Fawn Fire
Refer to caption
A Boeing 737-300 airtanker drops fire retardant ahead of the Fawn Fire on September 24, 2021
LocationShasta County, California, United States
Coordinates40°43′47″N 122°19′13″W / 40.729811°N 122.320243°W / 40.729811; -122.320243
Statistics[1][2]
CostUS$25.6 million
Date(s)September 22 – October 2, 2021
Burned area8,578 acres (3,471 ha)
CauseArson
Buildings destroyed
  • 185 destroyed
  • 26 damaged
Non-fatal injuries
  • 3 firefighter injuries
  • 0 civilian injuries
Evacuated4,000+
Map
Refer to caption
Refer to caption
Location of the Fawn Fire in Northern California
🌍
Location of fire near Redding and Shasta Lake

The Fawn Fire was a damaging wildfire near Redding, Shasta County, in the U.S. state of California in September and October 2021. Caused by a suspected act of arson in the evening of September 22, the fire began in mountains to the northeast of Redding and was driven by high winds the following day south and west into wildland-urban interface (WUI) neighborhoods. The fire ultimately destroyed 185 structures (including residences, commercial buildings, and outbuildings) and damaged 26.[3] Three firefighters engaged in suppression of the fire were injured, but there were no recorded civilian injuries or fatalities. The fire cost more than $25 million to suppress and burned 8,578 acres (3,471 hectares) before being fully contained on October 2.[3] A Palo Alto woman was arrested the day of its ignition and charged with starting the fire. As of 2022, legal proceedings were ongoing.[4]

The Fawn Fire was one of the last and most destructive major wildfires of the 2021 California wildfire season, which was notable for its severity.[5] The fire was also the latest in a string of destructive WUI wildfires in the Redding area in recent years, including the 1999 Jones Fire and the 2013 Clover Fire. Most infamously, in 2018 the Carr Fire killed multiple people and destroyed hundreds of structures on the western outskirts of the city and in the communities of Shasta, Keswick, and Centerville.[6]

Progression

Context

Northern California experienced many large and destructive wildfires in the summer of 2021, all of them exacerbated by drought and prolonged heat waves such as the 2021 Western North America heat wave. Multiple fires burned in or near Shasta County, including the Salt Fire and the Dixie Fire. The immediate area had no significant or recent fire history, though the 1999 Jones Fire and 2004 Bear Fire burned a combined 37,000 acres and hundreds of structures in the Jones Valley region just to the east of the Fawn Fire's footprint.[7][8]

September 22

The fire began at approximately 4:45 p.m. PDT in the steep, forested drainage of the West Fork Stillwater Creek in the Shasta National Forest, west of Blue Ridge and south of Allie Cove Campground near Shasta Lake.[3][9] The area, more generally located in the mountains between Redding's sparse northern fringes and Shasta Lake, was accessible only using nearby quarry roads. The fire's dispatched location was near the intersection of Fawndale Road (which gave the incident its name) and Radcliff Road, immediately to the east of Interstate 5 and between the community of Mountain Gate to the south and Shasta Lake to the north.[3] At approximately 5:00 pm, Cal Fire reported that the fire was 20 acres and exhibiting a rapid rate of spread, burning in timber.[10] By 6:30 p.m. the fire was 50 acres and 0% contained.[11]

On the night of September 22, gusty north winds caused the fire to spot and spread rapidly.[12]

September 23

By 7:00 a.m. on the morning of September 23, the fire was reported as 150 acres and 5% contained.[13] Winds continued to increase throughout the morning and afternoon. At the same time, the Shasta County Sheriff's Office issued the first evacuation warning for the fire, for the area north of Bear Mountain Road, from Kitty Hawk Lane to Moss Drive.[14] An evacuation order was issued by 9:00 a.m. for all roads off of Bear Mountain Road between Dry Creek and Old Oregon Trail.[15] By 9:20, the fire was reported as 800 acres and 5% contained, and by 12:30, it was reported as 1,200 acres and 5% contained.[16][17]

The Fawn Fire's growth was fueled by a combination of high winds with gusts over 20 miles per hour, temperatures as high as 97 degrees, and a relative humidity down to 10%.[18][19] The wind-driven fire exhibited "extreme" and "explosive" behavior as it moved primarily south and west out of the mountains towards Redding and into brush, oak woodlands, and neighborhoods, threatening more than 2,000 structures.[20]

