How many fires are caused by lightning

While lightning-caused wildfires cannot be prevented, the severity of wildfires may be reduced through land management activities such as fuels management, prescribed burning and landscape fire management planning. Theoretically, there are other causes that could fall into the natural wildfire category, including rock fall, meteorite or volcano, but the likelihood of non-lightning caused natural wildfires is extremely rare in British Columbia.

There are numerous ways human activity can start wildfires, either accidentally or intentionally. The most important factor of person-caused fires is that they are preventable. Wildfire investigations often take time to complete and can be very complex. More information regarding wildfire investigations can be found here. Comments will be sent to 'servicebc gov. Enter your email address if you would like a reply:. The information on this form is collected under the authority of Sections 26 c and 27 1 c of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act to help us assess and respond to your enquiry.

Questions about the collection of information can be directed to the Manager of Corporate Web , Government Digital Experience Division. I consent. Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to side navigation Accessibility Statement. On September 28 a state of emergency was declared in California in response to the wildfires that burned through Napa, Sonoma and Shasta Counties, where tens of thousands were forced to evacuate.

State authorities ordered 70, residents of Sonoma and Napa Counties to evacuate, including the entire city of Calistoga in Napa Valley. The Creek Fire in Fresno and Madera counties has burned almost , acres into November, destroying structures. About 4. In late October significant fires broke out throughout California, leading to the evacuation of more than , people and the declaration of a state of emergency.

The Kincade Fire in Sonoma County ignited on October 23, and burned about 78, acres—an area more than twice the size of the city of San Francisco. According to CalFire , buildings were destroyed, and 60 more were damaged. The Getty Fire in Los Angeles broke out on October 28, fueled by strong Santa Ana winds, with wind gusts up to 80 miles an hour and burned acres. In Ventura County, the Maria Fire began on October 1 and burned 10, acres and destroyed four structures.

The Ranch Fire, ignited November 3, burned 2, acres. About 8. The Mendocino Complex Fire broke out on July 27 in Northern California and grew to be the largest fire state history to date, with , acres burned. Eight fatalities are attributed to the fire, and 1, structures were destroyed. The Camp Fire broke out in Butte County, California, on November 8 and became the deadliest and most destructive fire on record in the state.

According to Cal Fire statistics 85 people perished. About , acres were burned and 18, structures were destroyed. The Hill and Woolsey Fires started on November 8. The Woolsey Fire burned about 97, acres, according to Cal Fire. It destroyed about 1, structures and killed three people. The Hill Fire burned about 4, acres and destroyed four structures.

The fund would prevent the state from having to bail out utilities facing bankruptcy, removing the burden from taxpayers. The California Earthquake Authority CEA , which currently purchases reinsurance for earthquakes that occur in the state, will handle administrative responsibility for the fund. According to Artemis , the fund could operate as a risk pool where electric utility exposure could be handled by insurance, reinsurance or insurance-linked securities.

About 10 million acres were burned in , compared with 5. The number of acres burned in was higher than the year average.

About 1, personnel were fighting the fire, including a robust air attack operation, Cox said. Dangerous conditions were expected to persist over the weekend, with the National Weather Service issuing an excessive heat warning through Monday.

Temperatures in the lower valleys in the vicinity of the fire were forecast to reach anywhere from to degrees, said Dawn Johnson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Reno. The heat is due to a huge area of high pressure centered over California, Nevada and Arizona that is producing an effect similar to the heat dome over the Pacific Northwest that generated record-breaking temperatures last month, Johnson said.

In fact, the air is so dry, some of the water and retardant being dropped by aircraft on the Sugar fire has been evaporating before it hits the ground, Cox said. Officials attributed the increase in fire activity to the heat that began intensifying midweek, which further baked drought-stressed vegetation and fostered the development of the giant smoke plume that helped the fire grow even more.

The fire was threatening high voltage power lines, major fiber-optic lines and two Union Pacific rail lines, she said. One rail line, or subdivision, was shut down after flames damaged a bridge, Union Pacific spokeswoman Kristen South wrote in an email. Union Pacific water cars remained in the area spraying structures Saturday, she wrote. The fire was less than two miles from U.

Firefighters were trying to keep it west of the highway but said it could spot across. Authorities continued to be concerned about extreme fire behavior, including long-range spotting that could cause more fires to take hold, Cox said. Due to the unpredictability, they were urging the public to monitor alerts issued by local law enforcement agencies and to be ready to evacuate.

Alex Wigglesworth is an environment reporter who covers wildfires for the Los Angeles Times. Before joining the newsroom in , she was a general assignment reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News and Philly. A Philadelphia native, she graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in medical anthropology and global health. She currently lives in Inglewood. She helped her husband start a far-right militia group.