List of Washington wildfires

An airtanker dropping fire retardant over the 2015 Chelan Butte fire (part of the Chelan Complex).

This is an incomplete list of major wildfires in Washington state history.

Washington wildfires ordered by size

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

This list only includes "major fires" that destroyed over 5,000 acres (20 km2), incurred fatalities or damaged a significant amount of property. With a lag of 1 to 2 years, more or less complete data is available from 2002 on via the website with incident status summaries maintained by the National Fire and Aviation Management. Older fires are increasingly underreported. For example, none of the wildfires of 1926-31 and 1943 that together destroyed more than 500,000 acres of the Colville National Forest are included.[1]

Year Fire Name Complex Name County Size
(acres)		 Structures
Lost		 Deaths Injuries
2015 [2] Okanogan Complex [n 1][3] Okanogan Complex Okanogan 304,782 [4] 195 [5] 3
2014 Carlton Complex fire [n 2] Carlton Complex Okanogan 256,108 [4] 300 1
1902 Yacolt Burn [6] Yacolt Burn Clark / Skamania 238,900 Unknown 65+ Unknown
1929 Dole Valley Fire[6] Clark / Skamania 227,500
2015 [2] North Star Fire [7] Ferry / Okanogan 218,138
2000 24 Command Fire [6] Benton 192,000 36 0 0
1970 Lightning Bust [6] Chelan / Okanogan 188,000
2006 Tripod Complex Fire [8] Tripod Complex [n 3] Okanogan 175,184 2 0 7
2015 [2] Tunk Block Fire [9] Okanogan Complex Okanogan 165,918
1910 Great Fire of 1910 [6] Pend Oreille / Spokane 150,000 [n 4] Unknown 38 Unknown
1994 Tyee Creek Fire [10][11] Chelan 135,000 37
2015 [2] Lime Belt Fire [3] Okanogan Complex Okanogan 133,450
2006 Columbia Complex[12] Columbia Complex Columbia / Garfield 109,402 28 0 11
2015 [2] Chelan Complex [13][n 5] Chelan Complex Chelan 88,985 44 [5]
2003 Fawn Peak Complex[14] Fawn Peak Complex Okanogan 81,343 0 0 4
2012 Barker Canyon Complex [6] Barker Canyon Complex Douglas 81,155 12 0 0
2015 [2] Grizzly Bear Complex [15][n 6] Grizzly Bear Complex Columbia / Wallowa, Oregon 80,725 33 [5]
2013 Colockum Tarps Fire [16][17] Chelan / Kittitas 80,184 5 0 3
1929 Toats Coulee Fire[6] Okanogan 80,000
2000 Mule Dry Fire[6] Benton / Klickitat / Yakima 76,800 1 0 0
2007 Wautoma Fire[18] Benton 69,000 0 0 0
2015 [2] Wolverine Fire [19] Chelan 65,512 4 [5]
2015 [2] Carpenter Road Fire [20] Stevens 63,972 36 [5]
1985 Barker Mountain Fire [6] Okanogan 60,000
1996 Cold Creek Fire [6] Benton / Yakima 57,000
2015 [2] Stickpin Fire [21] Kettle Complex Ferry 53,828 0 0 0
2015 [2] Cougar Creek Fire [22] Yakima 53,523 0 0
2005 School Fire Columbia / Garfield 51,892 215 0 1
1992 Skookum Fire [6] Klickitat 51,000
