2025: California Natural Disasters
- Mar 30 – Apr 1 — Storms (Winter Storms: Late-March) — Trinity.
Heavy snow and strong winds hit for several days. Some roads were blocked, and power went out in places.
- Jan 31 – Feb 17 — Storms (February Storms) — Mendocino, Humboldt, Modoc, Shasta, Napa, Sonoma, Trinity.
A long spell of rain and mountain snow. Rivers and creeks rose, and travel was disrupted in several areas.
- Jan 7 — Windstorm and fire conditions (Eaton, Hurst, Palisades, Lidia, Woodley, and Sunset) — Ventura, Los Angeles.
Gusty winds toppled lines and helped small fires spread. Neighborhoods saw smoke. Short outages happened.
2024: California Natural Disasters
- Dec 23–24 — Winter storm (coastal) — Santa Cruz.
Strong surf and heavy rain along the coast. Low-lying areas were flooded. Beach access was affected.
- Dec 15 & 29 — Strong rainstorms — Trinity.
Two separate heavy rain events. Small roads flooded. Streams rose quickly.
- Dec 9–18 — Franklin Fire — Malibu.
The hillside fire burned vegetation and structures near neighborhoods. Crews worked to protect homes.
- Dec 5 — Earthquake — Humboldt, Del Norte, Mendocino.
An offshore quake shook the North Coast. Inspections and minor damage reports followed.
- Nov 6 — Mountain Fire — Ventura.
Wildfire in steep country. Evacuations and smoke affected nearby towns.
- Oct 21 — Victoria Island (Levee failure) — San Joaquin.
The Levee breach flooded farmland and island tracts. Fields and access roads were underwater.
- Sep 9 — Airport Fire — Orange, Riverside.
A blaze near an airport moved into dry grass. Nearby operations and travel were disrupted.
- Sep 8–11 — Boyles Fire — Lake.
Wildfire burned timberland and threatened structures. Crews defended communities.
- Sep 8 — Bridge Fire — Los Angeles, San Bernardino.
Canyon fire damaged property and closed routes. Evacuations in some areas.
- Sep 5 — Line Fire — San Bernardino.
Brush fire spread quickly in dry chaparral. Firefighters had to work overtime to protect homes.
- Sep 3 — Greater Portuguese Complex (Land movement) — Rancho Palos Verdes.
Ongoing slope movement worsened. Roads, utilities, and several houses were impacted.
- Sep 2 — Bear Fire — Sierra.
A rural wildfire burned forests and some homes. Smoke affected nearby valleys.
- Jul 24 — Borel Fire — Kern.
Summer brush fire in dry conditions. Crews protected nearby communities.
- Jul 24 — Park Fire — Butte, Tehama.
A fire swept through the grass & timber. There were road closures.
- Jul 22 — Gold Complex Fire — Plumas.
Several starts merged in forested country. Widespread smoke and structure threats occurred.
- Jul 3 — Shelly Fire — Siskiyou.
Fire near towns produced heavy smoke. Some properties were lost before the lines held.
- Jul 2 — Thompson Fire — Butte.
Fast-moving blaze reached neighborhoods. Firefighters conducted structure defense.
- Apr 25 — Pier Fire — Oceanside City.
Small blaze near the pier. Contained quickly after brief closures.
- Mar — Storms (19 counties)
Widespread rain & wind. Urban flooding, minor slides, and scattered outages.
- Early Feb — Winter storms (25 counties)
Strong system with mountain snow and coastal rain. Travel slowed, and trees and lines were downed.
- Dec 2023 to Jan 2024 — Harsh winter storms (three counties)
Streets and low areas were flooded. Coastal flooding & slope failures.
2023: California Natural Disasters
- Aug 20 — Hurricane Hilary
Rare tropical rains. Produced flash flooding and road washouts. Desert and coastal areas both saw damage.
- Aug 15 — Fires (Complexes at Smith River & Happy Camp) — Siskiyou, Del Norte.
Large forest fires. Remote areas burned. Smoke and some evacuations followed.
- Feb–Mar — Severe winter storms
Rains & heavy mountain snow. Flooding and road washouts. Power interruptions were widespread.
California Natural Disasters: 2022
- Dec 27, 2022 – Jan 2023 — Winter storms (severe) — 58 counties.
