All Californians have a wildfire story, whether it's your own experience or someone else's. Our stories are woven into the state's history — lessons have been learned, scars left behind both on the land and our lives.

Here's a startling fact: All but two of the biggest fires in recorded history have been in the last 20 years. Wildfires are our past, present and future, and we can all learn a thing or two, from what to expect as they get worse, to how can we become better prepared.

1. August Complex Fire

Texas Forest Service firefighters hold the line, watching for spotfires during a burning operation on the northwest flank of the August Complex

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The basics: What initially began as 37 separate fires caused by lightning strikes came together to form California’s first gigafire, a term used to describe fires that burn at least a million acres of land.

What makes it memorable: The summer of 2020 was exceptionally hot. That record-breaking heat wave plus extreme drought dried up forests, grasses and shrubs. Then came thunderstorms in Northern California where 11,000 lightning strikes ignited more than 350 fires in Central and Northern California. The massive August Complex fire took just under three months to contain. By the time it was over, 935 structures burned and one person had died. The gigafire ranks at the top of the state’s five largest wildfires in modern history, all in one year.

2. Dixie

A neighborhood in Greenville, Calif. on Sept. 24, 2021, as Dixie Fire burned more than 1 million acres in five Northern California counties.

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The basics: On the early morning of July 13, 2021, a power grid went dark near the borders of Butte and Plumas counties. A P&G employee sent to deal with that outage spotted a ring of flames dancing around a Douglas fir leaning on a powerline.

What happened next: Overnight, the fire spread from 600 feet to 1,200 acres and it was just getting started. Over the next two months, surrounding communities faced evacuation and devastation (1,329 structures destroyed).

What makes it memorable: Some of the loss was historically significant like damage to the Tásmam Koyóm, a valley owned by the Maidu tribe of Native Americans who had previously regained control only two years prior. By September, the fire was contained. One firefighter’s death from COVID-19 was attributed to his work on this fire.

3. Mendocino Complex

Cal Fire firefighters monitor a back fire while battling the Mendocino Complex fire on Aug. 7, 2018 near Lodoga, California.

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The basics: The Mendocino Complex was named a complex because firefighters had to fight two fires that were dangerously close — the Ranch and River fires.

An unusual origin: Cal Fire later attributed the cause to a "hammer spark." On a 100-degree day, a property owner hammered a metal stake into the ground to pin down a shade cloth that the wind had blown. He was trying to protect himself from a wasp nest, but the action catapulted into a larger, unintended consequence, fueled by extreme heat and drought-like conditions.

What makes it memorable: The fire revealed an even greater injustice, the wealth gap between communities, where low-income communities were less likely to recover, but more disproportionately affected by the fires. It was reported that close to 20% of people live under the poverty line in Mendocino County. A total of 246 structures were destroyed, three people were injured, and one death was reported. 

4. Park Fire

The fast-moving and rapidly growing Park Fire forced evacuations and destroyed homes.

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The basics: Authorities said the Park Fire was sparked when a man pushed a car on fire into a gulley. It continued to burn for many weeks, destroying more than 700 structures.

5. SCU Lightning Complex

The basics: Like the August Complex fire, the SCU (Santa Clara Unit) Lightning Complex originated from dry lightning strikes which sparked several fires across the Bay area. The fire was contained later in October, destroying 222 structures and causing six injuries.

6. Creek

Then U.S. Senator and vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris talks with Gov. Gavin Newsom as they assess the damages in a fire-ravaged property near Fresno.

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Frederic J. Brown

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The basics: To this day, the cause of the Creek fire is classified as “undetermined.” The massive fire is now the fifth largest in recorded California history.

What makes it memorable: The fire created two fire tornadoes, uprooting pine trees and creating more havoc. The Creek fire forced the communities of Huntington Lake, Shaver Lake and the town of Auberry to evacuate. A total of 856 structures were destroyed, and 26 injuries were reported. Then-U.S. Senator Kamala Harris — running for vice president — and Gov. Gavin Newsom visited communities affected, emphasizing that climate change is a bipartisan issue. The fire was finally contained in December.

7. LNU Lightning Complex

A burned car and home are seen next door to an untouched home during the LNU Lightning Complex fire in Bucktown, Calif. on Aug. 24, 2020.

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Josh Edelson

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The basics: This lightning-sparked fire caught Vacaville residents by surprise, forcing them to flee their homes in the middle of the night. 

What makes it memorable: Police investigators later determined that a man arrested on suspicion of murder and arson caused the Markley fire, which merged into the others. Six people died and 1,491 structures were destroyed.

8. North Complex

Berry Creek School was among the building devastated by fire.

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Josh Edelson

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AFP via Getty Images

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The basics: Like the other complex fires, this fire was caused by a barrage of dry lightning strikes.

What makes it memorable: The North Complex fire is the fifth deadliest wildfire, killing 16 people, most of them from Berry Creek, a small town ravaged by the fires. It also raised concern among scientists who noticed a different pattern in the movement of the fire, which left a huge scar that could take decades to repair. A total of 2,352 structures were destroyed.

9. Thomas

Massive mudslides crashed through Montecito following the Thomas Fire.

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Justin Sullivan

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The basics: Power lines owned by Southern California Edison took the blame again for this devastating wildfire.

What happened: Dry winds pushed two parallel power lines into each other, creating an electrical arc that ignited nearby dry brush and caused two separate fires, although SCE only claimed responsibility for one of the fires. In the end, the fire killed two people, including a firefighter, destroyed more than 1,000 structures and even restricted water flow to residents and firefighters.

