It burned 40 acres and is now 5% contained.
The Apple Fire in Yuba County burned 39 acres and is 85% contained as of Monday morning.
The Shackleford Fire, also in Siskiyou County, started Saturday, burned 31 acres and is 20% contained.
Previous fires
As of August 1, nearly 5,000 fire incidents have burned 147,304 acres in California this year, according to Cal Fire. Two deaths have been reported, and 96 structures have been either damaged or destroyed.
Here are some of the biggest fires from this year, according to Cal Fire. McKinney Fire tops the list.
Oak Fire
Oak Fire erupted near Yosemite Park on July 22 and burned 19,244 acres in Mariposa County. It has been active for the last nine days and has been 72% contained.
Lost Lake Fire
One of the largest fires of 2022, the Lost Lake Fire burned 5,856 acres in Riverside County, bordering Arizona. Starting on May 26, it was fully contained June 8.
Electra Fire
On July 4, Electra Fire sparked near the intersection of Electra Road and Highway 49 along the Amador-Calaveras county line. It burned 4,478 acres and is now fully contained.
Airport Fire
The Airport Fire tore through 4,136 acres near Bishop, California, in the Eastern Sierra region from Feb. 16 to Feb. 26.
Thunder Fire
The Thunder Fire ravaged 2,500 acres in Kern County from June 22 to June 27. It has since been 100% contained, but the cause is still under investigation.
This story was originally published August 1, 2022 at 11:14 AM with the headline "How many wildfires has California had this year? What to know as McKinney burns."