An extended series of powerful storms. Rivers rose, hillsides failed, and utilities worked nonstop.
- Dec 20 — Earthquake — Humboldt.
Strong shaker on the North Coast. Building inspections and localized damage reported.
- Sep 9 — Kay Tropical Storm (five counties severely affected)
Heavy rain & wind. Desert flooding and downed lines followed.
- Sep — Fires (Fork, Barnes, Mountain) — Modoc, Madera, Siskiyou.
Multiple wildfires burned timber country. Evacuations and smoke impacts persisted.
- Sep — Fires (Fairview, Mosquito) — Placer, El Dorado, Riverside.
Separate fires burned forest and foothill areas. Air quality dropped locally.
- Sep — Fire (Mill) — Siskiyou.
Wind-driven flames hit a town area. Several structures were lost quickly.
- Aug 31 — Route Fire — LA.
Freeway-adjacent brush fire. Disruption of traffic. Evacuations and smoke were widespread.
- Aug 1–7 — Storm System — Inyo, Alpine.
Canyon flooding & washouts. Roads closed for repairs.
- Jul — Fires (Evans, China 2, McKinney) — Siskiyou.
Cluster of large lightning-started fires. Crews battled extreme behavior during the heat.
- Jul — Fire (Oak) — Mariposa.
Fire near the Yosemite gateway damaged homes and the forest.
- Jul — Fire (Colorado) — Monterey.
Coastal slopes burned; steep terrain made access hard.
- Jul — Fire (Alisal) — Santa Barbara.
Brush fire in dry coastal canyons. Highway and trail closures followed.
- Jun 12 — Storm System (Tehama & Plumas)
Thunderstorms produced hail & downpours. Rural roads flooded briefly.
- Jan — Fire (Colorado) — Monterey.
Winter wildfire along Big Sur cliffs. Evacuations and highway closures.
2021: California Natural Disasters
- Dec — Winter Storms (22 counties)
The cold system brought heavy Sierra snow. Passes closed, and power restoration took days.
- Oct — Fire (Astral) — Santa Barbara.
Brush fire on coastal slopes. Short evacuations and smoke affected towns.
- Oct — Storms (16 counties)
A fall storm brought soaking rain. Urban flooding and minor slides occurred.
- Oct — Drought — 58 counties.
Worsening water shortages prompted expanded restrictions and planning.
- Sep 22 — Fire (Fawn) — Shasta.
Fast brush fire threatened communities. Structures were at risk, and evacuation orders followed.
- Sep 12 — Hopkins Fire — Mendocino.
Remote forest fire; crews protected homes on the edge.
- Sep 10 — KNP Complex Fire — Tulare.
Fire reached sequoia groves and parklands. Closures and smoke followed.
- Sep 9 — Windy Fire — Tulare.
Large blaze in rugged forest. Tribal lands and communities impacted
- Sep 7 — Fire (Cache) — Lake.
Rapid spread through the brush threatened homes. Quick evacuations followed.
- Aug 30 — Fire (Caldor) — Amador, Alpine, Placer.
Fire crossed into multiple counties. Large evacuations and long suppression efforts.
- Aug 26 — Washington Fire — Tuolumne.
The Canyon fire threatened communities and recreation areas.
- Aug 18 — Fire (French) — Kern.
Brush fire in the foothills. Some structural damage reported.
- Aug 17 — Fire (Caldor Fire) — El Dorado.
Fast-paced growth toward populated areas. Required major firefighting resources.
- Aug 10 — Dixie, Monument, and McFarland Fires— Tehama, Shasta & Trinity.
Simultaneous burning of multiple major fires. Smoke and closures persisted.
- Aug 5 — Fires (River and Antelope) — Nevada, Placer, & Siskiyou.
Multiple separate incidents. Threatened homes, recreation, & ranchlands.
- Jul 30 — River Complex Fire — Siskiyou, Trinity.
Lightning starts in a complex. Backcountry closures and resource demands followed.
- July 23 — Dixie, Tamarack, & Fly Fires — Alpine, Lassen, Butte, and Plumas counties.
Expanding wildfires. Strained firefighting units. Many counties were affected.
- Jun–Jul — Beckwourth Complex, & Lava Fires — Plumas, Lassen, and Siskiyou counties.