1988 Dinkelman Fire [6] Chelan 50,000
2001 Rex Creek Fire Rex Creek Complex Chelan / Okanogan 50,000
2009 Dry Creek Complex [6] Dry Creek Complex Benton / Yakima 48,902 2 0 3
2006 Tatoosh Fire[23][24] Tatoosh Complex Okanogan / British Columbia 47,787 [n 7] 0 0 0
2002 Deer Point Fire Chelan / Okanogan 43,375 5 0 0
1994 Rat Creek / Hatchery Creek Fire Chelan 43,000
2012 Table Mountain Fire [6] Kittitas 42,312 5 0 2
1951 Great Forks Fire[26] Clallam 38,000 0
2001 Virginia Lake Fire[27] Virginia Lake Complex Okanogan 36,680 9 0 1(+)
2015 [2] Highway 8 Fire [28] Klickitat 33,100
2001 St. Mary’s Mission Fire[27] Virginia Lake Complex Okanogan 32,980 0 0
2004 Deep Harbor Fire[29] Pot Peak/Sisi Ridge Complex Chelan 28,500 3 0
2007 Overlook Fire [30] Franklin / Grant 27,071
2007 Manila Creek Fire [31] Ferry 26,805 2 0 3
1919 Sunset Fire [1] Clark / Skamania 26,900
2014 Devil's Elbow Complex [n 8] Devil's Elbow Complex Ferry 26,349 0 0
2013 Mile Marker 28 Fire [32] Klickitat 26,092 0 0 6
2005 Walker Canyon Fire [33] Walla Walla 25,000 0 0 0
2015 [2] Tower Fire [34] Kaniksu Complex Pend Oreille 24,194
2012 Taylor Bridge Fire [6] Kittitas 23,500 272 0 2
2012 Apache Pass Fire [35] Lincoln 23,324 4 0 0
2014 Mills Canyon Fire Chelan 22,571 0 0
2015 Douglas County Complex [n 9] Douglas County Complex Douglas 22,337 [36] 0 0 0
2008 Columbia River Road Fire [6] Okanogan 22,115 0 0 1
2010 Eureka Fire [37] Walla Walla 21,620 2 0 0
2003 Needles Fire[38] Okanogan 21,300 1 0 5
2007 Six Prong Fire [39] Horse Heaven Complex Klickitat 20,898 0 0 0
2012 Cascade Creek Fire[40] Skamania / Yakima 20,296 0 0 2
2012 Peavine Canyon Fire Wenatchee Complex [41] Chelan / Kittitas 19,467 0 0
2010 Swakane Fire [42] Chelan 19,291 0 0 0
2008 Swanson Lake Fire [6] Lincoln 19,090 18 0 1
1998 Cleveland Fire [43] Klickitat 18,500 11 0
1998 Rattle Snake Ridge Fire [1] Yakima 18,000
2004 Pot Peak Fire [29] Pot Peak/Sisi Ridge Complex Chelan 17,190 0 0 6
2012 St Marys Mission Road Fire [6] Okanogan 17,031 10 0 4
2007 Tunk Grade Fire [6] Okanogan 15,540 19 0 0
2008 Badger Mountain Fire [6] Chelan / Douglas 15,023 0 0 5
2015 Saddle Lakes Fire [44] Grant 14,357 0 0 0
2012 Byrd Fire Wenatchee Complex [41] Chelan 14,119 0 0
1996 Baird Springs Fire [1] Grant 14,000
2014 Chiwaukum Creek Fire [45] Chiwaukum Complex Chelan 13,895 0 0
2015 [2] Renner Fire [21] Kettle Complex Ferry 13,775 0 0 0
2014 Snag Canyon Fire Kittitas 12,667 0 0
2014 Duncan Fire Chelan 12,695 0 0
2008 Smith Lake Fire [46] Douglas 12,513 0 0 0
2012 Crane Road Fire [47] Douglas 12,500 7 0 0
2002 Quartz Mtn. Complex[48] Quartz Mtn. Complex Okanogan 12,144 0 0 0
2007 Domke Lake Fire [6] Okanogan / Wenatchee 11,900 1 0 2
2010 Hubbard Fire [49] Columbia 11,500 0 0 0
