Zaca Fire facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Zaca Fire |
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Active flame front of the fire.
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| Location | San Rafael Mountains, Los Padres National Forest, Santa Barbara County, California |
| Coordinates | 34°42′57″N 119°46′58″W / 34.7159°N 119.7828°W |
| Statistics | |
| Cost | $118.3 million (2017 USD) |
| Date(s) | July 4, 2007 – October 29, 2007 |
| Burned area | 240,207 acres (972 km2) |
| Cause | Sparks from a grinding machine on private property |
| Buildings destroyed | 1 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 43 |
| Map | |
 Location in southern California
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The Zaca Fire was a very large wildfire that started in the San Rafael Mountains. This area is northeast of the Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County, California. It was the biggest wildfire of the 2007 California wildfire season.
The fire began on July 4, 2007. By August 31, it had burned over 240,207 acres (972.083 km2) of land. At that time, it was California's second largest fire ever recorded, after the Cedar Fire in 2003. As of 2020, it is the tenth largest fire in California's modern history. Firefighters fully contained the Zaca Fire on September 4, 2007. It was completely under control by October 29, 2007.
How the Zaca Fire Started and Was Fought
The Zaca Fire began on July 4, 2007, at 10:53 AM. It started because of sparks from a grinding machine. This machine was being used on private property to fix a water pipe. The fire quickly grew to cover about 240,207 acres (972.08 km2).
By August 12, firefighters and aircraft were working together to control the fire. They successfully changed the fire's direction. This kept it away from the Paradise Road community.
The Zaca Fire was almost fully contained by September 2. On September 4, 2007, the fire was 100% contained. It cost about $117 million to fight this huge fire. Even after containment, some hot spots kept burning for over a month. The fire was finally brought completely under control on October 29, 2007. During the fire, 43 people had non-fatal injuries. Two of these happened when a helicopter helping with the fire crashed.
What Happened Because of the Fire?
The Zaca Fire mostly burned in very steep and wild areas. These were in the San Rafael Mountains within the Los Padres National Forest. It also affected the Santa Ynez River Recreation Area. The fire did not burn many homes. It only destroyed one building belonging to the Forest Service.
Scientists are still studying how the fire affected the environment. They are looking at its impact on nature and water resources. Many trails and campgrounds in the Dick Smith Wilderness were damaged or destroyed. Since then, some of these trails and campgrounds have been rebuilt for people to use again.