Two big incidents burned for weeks. Smoke affected wide areas.
- Jul 8 — Drought (10 counties)
Local drought emergency. Expanded with lower reservoir levels & restrictions.
Wide watershed drought declaration. Agriculture & communities faced cutbacks.
- Apr 21 — Russian River Watershed Drought — Mendocino & Sonoma Counties
Early basin emergency; conservation and planning increased.
- Jan 29 — Winter Storms — San Luis Obispo, Monterey.
Heavy rain and wind closed roads and caused debris flows.
- Jan 18 — Windstorm — Madera & Mariposa.
Power lines were disrupted. Strong gusts downed trees. Scattered outages followed.
California Natural Disasters: 2020
- Nov 17 — Fire (Mountain View) — Mono.
Fire spread quickly (wind-driven). Homes damaged. Evacuations prompted.
- Sep 27 — FGlass and Zogg Fires — Shasta, Napa, and Sonoma.
Multiple separate destructive fires. Burned vineyards, forests, & neighborhoods.
- Sep — Slater, Oak, and Bobcat fires — Los Angeles, Del Norte, & Mendocino counties.
Multiple large fires. Spread across distant regions. Poor air quality & evacuations resulted.
- Sep 8 — Fires (Slater and others) — Siskiyou.
Fires spread across remote land; cross-border coordination was needed.
- Sep 4–5 — El Dorado, Valley, and Creek fires — (five counties affected)
Lightning and heat created several major incidents. Losses were significant.
- Aug — Fires — 58 counties.
Statewide wildfire emergency with lightning and extreme heat. Widespread evacuations and resource strain.
2019: California Natural Disasters
- Oct 27 — High winds & wildfires — 58 counties.
Strong wind event fanned numerous fires. Public safety power shutoffs and evacuations followed.
- Oct 25 — Wildfires (Kincade, Tick) — Los Angeles, Sonoma.
Major fires threatened communities and infrastructure. Extended evacuations occurred.
- Oct 10 — Wildfire (Saddleridge) — Los Angeles.
Fast hill fire near freeways. Homes were lost. Air quality worsened.
- Oct 10 — Eagle, Reche, Sandalwood, and Wolf Wildfires— Riverside.
Several fires started quickly and forced rapid evacuations.
- Jul 4–5 — Earthquakes — Kern, San Bernardino.
Strong quakes hit the desert & foothills. Damage assessments were done. Aftershocks followed.
Heavy rains and mountain snow. Created flooding, slides, and outages across many counties.
2018: California Natural Disasters
- Nov — Wildfires (Hill and Woolsey) — Los Angeles, Ventura.
Twin destructive fires burned neighborhoods and wildlands. Mass evacuations and losses.
- Nov — Camp Wildfire — Butte.
A catastrophic urban-interface fire destroyed a town and caused many fatalities.
- Aug — Holy Wildfire — Orange, Riverside.
Steep canyon fire with long smoke episodes. Structures and trails damaged.
- Jul — River, Ranch, & Steele Wildfires — Lake, Mendocino, and Napa Counties
Multiple fires around the Clear Lake region. Homes and rangeland burned.
- Jul — Wildfire (Ferguson) — Mariposa.
Fire threatened Yosemite gateway areas; park access was limited.
- Jul — Wildfires (Cranston and Carr) — Riverside, Shasta.
Two major fires with significant structure loss. Long containment efforts were required.
- Jul — Monsoonal Rainstorm — San Bernardino.
Heavy cells caused flash flooding and debris flows on burn scars.
- Jul — Holiday Wildfire — Santa Barbara.
Hillside fire. Forced evacuations & road closures.
- Jul — West Wildfire — San Diego.
Suburban edge fire destroyed homes and burned hillsides.
- Jul — Klamathon Wildfire — Siskiyou.
Cross-border forest fire burned timber and ranch land.
- Jun — Pawnee Wildfire — Lake.
Grass & oak woodland burned. Structure threats. Evacuations prompted.
- Mar — Winter Storms (Affected 8 counties)
Strong late-season storms. Flooding & travel problems in the mountains.
2017: California Natural Disasters
- Dec — Thomas Wildfire — Santa Barbara.
Large coastal county fire that forced prolonged evacuations and burned orchards.
