Bobcat Fire

The Bobcat Fire was a fire that started on September 6, 2020 as part of the 2020 California wildfire season. By December 18, it was fully contained and had burned 115,796 acres (46,861 ha) in the central San Gabriel Mountains, in and around the Angeles National Forest. It was one of the largest fires on record in Los Angeles County to date.[2]

Bobcat Fire
Bobcat Fire viewed from Monrovia, California
LocationAngeles National Forest, California
Coordinates34.241°N 117.868°W / 34.241; -117.868[1]
Statistics[1]
Total area114,963 acres (46,524 ha)[1]
Date(s)September 6 - December 18, 2020[1]
Map
Location of the Bobcat Fire in Southern California

Details

The fire triggered mandatory evacuation orders in parts of Arcadia and Camp Williams.[3][4][5][6] The cause of as of November 8, 2020 was still under investigation but it was thought to be due to power line conductor torching overhead trees.[7] Southern California Edison disclosed that "power circuits had a momentary interruption (“a relay operation”) minutes after the Bobcat Fire was discovered by cameras positioned on nearby mountain peaks."[8]

The fire initially spread southward which prompted evacuation orders for residents in Sierra Madre, Monrovia, Bradbury, and Duarte, along with evacuation warnings for those in Arcadia, Pasadena, and Altadena. The fire then grew westward and threatened the Mount Wilson Observatory by September 15, approaching within 500 feet (152 m) of the observatory as firefighters worked to protect the structure.[9][10][11] By September 17, the fire rapidly expanded to the north into Pleasant View Ridge Wilderness due to moderate coastal winds, leading to mandatory evacuations in Antelope Valley as the fire approached Juniper Hills. The fire is exacerbated by very dry vegetation and rugged topography that makes it more difficult to access.

Along with El Dorado, the fire contributed to hazardous air pollution in the Los Angeles region.[12] It is one of the largest fires ever recorded in Los Angeles County.[13]

Aftermath

It burned over 180 square miles (460 square kilometers) and was the second largest fire on record in Los Angeles County to date, after the Station Fire of 2009.[14] The air quality was bad in the burned areas and in LA basin for weeks as a result.[15]

In the San Gabriel Mountains, several types of wildlife and aquatic creatures such as fish, frogs and western pond turtles face extinction as a result of the fires. The area of Little Rock Creek contains much of these aquatic life. Biologists and wildlife organizations were considering rescue operations.[16]

After the fires, some home owners were having trouble finding home insurance as some insurers pulled out of certain zip codes or even certain counties. Most remaining insurers have raised prices.[17] The CA State Department of Insurance banned insurers from cancelling insurance policies or declining renewals for one year after the fires.[18]

References
  1. "Bobcat Information - InciWeb the Incident Information System". inciweb.nwcg.gov.
  2. "Bobcat Fire Scorches Southern California". NASA Earth Observatory. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
  3. "Firefighters struggle to contain Bobcat fire in Southern California". NBC News. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  4. Staff, -LAist. "Bobcat Fire: Bobcat Fire: Blaze Burning Within 500 Feet Of Mt. Wilson Observatory; Spot Fire Jumps Highway 2". LAist. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  5. "Bobcat Fire grows to nearly 138,300 acres, jumping contingency line; Sierra Madre residents urged to prepare to flee". KTLA. 14 September 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  6. "Bobcat Fire Evacuation Order Continued". www.arcadiaca.gov. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  7. "Bobcat Fire Possibly Caused By Tree Branch Touching Overhead Conductor". NBC Los Angeles. Retrieved 2020-11-08.
  8. McNary, -Sharon. "Investigation Into Cause of Bobcat Fire Now Includes Edison Power Line". LAist. Retrieved 2020-11-08.
  9. "Fire crews can't say if some landmark sites have survived Bobcat fire; here's what they know so far". San Gabriel Valley Tribune. 17 September 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  10. Smith, Hayley (17 September 2020). "Evacuations ordered in parts of Antelope Valley as Bobcat fire moves within 1 mile of Juniper Hills". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  11. "Bobcat fire threatens multiple fronts, from Mt. Wilson to foothill neighborhoods". Los Angeles Times. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  12. "Smoke advisory extended due to Bobcat and El Dorado fires". San Gabriel Valley Tribune. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  13. CNN, Paul Vercammen and Hollie Silverman (21 September 2020). "The Bobcat Fire is one of the largest in Los Angeles County history after scorching more than 100,000 acres". CNN. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  14. Johnson, Nikie (September 22, 2020). "Where Bobcat fire fits among LA County's largest wildfires of past century". The Daily News. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  15. "Winds carry ash from Bobcat Fire into L.A. Basin, causing bad air quality". KTLA. 2020-10-26. Retrieved 2020-11-08.
  16. SAHAGÚN, LOUIS (October 14, 2020). "Bobcat fire aftermath threatens endangered species in San Gabriel Mountains". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
  17. "Californians Struggle To Secure Fire Insurance As Historic Blazes Continue To Ravage State". 2020-09-15. Retrieved 2020-11-08.
  18. "California bans insurers from dropping coverage for 2.1 million homes in fire-stricken areas". Los Angeles Times. 2020-11-06. Retrieved 2020-11-08.
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