Creek Fire (2020)
The Creek Fire was a large wildfire which started on September 4, 2020, near Shaver Lake, California, and became one of the largest fires of the 2020 California wildfire season. The fire burned 379,895 acres (153,738 ha) and was declared 100% contained on December 24, 2020.[6] The fire burned mostly in the Sierra National Forest. The Creek Fire was the fifth-largest wildfire in modern California history, and the second-largest single fire not part of a greater complex.[7] The fire necessitated the rescue of hundreds of people by National Guard helicopters.[8] Evacuations were issued in North Fork, Bass Lake, Big Creek, Shaver, Huntington Lake, Tollhouse and Auberry, California.[9] Half the homes in Big Creek were reported to have been destroyed by the fire.[10][11] The Creek Fire destroyed at least 856 buildings and cost over $193 million (2020 USD) in fire suppression costs,[3] while the total property damage is currently unknown.
Creek Fire | |
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Location | Northern California, United States |
Coordinates | 37.19147°N 119.261175°W |
Statistics[1][2] | |
Total area | 379,895 acres (153,738 ha) |
Cost | >$193 million (2020 USD)[3] |
Date(s) | September 4 – December 24, 2020 (contained) |
Cause | Undetermined (Most probably lightning) [4] |
Buildings destroyed | 856 |
Deaths | 0 |
Non-fatal injuries | 26 (12 campers and 14 firefighters)[1][5] |
Map | |
![]() ![]() Location of Creek Fire in Northern California |
Events

The fire began around 6:40 PM PDT on Friday, September 4, 2020, in the Big Creek drainage area between Shaver Lake and Huntington Lake, California. Driven by powerful diurnal up-canyon winds within the San Joaquin River drainage, the Creek Fire quickly became a firestorm. NASA documented the creation of a pyrocumulonimbus cloud believed to be one of the largest ever seen in the United States.[12] The fire was fed in part by these cloud formations, which generated downdrafts that supplied the fire with additional oxygen and pushed it across fire lines.[13] The fire has been characterized as a plume-dominated blaze, where the environment allows for the continued upward blowing of smoke and the vertical transfer of heat, causing extreme fire behavior, such as multiple fire tornadoes observed using Doppler weather radar data.[14]
Within the first four days, the Creek Fire rapidly exploded, expanding anywhere between 20,000 acres (81 km2) to 50,000 acres (200 km2) each day from September 4–9. Reasons for this explosive behavior included strong, gusty winds pushing east from the Central Valley into the Sierra Nevada and a pileup of dead trees due to the 2011–17 California drought and subsequent bark beetle infestation.[15] With over 290,000 acres (1,200 km2) burned on September 23, the Creek Fire became the largest single blaze in the history of California, though it was surpassed the following year by the 2021 Dixie Fire.[16]
The Creek Fire also spawned two fire tornadoes on September 5; the first was rated EF2 near Huntington Lake with approximately 125 mph winds, and the second was rated EF1 near Mammoth Pool with approximately 100 mph winds. Damage included uprooted pine trees as well as stripped bark. These "firenadoes" formed due to the intense heat the fire had generated, which pulled in air, creating rotational vortices.[17] The Mammoth Pool firenado trapped hundreds of campers in the area, while the Huntington Lake one caused severe damage to trees in the Camp Silver Fir, B.S.A. & Kennolyn Camps area, and continued to attack their root systems a week later, burning underground at over 1,500 °F (820 °C).[18]
The fire had initially trapped about 1,000 people near Mammoth Pool Reservoir after it jumped the San Joaquin River, with at least 200 individuals trapped at a boat launch.[14] The California National Guard, using CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and night goggles, flew multiple sorties to evacuate people from near Mammoth Pool Reservoir.[19] The Chinook flew three flights, carrying 67, 102, and 37 people each time (not including crew). The Black Hawk flew another three times, carrying 15, 22, and 21 people each time. Evacuees were taken to an airfield in Fresno.
Over the next month, the Creek Fire continued to grow in size, exceeding 300,000 acres (120,000 ha) on September 27. In October, most of the new growth in the Creek Fire was coming from the eastern flank of the fire, which was expanding towards Mono Hot Springs and Lake Thomas A Edison. In late October 2020, the Creek Fire became the fourth-largest fire in the recorded history of California.[7] On October 26, the Creek Fire had grown to 369,362 acres (149,475 ha), while containment was at 63 percent.
