Sayre Fire

The Sayre Fire, also known as the Sylmar Fire, was a November 2008 wildfire which burned 489 residences in Los Angeles, considered to be the "worst loss of homes due to fire" in the city's history at that time. The fire was first reported at 10:29 p.m. PDT on November 14, 2008, in the Sylmar section of Los Angeles. As of November 20, 2008, the fire was 100% contained, had burned 11,262 acres (46 km2) and destroyed more than 600 structures (480 mobile homes, nine single-family homes, 104 outbuildings and 10 commercial buildings). The number of homes lost in the Sayre fire exceeded the prior record set in 1961 by the Bel Air Fire which claimed 484 homes, and it remained the most destructive in Los Angeles history until it too was surpassed by the Palisades Fire in 2025. There were no fatalities, just minor injuries to five firefighters and one civilian.