At least 555 firefighting personnel were engaged on the fire using bulldozers to create firebreaks, water tenders to defend structures and attack spot fires, and over a dozen air tankers and helicopters dropping fire retardant and water in an effort to reduce the intensity and rate of spread of the fire.[21][22] During the height of the air attack effort on September 23, 53,000 gallons of fire retardant were dropped in a 90-minute period.[23] Evacuation warnings and orders continued to expand, eventually covering all areas east of Interstate 5 and north of State Route 299 (including Shasta College, which had briefly been an evacuation center).[24]

Winds and fire behavior moderated in the afternoon and evening. By 7:00 p.m. the fire was reported as 5,500 acres and 5% contained.[25]

September 24 onwards

On the morning of September 24 the fire was reported as 5,850 acres and 10% contained, with 9,000 structures threatened and 950 personnel involved in the firefight.[26][27] The Fawn Fire was rated by the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) as the No. 1 priority wildfire incident in the nation, due to the immediate threat to life and property, as well as reduced resource needs for fires elsewhere in the country.[20] That day, the fire grew by another thousand acres, primarily to the east and west along its flanks.[28] On the morning of September 25 the fire was assessed at 7,544 acres, remaining 10% contained. On the morning of September 26, the fire was assessed at 8,537 acres, with 35% containment.[29] At this point, during the peak of the fire suppression effort, over 2,000 personnel were assigned to the incident.[30] The fire exhibited minimal growth after this point, and fire crews continued to strengthen containment lines in advance of a red flag warning issued for September 28.[31] Containment slowly increased until the Fawn Fire was declared 100% contained at 6:53 pm. PDT on October 2, 10 days after it began.[3]

Effects

The Fawn Fire ultimately destroyed 185 structures, including homes, commercial buildings, and outbuildings; a complete breakdown of how many of each were destroyed was not made available, but at least 41 residential buildings burned.[32] A further 26 structures were damaged.[3]

At some point during the fire suppression effort three firefighters were injured; Cal Fire did not disclose the cause or severity of their injuries.[3] No civilians were reported injured, and no fatalities of any kind were reported.

On September 23, the state of California applied for a Fire Management Assistance Grant for the Fawn Fire. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved it, allowing up to 75% of eligible firefighting costs to be covered by federal funding.[33] On September 27, Governor of California Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for Shasta County in response to the Fawn Fire, having previously declared a state of emergency in the county on August 10 for the McFarland Fire.[34][35]

Following the fire, Mercy Medical Center Redding requested the activation and received the assistance of two National Guard medical teams after hospital staffing was compromised by the combined impacts of the Fawn Fire (which affected 30 hospital employees) and the COVID-19 pandemic.[36]

Cause

Arrest

A woman was apprehended after walking out of a wooded area near the fire's ignition point after it started. According to officials, she told firefighters that she was dehydrated and needed medical care. After receiving it, she was interviewed by Cal Fire law enforcement officers, arrested, and booked into the Shasta County Jail.[37] She was allegedly found with an operable lighter, carbon dioxide cartridges, and a "pink and white item containing a green leafy substance".[38][39]

The supervisor of a quarry near both the ignition point and the site of the woman's arrest reported someone of her description trespassing in the area, ignoring warnings to that effect, and leaving a battery and more carbon dioxide cartridges on a dirt road. The woman claimed she had been unsuccessfully attempting to boil water containing bear urine in a puddle in a creek bed.[38]

Later identified as Alexandra Andreevna Souverneva of Palo Alto, California, on September 24, 2021, the woman was charged by the Shasta County District Attorney's office with felony arson to wildland (Cal. Penal Code § 451(C)), with an enhancement because of the declared state of emergency in California (Cal. Penal Code § 454(A)).[40] During her arraignment, Souverneva entered a plea of not guilty.[41] Judge Adam Ryan increased her bail from $100,000 to $175,000 on account of the enhancement and the damage the fire had already caused by that point.[39][42]

In November 2021 Judge Ryan found Souverneva mentally unfit to stand trial and put the prosecution on hold.[43] After undergoing competency training in the custody of the California Department of State Hospitals, in April 2022 Souverneva was found fit to stand trial.[44][45] The preliminary hearing for the trial is scheduled for September 14, 2022.[45] If convicted, Souverneva faces up to 9 years in California state prison.[4]

During the initial press conference announcing Souverneva's arrest, Shasta County District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett said Souverneva may be linked to other blazes in the county and elsewhere in California, but no other information has been released since regarding that point.[41] Over 100 people were arrested for arson in California in 2021, including at least 14 in Shasta County.[4]

Fire growth & containment

Fire containment status[46]
Gray: contained; Red: active; %: percent contained;
Date Area burned
acres		Containment
Sep 2250
0%
Sep 235,500
5%
Sep 246,820
10%
Sep 258,446
25%
Sep 268,559
45%
Sep 278,577
60%
Sep 288,578
70%
Sep 298,578
85%
Sep 308,578
90%
Oct 18,578
90%
Oct 28,578
100%

