The Orleans Complex Fire is a wildfire burning near Orleans, California, in Six Rivers National Forest that began on July 3, 2025. The complex fire is made up of the Butler Fire and the Red Fire that both began in early July. As of August 11, the fire had so far burned 22,117 acres (8,950 ha) and was 81% contained.

A Red flag warning, issued by the National Weather Service, was impactful in the early days of the Orleans Complex Fire—indicating a volatile mix of hot temperatures, low relative humidity, and gusty outflow winds—conditions primed for extreme fire behavior.

The Orleans Complex—comprising the Butler Fire and the Red Fire—both began in early July and quickly coalesced. The smoke plume was visible regionally by mid-July as they burned through mixed timber and brush fuels with lower moisture levels, thanks to lingering regional drought conditions.^{[citation needed]}

Lightning was confirmed as the ignition source for the Complex, consistent with the lightning ignition patterns seen across Northern California that month.^{[citation needed]} Over its first week, the fire expanded steadily—surpassing 15,700 acres burned with negligible containment—prompting widespread evacuation orders, road closures, and community alerts.

The confirmed cause of the Orleans Complex Fire, including the Butler Fire, was lightning. This is consistent with the region’s history of dry thunderstorms during summer months, which often spark wildfires in forested areas. The fire’s rapid spread and difficult terrain made containment efforts extremely challenging.

The Orleans Complex Fire was first reported on July 3, 2025, at around 6:00 pm PST.

On July 19, at approximately 2:15 pm PST, a tree fell on three firefighters who were actively battling the Butler Fire. According to the U.S. Forest Service, the incident occurred during intense firefighting efforts in rugged terrain.

One firefighter was reported in critical condition, while the other two sustained serious but non-critical injuries.