[CaliforniaDisasters] 2007 Witch Fire Anniversary - Mon, 10/21/2019 #cal-notice

2007 Witch Fire Anniversary

When:
Monday, 21 October 2019

Where:
Peninsular Ranges - San Diego County

Description:
The Witch Fire, also known as the Witch Creek Fire and the Witch–Guejito–Poomacha Complex Fire, was the second-largest wildfire of the 2007 California wildfire season, and the largest one of the October 2007 California wildfires. Although the Witch Fire was individually smaller than the Zaca Fire of 2007 (which burned at least 240,207 acres (972 km²)), burning 197,990 acres (801 km²) acres alone, after merging with the Poomacha and McCoy Fires, the Witch–Guejito–Poomacha Complex Fire had a total burn area of 247,800 acres (1,003 km²), surpassing the Zaca Fire to become the largest complex fire of 2007. Initially igniting in Witch Creek Canyon, near Santa Ysabel, the Witch Creek Fire rapidly spread westward, fanned by powerful Santa Ana winds, and consumed large portions of San Diego County. On October 25, the Witch Fire merged with the Poomacha Fire to the north, near Palomar Mountain, before also merging with the smaller McCoy Fire on the next day. The Witch–Poomacha Complex Fire was the last fire of the 2007 October wildfires to be extinguished, with the Poomacha Fire being contained on November 13. During its duration, 80–100 feet-high flames were reported by fire officials in the Witch Fire, and the Witch Fire exhibited the characteristics of a firestorm at its height.

On the morning of October 22, 2007, about a day after the Witch Creek Fire had ignited, residents were ordered to evacuate through the Reverse 911 system. Eventually, the Witch Creek Fire led to the evacuations of 500,000 people, 200,000 of whom lived within the City of San Diego. This evacuation came almost four years to the day after the Cedar Fire of 2003. The Witch Fire was a major contributor to the mass evacuations across much of Southern California at that time, which saw 1,000,000 residents evacuate, becoming the largest evacuation in California history. The Witch–Poomacha Fire caused at least $1.3 billion (2007 USD) in insured damages alone, becoming the costliest wildfire of 2007. As of 2018, the Witch Fire is the ninth-largest wildfire in modern California history, as well as the fifth-most destructive wildfire on record in California having destroyed 1,265 residential structures and 587 outbuildings. Two civilians were killed and 55 firefighters injured.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch_Fire

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