See also

  • Delta Fire (a large 2018 wildfire north of Lake Shasta, also caused by arson)

References

  1. ↑ "Fawn Fire Incident Report". California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Archived from the original on August 27, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  2. ↑ Damon Arthur; Mike Chapman (October 3, 2021). "Fawn Fire near Redding 100% contained; cost $25 million to suppress". Redding.com. Redding Record Searchlight. Archived from the original on October 2, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Fawn Fire Incident Report". California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Archived from the original on August 27, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 Medina, Eduardo (September 25, 2021). "Woman Charged With Arson in Starting California Wildfire, Officials Say". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  5. ↑ "2021 Fire Season Incident Archive". California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Archived from the original on January 15, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  6. ↑ Schleuss, Jon; Kim, Kyle; Krishnakumar, Priya (July 31, 2018). "Here's where the Carr fire destroyed homes in Northern California". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  7. ↑ Benda, David (August 23, 2019). "A look back: Mountain Fire is part of Jones Valley's 'very rich' history of wildfires". Redding Record Searchlight. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  8. ↑ Squatriglia, Chuck (July 2, 2007). "Strength rises from the ashes". SFGATE. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  9. ↑ Graff, Amy (September 24, 2021). "Explosive Fawn Fire destroys more than two dozen homes". SFGATE. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  10. ↑ Cal Fire Shasta Trinity Unit, Shasta Fire Department [@CALFIRESHU] (September 23, 2021). "Firefighters are at scene of a 20 acre fire with a rapid rate of spread burning in the timber near Fawndale Rd and the quarry. Additional resources have been requested #FawnFire" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. ↑ Cal Fire Shasta Trinity Unit, Shasta Fire Department [@CALFIRESHU] (September 23, 2021). "#FawnFire at Fawndale Rd & Radcliff Rd. is now 50 acres and 0% contained. Steep, difficult terrain is making ground access difficult. #CALFIRESHU2021" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  12. ↑ "Fawn Fire – Update for September 23, 2021". California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. September 23, 2021. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  13. ↑ Cal Fire Shasta Trinity Unit, Shasta Fire Department [@CALFIRESHU] (September 23, 2021). "#FawnFire near Fawndale Rd and Radcliff Rd, northeast of Shasta Lake in #ShastaCounty County is 150 acres and 5% contained. #CALFIRESHU2021" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  14. ↑ Shasta County Sheriff's Office [@ShastaSheriff] (September 23, 2021). "For the #FawnFire in the Mountain Gate area. The Shasta County Sheriff's Office is issuing an Evacuation WARNING in the area north of Bear Mountain Rd. from Kitty Hawk Ln. east to Moss Dr. Residents under the warning should be prepared to leave in case of increased fire activity" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  15. ↑ Shasta County Sheriff's Office [@ShastaSheriff] (September 23, 2021). "For the #FawnFire. The Shasta County Sheriff's Office is issuing an mandatory Evacuation ORDER. All roads off of Bear Mountain in both directions between Dry Creek and Old Oregon Trail must evacuate immediately" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  16. ↑ Cal Fire Shasta Trinity Unit, Shasta Fire Department [@CALFIRESHU] (September 23, 2021). "#FawnFire near Fawndale Rd and Radcliff Rd in #ShastaCounty County is 800 acres and 5% contained. #CALFIRESHU2021@ShastaSheriff @211Norcal" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  17. ↑ Cal Fire Shasta Trinity Unit, Shasta Fire Department [@CALFIRESHU] (September 23, 2021). "#FawnFire near Fawndale Rd and Radcliff Rd, northeast of Shasta Lake in #ShastaCounty County is 1200 acres and 5% contained. #CALFIRESHU2021@ShastaSheriff @211Norcal" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  18. ↑ Fry, Hannah; Newberry, Laura (September 26, 2021). "Lower temperatures help firefighters boost containment of Fawn fire". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  19. ↑ Arthur, Damon (September 23, 2021). "'All bets are off:' Hot, dry and breezy conditions ripe for Fawn Fire; 5% contained". Redding Record Searchlight. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  20. 1 2 Arthur, Damon (September 24, 2021). "How Fawn Fire 'extreme fire behavior' moved Redding area blaze to nation's No. 1 priority". Redding Record Searchlight. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  21. ↑ Cal Fire Shasta Trinity Unit, Shasta Fire Department [@CALFIRESHU] (September 23, 2021). "#FAWNFIRE #CALFIRESHU2021 Shasta County Sheriff's Office 211 NorCal" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  22. ↑ CA Fire Scanner [@CAFireScanner] (September 23, 2021). "#FawnFire (#MountainGate, Shasta Co) – Large number of air resources assigned to this fire including approx 13–15 air tankers. No changes/additions to evacuations in the past couple of hours. Reminder that the City of Redding evacuation map is @ https://arcg.is/mnqf8" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  23. ↑ Wingo, Melanie (September 26, 2021). "Tough questions for Cal Fire surface in Fawn Fire community meeting". KCRA. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  24. ↑ Redding Police Department [@ReddingPolice] (September 23, 2021). "Evacuation Warning – All Areas North of SR299 and East of I-5 #FawnFire https://facebook.com/100064793586105/posts/224056663097452/?d=n" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  25. ↑ "Fawn Fire – Update for September 23, 2021". California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. September 23, 2021. Archived from the original on May 26, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
  26. ↑ California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection [@CAL_FIRE] (September 24, 2021). "#FawnFire near Fawndale Rd and Radcliff Rd, northeast of Shasta Lake in Shasta County is 5,850 acres and 10% contained. @CALFIRESHU & @ShastaSheriff https://fire.ca.gov/incidents/2021/9/22/fawn-fire/" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  27. ↑ Cal Fire Shasta Trinity Unit, Shasta Fire Department [@CALFIRESHU] (September 24, 2021). "#FawnFire #CALFIRESHU2021" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  28. ↑ "Fawn Fire – Update for September 24, 2021". California Department of Fire and Forestry. September 24, 2021. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  29. ↑ "Fawn Fire – Update for September 26, 2021". California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. September 26, 2021. Archived from the original on August 6, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
  30. ↑ "Fawn Fire – Update for September 26, 2021". California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. September 26, 2021. Archived from the original on August 6, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
  31. ↑ Stutson, Alec (September 28, 2021). "Q&A: High Winds And Low Humidity Complicate Fawn Fire Fight". North State Public Radio. Archived from the original on September 29, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  32. ↑ Espino, Jenny; Chapman, Mike; Skropanic, Jessica (September 25, 2021). "Fawn Fire updates: Blaze now at 8,446 acres; containment rises to 25%". Redding Record Searchlight. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  33. ↑ "FEMA Fire Management Assistance Granted for the Fawn Fire". FEMA. September 24, 2021. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  34. ↑ "Governor Newsom Proclaims State of Emergency in Shasta County Due to Fawn Fire | Cal OES News". Cal OES News. California Governor's Office of Emergency Services. September 27, 2021. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  35. ↑ "Governor Newsom Proclaims State of Emergency in Trinity, Tehama and Shasta Counties Due to Fires". Office of Governor Gavin Newsom. August 10, 2021. Archived from the original on July 27, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  36. ↑ Curtis, Chloe (October 1, 2021). "National Guard assisting Redding hospital impacted by COVID-19 and Fawn Fire". Action News Now. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  37. ↑ Fracassa, Dominic; Picon, Andres (September 23, 2021). "Bay Area woman suspected of lighting fast-moving Fawn Fire near Redding". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  38. 1 2 Picon, Andres (September 27, 2021). "Officials: Fawn Fire arson suspect said she was thirsty, tried to boil creek water to rid it of bear urine". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  39. 1 2 Graff, Amy (September 27, 2021). "Bay Area woman charged with starting Fawn Fire after allegedly burning bear urine". SFGATE. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  40. ↑ "Damage Assessment Teams Check Fawn Fire Destruction In Shasta County". CBS Sacramento. September 25, 2021. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  41. 1 2 Chandler, Michele (September 24, 2021). "Bay Area woman suspected of being serial arsonist pleads not guilty in Fawn Fire". Redding Record Searchlight. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  42. ↑ Chandler, Michele (September 29, 2022). "Bay Area arson suspect charged with setting the Fawn Fire: Here's what we know". Redding Record Searchlight. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  43. ↑ Solis, Nathan (November 17, 2021). "Caltech grad charged with setting Fawn fire is declared mentally unfit to stand trial". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  44. ↑ Chapman, Mike; Arthur, Damon (March 10, 2022). "New evaluation ordered for woman suspected of starting Fawn Fire". Redding Record Searchlight. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  45. 1 2 Staff, Newsroom (April 7, 2022). "Woman accused of starting the Fawn Fire deemed fit to stand trial". KOBI Television. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  46. ↑ "Fawn Fire Status Update Reports". California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Archived from the original on August 6, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
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