Camp Fire (2018)
Butte County (Paradise), California · Nov 8, 2018 – Nov 25, 2018
Deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California historyAcres burned
153,336
Lives lost
85
Structures destroyed
18,804
Year
2018
Estimated damage
~$16.5 billion in damages (one of the costliest wildfires ever)
Duration
17 days (Nov 8–25, 2018)
Evacuations
~52,000 people evacuated
What happened
The Camp Fire is the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history. It ignited on the morning of November 8, 2018 and overran the town of Paradise within hours, killing 85 people and destroying nearly the entire community.
Cause
PG&E electrical transmission line
Location
Butte County (Paradise), California
Key facts
- ▪Deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century at the time
- ▪Destroyed ~18,800 structures, most in hours
- ▪Caused by a failed PG&E transmission line
- ▪Led to major changes in utility wildfire liability
Replay the Camp Fire in the spread simulator
This centers the wildfire-spread simulator on the Camp Fire’s documented ignition point and replays its conditions on 2018-11-08 — the day’s strongest wind, temperature, and humidity from the open-meteo historical archive (which set the fire-day fuel moisture) — run through the same Rothermel surface-fire model used across FireRisk. Press ▶ Simulate to watch how fire tends to move under those conditions.
⚠️ Educational reconstruction — not the real fire perimeter
This is a simplified model of how fire spreads under the 2018 conditions, not the Camp Fire’s actual burned area, official progression, or a prediction of any current fire. It cannot account for real fuels, suppression, spotting, or how conditions changed hour to hour. For real-time fire information always follow Watch Duty, official agencies, and local authorities — and call 911 in an emergency.
Loading the 2018 fire-day conditions…
Reminder: an educational reconstruction of fire spread under the 2018 conditions — not the Camp Fire’s actual perimeter, an official record, or a forecast. Modeled spread, direction, and timing are illustrative only. Never rely on it for any safety decision.
Timeline
6:15 AM, Nov 8
Fire ignites under a PG&E transmission line near Pulga.
8:00 AM
Flames reach Paradise; evacuations overwhelmed as the town ignites.
Nov 8 (day 1)
Most of the 85 deaths and ~18,800 structures lost within the first hours.
Nov 25
Fire fully contained at 153,336 acres.
Aftermath & what changed
PG&E was found criminally liable, pleaded guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter, and filed for bankruptcy facing an estimated $30B in wildfire liabilities. The disaster reshaped California utility-wildfire law and accelerated insurer non-renewals across the WUI.
Could your home survive a fire like the Camp Fire?
Check your address for a 0–100 wildfire risk score, every fire recorded nearby, and the hardening steps that change the outcome.
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Camp Fire FAQ
When was the Camp Fire and where did it burn?
The Camp Fire started Nov 8, 2018 in Butte County (Paradise), California, and was contained Nov 25, 2018.
How many acres did the Camp Fire burn?
The Camp Fire burned approximately 153,336 acres.
How many people died in the Camp Fire?
Approximately 85 people died in the Camp Fire.
What caused the Camp Fire?
PG&E electrical transmission line.
Figures are approximate and compiled from official agency reporting; totals for recent fires may still be revised. FireRisk.ai is an independent wildfire-risk service.