2005 West Omak Lake Fire [43] Okanogan 11,325 0 0 0
2012 Buffalo Lake Road Fire [6][50] Okanogan 11,299 1 0 5
2015 [2] Twisp River Fire [3] Okanogan Complex Okanogan 11,222 3
2011 Wishram II Fire [51] Klickitat 11,008 0 0 0
2003 Rattlesnake Canyon Fire[52] Ferry 10,560 11 0 2
2007 South Omak Lake Fire [53] Okanogan 10,500 0 0 0
2002 Pumphouse Fire[54] Yakima 10,412 0 0 0
2013 Desmarais Fire [55] Yakima 10,130 0 0 1
2009 Oden Road Fire [6] Okanogan 9,607 14 0 3
2000 Rocky Hull Fire [43] Okanogan 9,404 37 0
2001 Thirty Mile Fire[29] Okanogan 9,324 0 4 14
2000 Buffalo Lake Fire [43] Okanogan 9,300 0 0
2006 Tinpan Fire [56] Chelan 9,252 0 0 6
2015 [2] Graves Mountain fire [21] Kettle Complex Ferry 8,557
2014 Upper Falls Fire Okanogan 8,118 0 0
1997 Pow Wah Kee Fire [1] Asotin 8,000
2006 Flick Creek Fire [57] Chelan 7,889 0 0 4
2008 Cold Springs Fire Klickitat 7,729 0 0 0
2010 Baird Springs Fire [58] Grant 7,693 0 0 0
2007 Wood Gulch Fire [39] Horse Heaven Complex Klickitat 7,677 0 0 0
2012 Canyon Fire Wenatchee Complex [41] Chelan 7,557 0 0
2015 [2] First Creek Fire [13] Chelan 7,490 [5] 19 [5]
2012 Goat Fire Okanogan 7,378 0 0 0
2015 [2] Goodell Fire [59] Upper Skagit Complex Skagit 7,111 0 0
1979 Salmon Creek Fire [1] Okanogan 7,000
2012 Antoine 2 Fire [6] Chelan / Okanogan 6,837 0 0 0
2015 [2] Black Canyon Fire [60] Chelan Complex Chelan 6,761
2000 Goodnoe Hills Fire [1][43] Klickitat 6,510 1 0
2015 [2] Blue Creek Fire [61] Walla Walla 6,004
2000 Alderdale Fire [1][43] Klickitat 6,180 0 0
2005 McClane Fire [62] Franklin 6,000 2 0 0
2007 Les Blair Fire [63] Benton 6,000 0 0 0
2012 Poison Canyon Fire Wenatchee Complex [41] Chelan 5,910 0 0
2010 Cowiche Mill Fire [64] Yakima 5,834 7 0 3
2003 Togo Fire[65] Ferry 5,800 0 0 0
2001 Gamble Mills Fire [27] Brewster & Virginia Lake Complex Okanogan 5,550 0 0
2006 Highlands Fire [66] Douglas 5,506 0 0 0
1997 Olympia Command Fire [1] Benton 5,500
2000 Cayuse Fire [43] Okanogan 5,460 0 0
2003 Hatten Road Fire [67] Lincoln 5,460 0 0 0
2012 Milepost 10 [68] Douglas 5,445 0 0 0
2013 Wood Gulch Fire [69] Klickitat 5,400 0 0 0
2005 Wall Lake Fire [70] Lincoln 5,400 3 0 1
2007 Easy Street Fire [6] Chelan 5,209 1 0 1
2003 Juniper Dunes Fire [71] Franklin 5,200 0 0 0
2015 [2] Newby Lake Fire [72] Okanogan 5,065 [n 10]
2006 Rocky Ford Fire [73] Grant 5,000 0 0 0
2011 Monastery Fire [74] Klickitat 3,626 113 0 10
1992 Castlerock Fire [1] Wenatchee 3,500 [75] 24
2015 Sleepy Hollow Fire [76] Chelan 2,950 33 0 4
2015 [2] Paradise Fire [77] [n 11] Jefferson 2,796 0 0
2003 McGinnis Flats Fire [78] Ferry 2,245 2 1 1
1987 Hangman Hills Fire [6] Spokane 1,500 24 2
2008 Spokane Valley Fire [79] Spokane 1,008 21 0 1

