Witch Fire
The Witch Creek Fire, also known as the Witch Fire, was the second-largest wildfire of the 2007 California wildfire season, burning 197,990 acres (801 km2) of land in San Diego County. Fanned by powerful Santa Ana winds, the Witch Creek Fire rapidly spread westward and consumed large portions of San Diego County. During its duration, flames reached 80 to 100 feet (24 to 30 m) high, and the Witch Fire exhibited the characteristics of a firestorm at its height.
| Witch Creek fire Part of the Fall 2007 California firestorm | |
|---|---|
Image of the wildfire burning in the background, on the night of October 21, 2007 | |
| Location | San Diego County, California, US |
| Statistics | |
| Cost | $1.339 billion (equivalent to $1.89 billion in 2022) |
| Date(s) | October 21, 2007 – November 13, 2007 |
| Burned area | 197,990 acres (801 km2) |
| Cause | Downed electric power lines |
| Buildings destroyed |
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| Deaths | 2 civilians |
| Non-fatal injuries | 55 firefighters
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On the morning of October 22, 2007, about a day after the Witch Creek Fire had ignited, residents of San Diego County were ordered to evacuate through the Reverse 911 system. Eventually, the Witch Creek Fire led to the evacuations of 500,000 people across San Diego County. It also contributed to mass evacuations across much of Southern California, which saw 1,000,000 residents evacuate, the largest in Californian history. The Witch Fire caused at least $1.142 billion (equivalent to $1.612 billion in 2022) in insured damages alone, becoming the costliest wildfire of 2007. As of 2022, the Witch Fire is the eighteenth-largest wildfire in modern California history, as well as the seventh-most destructive wildfire on record in California.