What makes it memorable: The fire’s aftermath was even more devastating. A month later, rain fell on the burn scar and released debris that killed 21 people and damaged homes in the community of Montecito.

10. Cedar

Drivers scramble to exit the freeway by driving up an embankment to the on-ramp against the flow of traffic in an effort to flee smoke and flames as the Cedar Fire crosses the I-15 freeway onto Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Oct. 26, 2003.

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The basics: On Oct. 25, 2003, a lost hunter in a remote area of the Cleveland National Forest lit a signal fire to call for help, but the pesky Santa Ana winds turned an SOS signal into rampaging fire that killed 15 people and damaged 2,820 structures.

What makes it memorable: Firefighters were underprepared and underestimated the inferno, lacking evacuation plans and clear communication. As San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob told the San Diego Tribune, “The Cedar fire was the first time in the history of our county that a fire that started in the backcountry actually went into the cities,” calling the blaze a regional issue. Since 2003, technology advancements allow firefighters to better track wildfires, from cameras that scan for smoke to weather stations that will help fire forces understand wind patterns.

11. Rush

The basics: The Rush fire was a result of a lightning strike that struck the border between California and Nevada.

What makes it memorable: For the central and western part of the U.S., 2012 was one of the worst wildfire seasons on record. Dryness and high, gusty winds played a role in fueling the flames. The fire was dangerously close to a major gas line and power lines that served the Reno area. While the fire was contained within the month, the aftermath severely “impacted the natural habitats of federally-protected wild horses, burros, and grouse of the area.” No structures were destroyed and no deaths were reported.

12. Rim

Firefighters monitor a back fire as they battle the Rim Fire on Aug, 21, 2013 in Groveland, California.

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The basics: The Rim fire posed a threat to California’s great Sequoia’s in Yosemite National Park, some more than 2,000 years old. A crucial water supply in the Bay Area was threatened and 112 structures were destroyed, including campgrounds and cabins.

What makes it memorable: A bow hunter was accused of ignoring warning signs and letting an illegal fire escape, resulting in the massive fire. The blaze closed many of Yosemite’s campgrounds, canceling holiday plans for many visitors who intended to spend Labor Day weekend in the forests.

13. Zaca

The basics: The Zaca fire threatened the Los Padres National Forest, injured 40 people and destroyed one building. Two men were deemed responsible for causing the fire from grinding metal to repair a water pipeline on a Bell Canyon ranch, resulting in a spark that ignited the blaze. Neither man was charged.

14. Carr

A Cal Fire firefighter douses flames on a burning home during the Carr fire in Redding on July 27, 2018.

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Josh Edelson

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AFP via Getty Images

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The basics: A flat tire on a trailer that scraped the road and caused sparks ignited this fire. The Carr fire then sparked a fire tornado in Whiskey, forcing neighborhoods in Shasta and Trinity County to evacuate.

What makes it memorable: The fire ultimately jumped the Sacramento River into the city of Redding, forcing more residents to flee. Eight deaths were reported and 1,614 structures were destroyed.

15. Monument

View of fire burning on Backbone Ridge from the air on September 16, 2021

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USFS Courtesy Tim Bumgarner Long-term Analyst

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The basics: A lightning strike ignited this fire in Del Loma near Monument Peak. While the fire was big, the area was remote. Still, 50 structures were destroyed.

16. Caldor

At the Sierra-at Tahoe ski resort on Aug. 30, 2021 in Twin Bridges, California.

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The basics: The Caldor fire burned through much of the El Dorado National Forest, affecting the community of Grizzly Flats. A year later, several families who were uninsured and lost their homes are struggling to find permanent housing, prompting the county to step in to build them tiny homes.

What makes it memorable: A father and son were indicted for reckless arson. One death was reported and more than 1,000 structures were destroyed. An investigation by the California Newsroom found that authorities had failed to act on plans that could have limited the damage to Grizzly Flats.

17. Matilija

The basics: Before the Cedar fire struck in 2003, the Matilija fire held the title as the largest fire in recorded state history. The fire burned 220,000 acres in Los Padres National Forest, appearing in a drought-stricken area that was a blind spot for lookout points. The range of the fire stretched from the town of Fillmore to the outskirts of Santa Barbara.

What makes it memorable: At the time, State Route 33, then known as State Highway 399, was incomplete and delayed some efforts to put out the fire quicker. No lives were lost and no buildings were destroyed during the 11-day fire. The cause remains unknown

18. River Complex

The Haypress-Summer fire was the second largest fire of the River Complex Fire in the Klamath National Forest.

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Klamath National Forest Courtesy of R Inghram

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InciWeb

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The basics: The River Complex fire consisted of three different fires in the Klamath National Forest and Shasta-Trinity National Forest, caused by lightning strikes. The fire was contained in October, destroying 122 structures.

19. Witch

California National Guardsmen look for bodies at a burned out mobile-home park Oct. 26, 2007 in Fallbrook.

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Sandy Huffaker

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The basics: A combo of power lines and Santa Ana winds caused a small fire in the Witch Creek near Santa Ysabel that later spread north. A total of 1,650 structures were destroyed, 40 injuries occurred and two deaths were reported.

What makes it memorable: While many lost their homes, one couple said their home was saved by succulents, a fire retardant plant.

20. Klamath Theater Complex

The basics: The Klamath Theater Complex was another multiple lightning strike fire that ignited a series of fires in Siskiyou County, within the Klamath and Six Rivers National Forest. Two deaths were reported; no structures were destroyed.