August 17 in weather history

LNU Lightning Complex fires

August 17, 2020 · United States

The LNU Lightning Complex fires were a large complex of wildfires that burned during the 2020 California wildfire season across much of the Wine Country area of Northern California – Lake, Napa, Sonoma, Solano, and Yolo Counties, from August 17 to October 2, 2020. The complex was composed of numerous…

Where it happened

United States, as Wikidata places it.

  • Wildfires

The record

Date
August 17, 2020
Kind
Wildfire
Where
United States
Country
United States
Deaths
5
Injured
5

What happened

The LNU Lightning Complex fires were a large complex of wildfires that burned during the 2020 California wildfire season across much of the Wine Country area of Northern California – Lake, Napa, Sonoma, Solano, and Yolo Counties, from August 17 to October 2, 2020. The complex was composed of numerous lightning-sparked fires, most of which were small. While they ignited separately from each other, the Hennessey Fire eventually grew to merge with the Gamble, Green, Markley, Spanish, and Morgan fires, scorching 192,000 acres (777 km2) by itself, for a total burn area of 363,220 acres (1,470 km2) in the complex. The fire, which burned in the hills surrounding several large cities, such as Fairfield, Napa, and Vacaville, destroyed 1,491 structures and damaged a further 232. In all, six people were killed and another five injured. The LNU Lightning Complex is the seventh-largest wildfire in California history.

From Wikipedia, “LNU Lightning Complex fires”, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Sources

Wikidata Q99228459 (CC0); text from Wikipedia, “LNU Lightning Complex fires”, CC BY-SA 4.0.