October 8, 2017:

A fast-growing fire broke out near Tubbs Lane in Calistoga, CA. Pushed by strong wind, the fire spread about 12 miles in just over three hours. The Tubbs fire was one of more than a dozen wildfires that had broken out in October in Northern California. The fire would last throughout the month, finally being contained on October 31. Thousands of people were told to evacuate, including the entire town of Calistoga. It is the most destructive wildfire in California history.—(CalFire)

Impact:

• 22 fatalities
• 5,643 structures destroyed
• 36,807 acres burned
• $1.2 billion

Related Resources:

• Wildfire, Wildlands, and People: Understanding and Preparing for Wildfire in the Wildland-Urban Interface
• Wildfire Management: Federal Funding and Related Statistics
• Fires and Wildfires Information Guide
• HSDL In Focus: Wildfires
• HSDL search results for Wildfire and Wildland Urban Interface

Photo: (Credit: Dicklyon /wikicommons) Aerial view of smoke from the Tubbs and Pocket fires, with the north end of Lake Berryessa.