California
October 2007
California, 2003
Enlarge
Wildfires are an important ecosystem process throughout the western United States. The current wildfires in Southern California are not the first and, unfortunately, may not be the last to affect the region. In 2003, for example, a series of nine wildfires claimed more than 640,000 acres (equivalent to an area larger than 640,000 football fields) and destroyed more than 3,000 structures. According to estimates compiled by the State of California, a series of 23 wildfires have burned more than 750,000 acres in 2007.
For more information on wildfires, see:
National Interagency Fire Center
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Forest Service Fire and Aviation Management
Wildfire Management in the U.S. Forest Service: A Brief History
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, 10/2007