Event
Erskine Fire 2016
Lake Isabella, CA USA
The fast-moving Erskine fire—one of many blazes in the southwestern US fed by extreme heat and dryness during the 2016 season—scorched 48,019 acres, destroyed 257 structures, and was responsible for two deaths. Kern County Chief Fire Marshall described the blaze as "One of the fastest moving, most destructive fires we've seen in state's history."
Extreme heat, years of ongoing drought, and tree die off—all linked to climate change—enabled the fire to spread quickly.
Jul 25, 2016 | KBAK / Bakersfield Now
FEMA denies assistance to Erskine Fire victims
Jul 13, 2016 | Kern Golden Empire
Erskine Fire is 100 percent contained
Jul 6, 2016 | Los Angeles Times
California wildfires burn more than 50,000 acres as crews make gains on containment
Resource
Sep 15, 2016 | Desert Sun | Cal Fire
Chart: California Annual Acres Burned 1985 - 2015
Resource
Aug 17, 2016 | Climate Signals
Chart: 13 of California's 20 largest wildfires burned since 2000
Resource
Jul 26, 2016 | The New York Times / National Interagency Fire Center
Graph: 10 year rolling average of wildfire size from 1970 to 2015
Jun 23, 2016 | Climate Central
Western Wildfires: A Fiery Future
Jun 29, 2016 | Plos One
Incorporating Anthropogenic Influences into Fire Probability Models: Effects of Human Activity and Climate Change on Fire Activity in California
Jul 1, 2016 | Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society
EEE 2014: Extreme Fire Season in California: A Glimpse Into the Future?
Related Content
Headline
Jun 29, 2016 | Washington Post
‘It was beautiful, his devotion to her': Elderly couple die side by side in Calif. wildfire
Headline
Jun 29, 2016 | The Christian Science Monitor
California firefighters succeed in controlling Erskine wildfire
Headline
Jun 28, 2016 | Los Angeles Times
Husband, 81, appeared to be protecting wife, 90, as wildfire raced onto their home. Both died
Headline
Jun 28, 2016 | Democracy Now!
California: Fires Burn at "Exponential Rates" Amid Blistering Heat Wave and 5-Year Drought