- Dec — Lilac Wildfire — San Diego.
Fast spreading brush fire in urban-interface zones. Schools and roads were closed.
- Dec — Wildfires (Creek, Rye) — Los Angeles.
Multiple valley fires with heavy smoke and structure threats.
- Dec — Thomas Wildfire — Ventura.
Continued major coastal fire with long suppression needs.
- Oct —Melting snowpack flooding — Inyo & Mono Counties.
Rapid snowmelt. Swollen rivers & road damage.
- Oct — Atlas Wildfire — Solano.
Vineyards and homes were damaged. Widespread evacuations.
- Oct — Wildfires — Butte, Mendocino, Lake, Nevada, & Orange Counties
Multiple simultaneous fires. Resources were taxed across regions.
- Oct — Wildfires (Tubbs and Atlas) — Napa, Yuba, Sonoma.
Destructive fires in wine country burned neighborhoods and businesses.
- Sep — Railroad, Mission, Pier, & Peak Wildfires — Madera, Mariposa, & Tulare Counties.
Several incidents (Sierra foothills). Roads and parks were closed.
- Sep — La Tuna Wildfire — Los Angeles.
A large city-proximate fire shut down freeways and parks.
- Sep — Wildfire (Ponderosa) — Butte.
Rural community & structure defense operations were impacted.
- Aug — Wildfire (Helena) — Trinity.
River corridor fire produced long smoke and closures.
Numerous starts burned rangeland and timber.
- Jul — Wildfire (Detwiler) — Mariposa.
Evacuations near the Yosemite gateway and structure losses.
- Jul — Wildfires (Alamo and Whittier) — Santa Barbara.
Combined coastal fires impacted recreation and communities.
- Jul — Wildfire (Wall) — Butte.
Wind-driven blaze. Properties damaged.
- Feb — Erosion & flooding, Lake Oroville Dam — Butte, Sutter, and Yuba Counties.
Spillway damaged. Emergency releases & downstream evacuations.
- Jan — Storm System — (Affected more than 30 counties)
Widespread storms. Flooding, slides, & outages across the state.
2016: California Natural Disasters
- Dec — Rainstorms — (six counties)
North Coast rains. Creek flooding & road closures.
- Aug 16 — Blue Cut Wildfire — San Bernardino.
Fast-moving freeway corridor fire. Closed I-15 & threatened homes.
- Aug 13 — Clayton Wildfire — Lake.
Town-adjacent fire. Forced rapid evacuations. Caused structural damage.
- Aug 13 — Chimney Wildfire — San Luis Obispo.
Foothill fire. Threatened ranches & infrastructure.
- Jul 22 — Sand Wildfire — Los Angeles.
Large brush fire in canyon areas required heavy air operations.
- Jul 22 — Soberanes Wildfire — Monterey.
Long-duration coast range fire closed trails and impacted parks.
- Jun 24 — Erskine Wildfire — Kern.
Wind-driven fire. Destroyed dozens of homes. Rural neighborhoods affected.
2015: California Natural Disasters
- Dec 2015 – Jan 2016 — Rainstorms — City of Carlsbad & City of Del Mar.
Coastal storms. Undermined roads & required repairs.
- Oct 23 — Natural gas leak (Aliso Canyon) — Los Angeles.
Major prolonged gas leak. Prompted evacuations & health monitoring.
- Oct — Rainstorms — Kern, Inyo, Los Angeles.
Desert and metro storms caused washouts and local flooding.
- Sep 13 — Valley Wildfire — Lake, Napa.
Extremely fast fire. Destroyed homes & businesses. Large evacuations occurred.
- Sep 11 — Butte Wildfire — Amador, Calaveras.
Foothill fire damaged communities and infrastructure.
- Jun–Jul — Wildfires — 58 counties.
Statewide severe fire season with many large incidents and broad smoke impacts.
- Jul 18 — Rainstorms — (six counties)
Monsoon storms. Caused flash floods & road closures.
- May 19 — Spilling of Oil — Santa Barbara.
Coastal oil spill. Led to beach closures & cleanup.
- Feb 6 — Winter storms (three counties)
North state storms brought heavy rain and slides.
Unseasonal brush fire required local evacuations.
2014: California Natural Disasters
- Dec — Winter storms — Marin, Mendocino, San Mateo, Ventura.