Full containment was expected around November 30,[20] however, the fire persisted for another month, before it was fully contained on December 24.[6]
Impact
On September 5, hours after the fire broke out, the Fresno County Sheriff's Office closed Shaver Lake, a popular destination for boating and camping. The California Highway Patrol also shut down California State Route 168 for access only to emergency responders and evacuees.[21]
On September 7, California governor Gavin Newsom issued a state of emergency for the Creek Fire in the Fresno, Madera, and Mariposa counties, as the fire crossed State Route 168 and was rapidly moving southward, threatening the community of Shaver Lake. The town of Big Creek was already decimated on September 5. 1,000 firefighters were called to fight this fire, which was already 78,000 acres (320 km2) large with no containment, moving quickly towards cabins, homes, and shops.[22]
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Scores of people were airlifted from hiking trails within the Sierra National Forest in the early days of the fire, with at least 150 people and some dogs evacuated by September 8.[23]
On September 9, at least 60 homes were destroyed and 278 commercial-residential structures were destroyed along with the historic Cressman's General Store, a local-landmark.[24] On September 9, the fire reached explosives stored by the China Peak Mountain Resort that were used to control avalanches causing the cache to explode. Firefighters had been warned of the cache and evacuated prior to the fire reaching the explosive materials.[25]
On September 22, the fire had destroyed more than 855 structures and forced the evacuation of over 30,000 people in Fresno and Madera Counties.[1][26] Smoke from the fire, worsened the air quality in the Central Valley area and caused an increase in at-risk individuals and children to be affected by respiratory issues and an increase in the use and prescribing of inhalers.[27] On September 17, the Boy Scouts of America - Southern Sierra Council announced that the fire had badly damaged Camp Kern, with some significant structures fully destroyed by the fire.[28]
Multiple organizations and locations housed pets and livestock during the evacuations, such as the Fresno Fairgrounds,[29] Clovis Rodeo Grounds and local high schools.[30] The Red Cross organized hotel rooms for evacuees; group shelters were not an available option due to COVID-19 pandemic social distancing requirements.[24]
Response
On September 15, Gavin Newsom and California senator Kamala Harris travelled to Fresno County to survey Creek Fire damage. They were met with both supporters and protestors. They talked to first responders about their efforts to fight the fire, as well as wildfire evacuees.[31] They also addressed climate change as a major problem facing California and the country, helping to fuel wildfires like the Creek Fire.[32] However, an Auberry family accused the pair of using their property for photo-op purposes, merely to push their political agenda, before even the family themselves could survey the damage.[33][34]
Fire growth and containment process
Date | Area burned acres | Containment | ||
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Sep 5 | 36,000 | 0%
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Sep 6 | 73,278 | 0%
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Sep 7 | 78,790 | 0%
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Sep 8 | 152,833 | 0%
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Sep 9 | 163,138 | 0%
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Sep 10 | 175,893 | 0%
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Sep 11 | 182,225 | 6%
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Sep 12 | 196,667 | 8%
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Sep 13 | 201,908 | 10%
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Sep 14 | 212,744 | 16%
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Sep 15 | 228,025 | 18%
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Sep 16 | 244,746 | 18%
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Sep 17 | 246,756 | 20%
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Sep 18 | 248,256 | 20%
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Sep 19 | 271,938 | 25%
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Sep 20 | 278,368 | 27%
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Sep 21 | 280,425 | 30%
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Sep 22 | 283,724 | 30%
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Sep 23 | 289,695 | 32%
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Sep 24 | 291,426 | 34%
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Sep 25 | 291,426 | 36%
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Sep 26 | 292,172 | 39%
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Sep 27 | 302,870 | 39%
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Sep 28 | 304,604 | 39%
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Sep 29 | 306,240 | 44%
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Sep 30 | 307,051 | 44%
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Oct 1 | 309,033 | 44%
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Oct 2 | 311,703 | 45%
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Oct 3 | 313,044 | 49%
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Oct 4 | 316,673 | 49%
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Oct 5 | 322,089 | 48%
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Oct 6 | 326,706 | 49%
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Oct 7 | 328,595 | 49%
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Oct 8 | 330,899 | 49%
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Oct 9 | 331,954 | 49%
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Oct 10 | 333,350 | 49%
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Oct 11 | 333,350 | 55%
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Oct 12 | 333,350 | 55%
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Oct 13 | 337,655 | 55%
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Oct 14 | 337,655 | 55%
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Oct 15 | 341,722 | 55%
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Oct 16 | 344,042 | 60%
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Oct 19 | 350,331 | 61%
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Oct 20 | 352,339 | 61%
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Oct 22 | 357,656 | 61%
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Oct 25 | 360,834 | 61%
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Oct 26 | 369,362 | 63%
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Oct 27 | 374,466 | 63%
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Oct 28 | 378,701 | 63%
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Nov 4 | 380,002 | 70%
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Nov 23 | 379,895 | 95%
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Dec 2 | 379,895 | 96%
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Dec 3 | 379,895 | 96%
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Dec 24[6] | 379,895 | 100%
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References
- "Creek Fire". California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. October 26, 2020. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
- "Creek Fire Information". inciweb.nwcg.gov. InciWeb. November 23, 2020. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
- 2020 National Large Incident Year-to-Date Report (PDF). Geographic Area Coordination Center (Report). National Interagency Fire Center. December 21, 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 29, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
- "Sierra National Forest - News & Events".