Year-by-year statistics

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Wildfire seasons are defined by Washington state law as lasting from April 15 through October 15 of each year, allowing for burn bans and other restrictions to be imposed on state lands by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources during that time.[80]

Season Total
Fires		 Total Area Burned Structures
Lost		 Fatalities Injuries Total
Cost		 Notes
Acres Hectares
2002 1,285 92,742 37,531
2003 1,373 200,517 81,146
2004 1,674 92,617 37,481
2005 998 185,748 75,170
2006 1,579 410,060 165,950
2007 1,268 214,925 86,977
2008 1,303 147,264 59,596
2009 1,976 77,250 31,260
2010 870 56,820 22,990
2011 993 17,480 7,070
2012 1,342 259,526 105,026
2013 1,527 152,603 61,756
2014 1,480 386,972 156,602 300 1
2015 1,100,000 450,000 [2] 3 4 $253 million [81]
Sources: National Interagency Fire Center[82]

Notes

  1. ↑ Included the Lime Belt, Tunk Block, Twisp River and Nine Mile Fires. The Lime Belt Fire originated as three separate fires that burned together. On August 31, the Tunk Block fire was separated from this complex, as it was about to merge with the North Star Fire, leaving the complex with an area of 133,118 acres.
  2. ↑ The Carlton Complex fire began as four separate lightning-caused fires (the Cougar Flat, French Creek, Gold Hike, and Stokes fires) which merged and continued as one fire
  3. ↑ The Tripod Fire (45,053 acres) and Spur Peak Fire (62,173 acres) burned together on August 19, 2006, and continued to grow as one fire until October 3.
  4. ↑ With 3,000,000 acres burned, this was the largest fire in United States history. However, it burned mostly in Idaho and Montana.
  5. ↑ The Chelan Complex includes the Reach fire, Black Canyon fire, McFarland Creek fire, Cagle fire and Antoine fire
  6. ↑ The Grizzly Bear Complex started with eighteen lightning-caused fires that ignited on August 13. All but the Bear Ridge Fire in the North have burned together. The number of acres burned in Washington or Oregon has not yet been provided separately.
  7. ↑ The Tatoosh Complex burned 51,671 acres in total, of which 37,506 acres were within Washington State.[25]
  8. ↑ Complex of four fires.
  9. ↑ Complex of two fires.
  10. ↑ Excludes acreage in British Columbia.
  11. ↑ A rare rainforest fire in the Olympic National Park that burned from May 15 into September