Strong fronts produced flooding and downed trees.
- Sep 17 — Wildfires (King and Boles) — El Dorado, Siskiyou.
Two fires damaged towns and forests.
- Aug 24 — Earthquake (three counties).
Early-morning quake. Damaged buildings & utilities.
- Aug — Wildfires (10 counties)
Numerous summer fires burned across northern counties.
- May 13 — Wildfires — San Diego.
Coastal county fires forced evacuations and closures.
- Jan — Drought — All 58 counties.
Statewide drought emergency with conservation measures enacted.
2013: California Natural Disasters
- Sep 9 — Wildfire — Shasta.
Rural fire. Damaged property & timberland.
- Aug 17 — Wildfire (Rim Fire) — (three counties)
The massive Sierra fire impacted park access and water supplies.
- Aug 7 — Wildfire (Silver Fire) — Riverside.
Canyon winds pushed flames into communities.
- Jul 15 — Wildfire (Mountain Fire) — Riverside.
Backcountry fire near resorts and trails; evacuations ordered.
- May 30 – Jun 11 — Wildfire (Powerhouse Fire) — Los Angeles.
The Foothill fire burned structures and closed forest areas.
2012: California Natural Disasters
- Dec — Rainstorm — San Mateo.
Heavy rain. Flooded streets & creeks.
- Aug — Wildfires (three counties)
Multiple fires. Hot and dry conditions.
2011: California Natural Disasters
- Nov 30 — Windstorms — Los Angeles County & City of Rancho Cucamonga.
Severe winds. Toppled trees & caused outages.
- Mar — Rainstorms (Over twenty counties)
Persistent rains produced flooding and slides in many counties.
- Mar 11 — Tsunami (six counties)
Ocean surge. Damaged harbors & coastal infrastructure.
High water overtopped banks and flooded fields.
- Dec 2010 – Jan 2011 — Winter storms (fifteen counties)
Holiday storms brought snow and heavy rain across many regions.
2010: California Natural Disasters
- Nov — Winter storms — Calaveras, Tuolumne.
Early-season rain and snow caused slides and closures.
- Oct 12 — Storm damage — Imperial.
Severe desert storm damaged infrastructure.
- Sep 9 — Gas explosion/fire — San Mateo.
A pipeline blast and fire destroyed neighborhood property.
- Jul–Sep — Wildfires — Kern.
Season-long fire activity affected rangeland and communities.
- Apr 4 — Earthquake — Imperial.
Strong quake. Rattled the valley & damaged structures.
- Jan 17–21 — Winter storms (eight counties)
Series of storms. Produced flooding & hazardous travel.
- Jan 9 — Earthquake — Humboldt.
Offshore shaker; minor damage and inspections.
2009: California Natural Disasters
- Nov 12–14 — Mudslides and flooding — Santa Cruz.
Burn scars shed mud during heavy rain, burying roads and homes.
- Oct — Wildfire — San Bernardino.
Canyon fire. Forced evacuations & closures.
- Aug–Sep — Wildfires (eight counties)
Multiple summer incidents with long suppression.
- May — Wildfire — Santa Barbara.
The Hillside fire threatened homes and tourism areas.
2008: California Natural Disasters
- Nov — Wildfires (five counties)
A fall wind event spread several destructive fires.
- Oct — Wildfires (Three counties)
Santa Ana winds. Rapid-fire growth fueled.
- Jun–Aug — Wildfires (twelve counties)
Lightning strikes started many fires across the state.
- May — Wildfire — Santa Clara, Santa Cruz.
Red-flag winds pushed flames near homes.
- Jan — Winds & heavy rain (Seventeen counties)
Severe storm. Toppled trees & flooded streets. Many regions were affected.
2007: California Natural Disasters
- Oct 21 — Wildfires (seven counties)
Major Southern California fires. Happened during a high wind event. Large evacuations and losses.
- Oct 3 — Landslide — City of San Diego.
Slope collapse damaged homes and utilities.
- Sep — Windstorm/rain — Imperial.
Desert storms caused flooding and wind damage.
- Sep — Wildfire — San Bernardino.
Brush fire near communities prompted a quick response.
- Aug — Wildfire — Santa Barbara, Ventura.