- "Creek Fire Update: National Guard Helicopter Rescue Missions Turned Back By Heavy Smoke; Fire Grows To 135,523 Acres; One Death In Fire". September 7, 2020. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- Olow, Alex (December 24, 2020). "Sierra National Forest Declares the Creek Fire 100% contained". United States Department of Agriculture. Sierra National Forest. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
- Report, CAL Fire (October 26, 2020). "Top 20 Largest California Wildfires" (PDF). Cal Fire. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 26, 2020. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
- Fedschun, Travis (September 6, 2020). "Creek Fire". Foxnews. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
- "Creek Fire forces evacuation of entire town in central California". KTLA5. September 8, 2020. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
- Warszawski, Marek (September 6, 2020). "Creek Fire consumes half the homes in tiny town. 'Words cannot describe the devastation'". Fresno Bee. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
- Romero, Sheyenne N. (September 6, 2020). "More than 200 campers rescued by helicopter as Creek Fire prompts state of emergency in California: What we know". USA Today. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
- Jenner, Lynn (September 8, 2020). "California's Creek Fire Creates Its Own Pyrocumulonimbus Cloud". NASA. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
- Murphy, Paul (September 9, 2020). "The Creek Fire is creating massive thunderhead clouds that are fueling its growth". The Mercury News. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- Freedman, Andrew (September 6, 2020). "California endures record-setting 'kiln-like' heat as fires rage, causing injuries". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- Yurong, Dale (September 9, 2020). "Creek Fire: Wildfire burning at historic pace through Sierra Nevada". KFSN. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
- Julia Jacobo (September 24, 2020). "Creek Fire becomes largest single blaze in California history". ABC News. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
- Jenn, Selva (September 24, 2020). "California's largest single wildfire spawned two massive firenados -- one was an EF2". CNN. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
- Anteola, Bryant-Jon (September 13, 2020). "'Fire tornado' hit Huntington Lake, with some roots still burning at more than 1,500 degrees". The Fresno Bee. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
- "After a daring rescue in 'apocalyptic' wildfire conditions, the military prepares for a long fight". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
- Tobias, Manuela (November 3, 2020). "Creek Fire update, Nov. 3: Here's what firefighters are up against, how to get help". Retrieved December 7, 2020.
- "Wildfire forces evacuation, closed access to California lake". Associated Press. San Diego Union Tribune. September 5, 2020. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
- Romero, Sheyanne N (September 7, 2020). "Gov. Newsom announces state of emergency after Creek Fire tears through 78,000 acres". Visalia Times-Delta. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
- Favro, Marianne (September 8, 2020). "3 South Bay Backpackers Rescued From Raging Creek Fire". NBC Bay Area. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
- Hughes, Trevor (September 9, 2020). "The human toll of Creek Fire: 'Our entire community is gone'". VisaliaTimesDelta.com. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- Yeager, Joshua (September 11, 2020). "'A real milestone': Creek Fire reaches 6% containment, 175,000 acres burned". VisaliaTimesDelta.com. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
- Ortiz, John Bacon, Trevor Hughes and Jorge L. (September 9, 2020). "'We could hear the trees exploding': Deadly swath of wildfires rage in the West; death toll rises to 6". USA TODAY. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Yurong, Dale (September 17, 2020). "Creek Fire: More Valley kids experiencing respiratory issues since wildfire started". ABC30 Fresno. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- Staff, BakersfieldNow (September 17, 2020). "Camp Kern destroyed by Creek Fire". KBAK. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- Girardin, Shayla (September 10, 2020). "Fresno Fairgrounds opens as an animal evacuation shelter, donations needed". ABC30 Fresno. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- Price, Nancy (September 9, 2020). "Animals Find Shelter from Creek Fire at Clovis North, Clovis Rodeo Grounds". GV Wire. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- Gonzalez, Liz (September 15, 2020). "Sen. Kamala Harris tours Creek Fire damage, visits evacuees". KMPH-TV. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
- Yeager, Joshua (September 15, 2020). "Kamala Harris on global warming: 'This is not a partisan issue. It's just a fact'". Visalia Times-Delta. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
- Edinger, Marie (September 16, 2020). "Auberry family says Harris and Newsom trespassed in damaged home for photo op". KMPH-TV. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
- Collman, Ashley (September 18, 2020). "A California family is accusing Kamala Harris and Gov. Gavin Newsom of trespassing on their wildfire-ravaged property for a photo op". Business Insider. Retrieved November 21, 2020.