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Washington State Hazard Identification and Vulnerability Assessment, Table Eight (pp. 35-37), April 2001
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Active fire, for latest situation see: Washington Incidents of Wildfires at the Incident Information System
  3. 1 2 3 Okanogan Complex at InciWeb
  4. 1 2 Bush, Evan (August 24, 2015). "Okanogan Complex wildfire now biggest in state history". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Northwest Interagency Coordination Center, Northwest Large Fire Information Summary
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Washington State Wildland Fire Profile Significant Wildland Fires Since 1900, Table 5.5-1 (pp. 7-10), May 2013
  7. ↑ North Star at InciWeb
  8. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. October 7, 2006. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  9. ↑ Tunk Block at InciWeb
  10. ↑ David Wilma, Tyee Creek Fire burns 135,000 acres for 33 days north of Wenatchee, beginning July 24, 1994., at HistoryLink.org, July 29, 2003
  11. ↑ "Recovery From Tyee Creek Fire Is Going To Be Slow And Costly -- Huge Chelan County Blaze Leaves Its Scars On Both Land And Psyche". The Seattle Times. April 2, 1995. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  12. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. November 4, 2003. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  13. 1 2 Chelan Complex at InciWeb
  14. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. November 4, 2003. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
  15. ↑ Grizzly Bear Complex at InciWeb
  16. ↑ Colockum Tarps at InciWeb
  17. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
  18. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. August 29, 2006. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  19. ↑ Wolverine Fire at InciWeb
  20. ↑ Carpenter Road Fire at InciWeb
  21. 1 2 3 Kettle Complex at InciWeb
  22. ↑ Cougar Creek Fire at InciWeb
  23. ↑ "Northwest Large Fire Map 2014". Northwest Interagency Coordination Center. Turn on layer "NW Fire History Perimeters 2000-2013" and click the large orange area at the center. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
  24. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
  25. ↑ Incident Status Summary of Tatoosh Complex of October 4, 2006
  26. ↑ "The Great Forks Fire of 1951".
  27. 1 2 3 "Fire Update". 199.134.225.50. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
  28. ↑ Highway 8 Fire at InciWeb
  29. 1 2 3 "Pacific Northwest National Incident Management Team 2 - Fire Incidents 2004". 199.134.225.50. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
  30. ↑ Janelle Downs, Effects of Fire on Shrub-Steppe Habitats, PNNL
  31. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. September 21, 2007. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  32. ↑ Mile Marker 28 at InciWeb
  33. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. 28 June 2005. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  34. ↑ Tower Fire at InciWeb
  35. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. September 14, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  36. ↑ Douglas County Complex at InciWeb
  37. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. August 8, 2010. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  38. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. October 30, 2003. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
  39. 1 2 "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. July 18, 2007. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  40. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. Retrieved August 7, 2013.
  41. 1 2 3 4 "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. October 30, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  42. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. November 2, 2010. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  43. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Washington State Wildland Fire Profile Major Wildland Fires on State Protected Lands, 1992 – 2012, Table 5.5-2 (pp. 11-12), May 2013
  44. ↑ Saddle Lakes at InciWeb
  45. ↑ Chiwaukum Complex at InciWeb
  46. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. August 3, 2008. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  47. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. August 17, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  48. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. November 26, 2002. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
  49. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. August 30, 2010. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  50. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  51. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. August 31, 2011. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  52. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
  53. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. September 7, 2007. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  54. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. July 17, 2002. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
  55. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
  56. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. November 9, 2006. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  57. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. October 19, 2005. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  58. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. September 21, 2010. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  59. ↑ Upper Skagit Complex at InciWeb
  60. ↑ Black Canyon at InciWeb
  61. ↑ Blue Creek Fire at InciWeb
  62. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. August 13, 2005. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  63. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. July 30, 2007. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  64. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. July 23, 2010. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  65. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. August 26, 2003. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
  66. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. November 29, 2006. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  67. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
  68. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. November 15, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  69. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. July 26, 2005. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  70. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. July 30, 2005. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  71. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. August 15, 2003. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
  72. ↑ Newby Lake Fire at InciWeb
  73. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. June 30, 2006. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  74. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. September 16, 2011. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  75. ↑ Stephen Clutter, Wenatchee Sifts Through Ashes -- Apartments, 30 Houses Burn In City's Worst Blaze, Seattle Times, September 28, 1992
  76. ↑ Sleepy Hollow at InciWeb
  77. ↑ Paradise Fire at InciWeb
  78. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. July 31, 2003. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
  79. ↑ "ICS-209 Form". Fam.nwcg.gov. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  80. ↑ Pearce, Janet (April 15, 2015). "Wildfire season begins today: Prevention measures to protect life and property are in effect through October 15 on 13 million acres of DNR-protected lands" (Press release). Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original on September 3, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  81. ↑ Jeff Mapes, After wildfires rage in the West, Congress moves to provide $700 million in emergency aid, The Oregonian/OregonLive, September 30, 2015
  82. ↑ "Fire Statistics". National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
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