Coastal fires. Burned canyons & ridgelines.
- Jun — Wildfire — El Dorado.
Forest fire required extended containment efforts.
- Jan — Freeze — All 58 counties.
Widespread hard freeze. Damaged crops statewide.
2006: California Natural Disasters
- Dec — Wildfire — Ventura.
Late-year fire threatened suburban edges.
- Oct — Wildfire — Riverside.
Canyon burn. Prompted evacuations & road closures.
- Sep — Wildfire — Ventura.
Foothill blaze contained after wind shift.
- Jul — Wildfires — San Bernardino.
Multiple starts in mountain areas closed recreation.
- Apr — Severe rainstorms & flooding (nineteen counties)
Prolonged rain caused high rivers and slide damage.
2005: California Natural Disasters
- Dec — Severe rainstorms (over 20 counties)
Major winter storms. Produced flooding and slope failures.
- Mar — Severe rainstorms (eight counties)
Affected southern counties. Roadway damage and debris flows.
- Jan — Storms (eight counties)
A series of winter storms. Flooding and wind damage.
2004: California Natural Disasters
- Aug 11 — Wildfires — Shasta.
Summer fires in timber country produced long smoke episodes.
- Jun 3 — Flooding — San Joaquin.
River flooding. Damaged crops and roads.
2003: California Natural Disasters
- Dec 22 — Earthquake — San Luis Obispo & Santa Barbara.
Central Coast quake. Damaged buildings and infrastructure.
- Nov 12 — Flash flooding — Los Angeles.
Intense rain. Overwhelmed drainage. Streets and underpasses were flooding.
- Oct–Nov — Wildfires (four counties)
Historic late-season fires. Caused mass evacuations & large losses.
2001: California Natural Disasters
- Sep — Wildfire — Calaveras.
Late-season foothill fire threatened rural communities.
2000: California Natural Disasters
- Sep 3 — Earthquake — Napa.
North Bay quake. Damaged older buildings & disrupted downtown areas.
1998: California Natural Disasters
- Dec — Freeze 1998–1999 (eight counties)
Severe cold. Caused orchard and crop losses. Growers sought assistance.
- Feb 2 — El Niño (over thirty counties)
State battered by powerful El Niño storm. Widespread flooding, slides, & coastal erosion.
1996-97: California Natural Disasters
- Dec 1996 – Jan 1997 — Floods (over thirty counties)
Major river flooding. Almost the entire state was affected. Caused levee strain and evacuations.
- Oct 1996 — Firestorms (three counties)
Wind-driven fires. Burned vast areas of canyons and suburbs.
1995: California Natural Disasters
- Feb — Late Winter Storms — fifty-seven counties (except Del Norte).
Widespread storms. Caused flooding & slides nearly statewide.
- Jan — Severe Winter Storms (30+ counties)
A series of violent storms. Soaked the state and caused widespread damage.
1994: California Natural Disasters
- Dec 26 — Earthquake — Humboldt.
The North Coast quake damaged buildings and roads.
- Aug 15 — Fire — San Luis Obispo.
A summer brush fire burned the foothills and threatened properties.
- Jan 17 — Earthquake (three counties)
Major urban quake. The Freeway collapsed. Extensive structural damage.
1993: California Natural Disasters
- Oct 27 & 28 — Firestorms (six counties)
Multiple large fires (by Santa Ana winds). Widespread evacuations and losses resulted.
1992: California Natural Disasters
- Dec — Late Winter Storms (Over twenty counties)
Many areas suffered flooding and slides.
- Aug 16 & 20 — Fires (2) — Calaveras & Shasta.
Two separate wildfires. Damaged rural properties and timber.
- Jun 28 — Earthquakes — Riverside & San Bernardino.
Strong quake sequence. Rattled the Inland Empire & caused damage.
- Apr 29 — Civil Disorder — Los Angeles.
Widespread unrest. Resulted in arson, property damage, & major emergency response.
- Apr 25 & 27 — Earthquakes — Humboldt.
North Coast shocks. Caused structure damage and ongoing aftershocks.
- Feb — Winter Storms (five counties)
Heavy rains & wind. Mudslides and flooding in valleys.
1991: California Natural Disasters
Oakland Hills conflagration swept through neighborhoods, causing severe losses and a long recovery.