20 YEARS OF MAJOR BRUSH FIRES*

1. Sept. 9, 1987

Location: Cleveland National Forest (known as “Silverado” fire).

Size: 5,800 acres in Orange and Riverside counties.

Injuries: None.

Structures damaged: None.

Cause: Arson.

Cost: $1.3 million to fight fire.

2. Aug. 12, 1985

Location: Carbon Canyon.

Size: 1,500 acres.

Injuries: None.

Structures damaged: None.

Cause: Never determined.

Cost: $300,000 to fight fire.

3. Jan. 27, 1984

Location: Modjeska Canyon.

Size: 1,200 acres.

Injuries: None.

Structures damaged: None.

Suspected cause: Embers from controlled blaze.

Cost: $300,000 to fight fire.

4. Oct. 9, 1982

Location: Gypsum Canyon.

Size: 17,000 acres.

Injuries: None.

Structures damaged: 14 luxury homes in Villa Park-Anaheim Hills area destroyed.

Cause: Faulty utility pole.

Cost: $16 million damage and fire-fighting costs.

5. Nov. 24, 1980

Location: Indian and Trabuco Canyons.

Size: 28,200 acres.

Injuries: None.

Structures damaged: Three cabins and four other buildings destroyed.

Suspected cause: Arson.

Cost: $7 million damage to watershed.

6. Oct. 28-30, 1980

Location: North Orange County (“Owl” fire).

Size: 14,873 acres.

Injuries: None.

Structures damaged: One house, two barns destroyed.

Suspected cause: Arson.

Cost: Not available.

7. Oct. 24, 1978

Location: Carbon Canyon.

Size: 5,600 acres.

Injuries: Three minor injuries.

Structures damaged: None.

Cause: Gun target practice.

Cost: Not available.

8. Jan. 22, 1976

Location: San Clemente.

Size: 2,400 acres.

Injuries: 12 firefighters injured.

Structures damaged: 15 houses destroyed, 66 damaged.

Cause: Spark from welding equipment.

Cost: $1 million in damage.

9. Dec. 8, 1975

Location: Silverado Canyon.

Size: 1,700 acres.

Injuries: None.

Structures damaged: Three homes and several out-buildings destroyed.

Cause: Bottled gas heater explosion.

Cost: Not available.

10. Sept. 26, 1970

Location: Trabuco Canyon.

Size: 3,268 acres.

Injuries: None.

Structures damaged: One house destroyed.

Cause: Youth playing with highway flare.

Cost: Not available.

11. Oct. 29-Nov. 2,1967

Location: Paseo Grande.

Size: 50,000 acres.

Injuries: One woman killed when hit by a runaway vehicle; nine others, including four firefighters, injured.

Structures damaged: 66 homes destroyed in Lemon Heights, Santa Ana Canyon and Cowan Heights.

Suspected cause: Children playing with matches.

Cost: $2.5 million in damage.

BRUSH FIRES IN ORANGE COUNTY*

Number of Fires per Category ** Year Total Fires 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1981 118 103 13 1 0 1 0 0 1982 75 59 10 2 2 1 0 1 1983 32 21 7 2 2 0 0 0 1984 118 93 20 3 0 1 1 0 1985 123 96 21 3 1 1 1 0 1986 92 74 14 4 0 0 0 0 1987 186 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Year Total Acres 1981 407 1982 11,662 1983 445 1984 2,549 1985 2,378 1986 156 1987 2,116

N/A: not available

* Fires that start in areas under the jurisdiction of the Orange County Fire Department.

** Categories: 1) acre or less.

2) -9 acres.

3) 10-99 acres.

4) 100-299 acres.

5) 300-999 acres.

6) 1,000-4,999 acres.

7) 5,000 acres or more.

Source: Orange County Fire Department