90
Recorded events
7
Direct deaths
93
Direct injuries
$1.0B
Property damage
Wildfire in San Bernardino County, California: 90 recorded events between 1997 and 2003. The strongest on record measured 0. That places the county #3 nationally and #3 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Wildfire in San Bernardino County, California: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for wildfire in San Bernardino County is the 2000s, when 74 of the county's 90 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the San Bernardino County archive, wildfire makes up 5.5% of all recorded severe weather across 12 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #3 for this hazard and #3 within California, putting it in the 99.5 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jul is the peak month for wildfire in San Bernardino County with 20 recorded events, while Apr is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 25, 2003 | SAN BERNARDINO | 0 | 4 | 5 | $696.4M |
| Nov 1, 2003 | HESPERIA | 0 | 2 | 7 | $278.6M |
| Aug 30, 2002 | LYTLE CREEK | 0 | 1 | 0 | $20K |
| Oct 21, 2003 | FONTANA | 0 | 0 | 35 | $50.0M |
| Sep 5, 2003 | HIGHLAND | 0 | 0 | 9 | $200K |
| Sep 1, 1999 | LUCERNE VLY | 0 | 0 | 7 | $0 |
| Jun 14, 2001 | RUNNING SPGS | 0 | 0 | 6 | $150K |
| Aug 28, 1999 | LAKE ARROWHEAD | 0 | 0 | 6 | $2.0M |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2003 | HESPERIA | 0 | $278.6M |
| Nov 1, 2003 | UPLAND | 0 | $0 |
| Oct 25, 2003 | SAN BERNARDINO | 0 | $696.4M |
| Oct 21, 2003 | FONTANA | 0 | $50.0M |
| Oct 1, 2003 | VICTORVILLE | 0 | $0 |
| Oct 1, 2003 | LYTLE CREEK | 0 | $0 |
| Sep 17, 2003 | HESPERIA | 0 | $0 |
| Sep 12, 2003 | LOMA LINDA | 0 | $0 |
| Sep 5, 2003 | HIGHLAND | 0 | $200K |
| Aug 28, 2003 | PHELAN | 0 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from San Bernardino County
- Flash Flood 836
- Thunderstorm Wind 197
- Flood 160
- Heavy Rain 124
- Hail 67
- Lightning 63
- Debris Flow 50
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A wild fire that began near Highway 138, traveled north and consumed 4035 acres due to hot dry weather and erratic 20 mph winds. Twenty eight sheep and goats were killed; 2 firefighters injured; 250 residents forced to evacuate; 2 mobile homes, a garage, a barn, 2 sheds, and several cars were destroyed. Ten air tankers, seven helicopters, and 1001 firefighters fought to bring the fire under control.
Shots fired in a target range, set off a fire in the San Bernardino National Forest. Strong winds in the area helped spread the fire that torched 1500 acres before it was brought under control. Fifteen buildings, including 10 homes were destroyed, most in the tiny communities of Frebalda, Smiley Park, and Live Oak, southwest of Running Springs. Five hundred people were evacuated from their homes for more than a day, and Highways 330 and 18 were closed for an extended period of time. Damage to homes and buildings was estimated at $250,000.
A 2576 acre wild fire destroyed one mobile home and two sheds. Residents of Oak Hills and Summit Valley were forced to evacuate. Highway 138 was closed as the fire crossed from the west side of the Highway and moved north across Summit Valley.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many wildfire events are on record in San Bernardino County, California?
90 wildfire events are recorded in San Bernardino County between 1997 and 2003, causing 7 direct deaths.
What is the strongest wildfire recorded in San Bernardino County?
The strongest wildfire on record in San Bernardino County measured 0.
Where does the wildfire data for San Bernardino County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Wildfire in San Bernardino County, California.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/california/san-bernardino-county/wildfire/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.