Recent from talks
Pendola Fire
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Pendola Fire
The Pendola Fire was a large wildfire in Northern California's Yuba County in October 1999. The fire burned for one week, spreading to 11,725 acres (4,745 hectares) and destroying dozens of buildings. The fire was caused by a tree falling on a power line operated by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), which ultimately settled with the United States Forest Service and other parties for more than $17.3 million (equivalent to about $30.5 million in 2024).
California's 1999 wildfire season was, at the time, one of the worst on record by acres burned and structures destroyed. Almost 750,000 acres (300,000 ha) burned statewide between the beginning of the year and the official declaration of fire season's closure in Northern California on November 9. Roughly half of the burned acreage was National Forest land, and the remaining area—not quite 274,000 acres (111,000 ha)—was private property or other lands under state firefighting jurisdiction.
By October 18, during the Pendola Fire, approximately 660,000 acres (270,000 ha) had burned throughout California. The Pendola Fire burned simultaneously with several other large wildfires in Northern California, including the Big Bar Complex fires in Trinity County and the Jones Fire in Shasta County.
A red flag warning was issued for the area of the Pendola Fire for the weekend of its ignition on account of high winds. At 4:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 16, 1999, the fire lookout at Oregon Peak reported a wind gust of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h).
The Pendola Fire began at about 4:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 16, north of New Bullards Bar Reservoir in Yuba County. The fire ignited when high winds blew a 170-foot (52 m) ponderosa pine down onto a PG&E 12-kilovolt power distribution line on a tract of privately owned land in the community of Camptonville. The fire was originally located near Baker Road and Pendola Extension, for which it was named.
The fire quickly burned southwest, and jumped across New Bullards Bar Reservoir at a narrow section south of Madrone Cove. There it continued to burn in forested areas north of Dobbins, spreading to about 2,500 acres (1,000 ha) by nighttime. On Sunday, October 17, the fire burned an additional 3,000 acres (1,200 ha).
By the morning of Monday, October 18, the fire had burned 5,120 acres (2,070 ha) and was 10 percent contained. At 3:00 p.m., residents of Dobbins, Brownsville, and Challenge were able to return home. The fire continued to grow, more than doubling in acreage, and by 8:00 p.m. that night, the fire had burned about 11,000 acres (4,500 ha) and was 65 percent contained.
More than 2,500 firefighters were mobilized to suppress the fire, which was declared controlled by the U.S. Forest Service on Saturday, October 23.
Hub AI
Pendola Fire AI simulator
(@Pendola Fire_simulator)
Pendola Fire
The Pendola Fire was a large wildfire in Northern California's Yuba County in October 1999. The fire burned for one week, spreading to 11,725 acres (4,745 hectares) and destroying dozens of buildings. The fire was caused by a tree falling on a power line operated by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), which ultimately settled with the United States Forest Service and other parties for more than $17.3 million (equivalent to about $30.5 million in 2024).
California's 1999 wildfire season was, at the time, one of the worst on record by acres burned and structures destroyed. Almost 750,000 acres (300,000 ha) burned statewide between the beginning of the year and the official declaration of fire season's closure in Northern California on November 9. Roughly half of the burned acreage was National Forest land, and the remaining area—not quite 274,000 acres (111,000 ha)—was private property or other lands under state firefighting jurisdiction.
By October 18, during the Pendola Fire, approximately 660,000 acres (270,000 ha) had burned throughout California. The Pendola Fire burned simultaneously with several other large wildfires in Northern California, including the Big Bar Complex fires in Trinity County and the Jones Fire in Shasta County.
A red flag warning was issued for the area of the Pendola Fire for the weekend of its ignition on account of high winds. At 4:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 16, 1999, the fire lookout at Oregon Peak reported a wind gust of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h).
The Pendola Fire began at about 4:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 16, north of New Bullards Bar Reservoir in Yuba County. The fire ignited when high winds blew a 170-foot (52 m) ponderosa pine down onto a PG&E 12-kilovolt power distribution line on a tract of privately owned land in the community of Camptonville. The fire was originally located near Baker Road and Pendola Extension, for which it was named.
The fire quickly burned southwest, and jumped across New Bullards Bar Reservoir at a narrow section south of Madrone Cove. There it continued to burn in forested areas north of Dobbins, spreading to about 2,500 acres (1,000 ha) by nighttime. On Sunday, October 17, the fire burned an additional 3,000 acres (1,200 ha).
By the morning of Monday, October 18, the fire had burned 5,120 acres (2,070 ha) and was 10 percent contained. At 3:00 p.m., residents of Dobbins, Brownsville, and Challenge were able to return home. The fire continued to grow, more than doubling in acreage, and by 8:00 p.m. that night, the fire had burned about 11,000 acres (4,500 ha) and was 65 percent contained.
More than 2,500 firefighters were mobilized to suppress the fire, which was declared controlled by the U.S. Forest Service on Saturday, October 23.
Recent media