Fawn Fire Explained

Fawn Fire
References:[1] [2]
Area:8578acres
Cause:Arson
Buildings:185 (26 damaged)
Injuries:3
Evacuated:4,000+
Pushpin Map:USA California Northern
Pushpin Map Alt:Refer to caption
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of the Fawn Fire in Northern California
Image Map Caption:The footprint of the Fawn Fire, north of Redding and south of Lake Shasta

The Fawn Fire was a destructive wildfire in Northern California's Shasta County, near Redding, in late September and early October 2021. The fire, which was caused by an alleged act of arson, ignited on September 22 in mountains to the northeast of Redding. High winds the following day drove the fire south and west into neighborhoods in the wildland-urban interface, where it destroyed 185 buildings and damaged 26 more. At least three firefighters were injured. The Fawn Fire cost more than $25 million to suppress and burned 85780NaN0 before being fully contained on October 2. A woman was arrested the day of the Fawn Fire's ignition and charged with starting the fire., legal proceedings remained ongoing.

Background

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.[3] 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. The 1999 Jones Fire and the 2004 Bear Fire burned a combined 370000NaN0 and hundreds of structures in the Jones Valley region just to the east of the Fawn Fire's footprint.[4] [5] Other destructive wildfires in the WUI in and near Redding area in recent years include the 1999 Jones Fire, the 2013 Clover Fire, and the 2018 Carr Fire.[6]

Progression

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.[7] 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.[8] At approximately 5:00 p.m., Cal Fire reported that the fire was 200NaN0 and exhibiting a rapid rate of spread, burning in timber.[9] By 6:30 p.m. the fire was 500NaN0 and zero percent contained.[10] Later that night, gusty north winds caused the fire to spot and spread rapidly.[11]

By 7:00 a.m. on the morning of September 23, the fire was reported as 1500NaN0 and five percent contained.[12] 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.[13] 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.[14] By 9:20 a.m., the fire was reported as 8000NaN0, and by 12:30 p.m., it was reported as 12000NaN0 and five percent contained.[15] [16]

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 relative humidity levels down to ten percent.[17] [18] 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.[19]

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.[20] [21] During the height of the air attack effort on September 23, aircraft dropped 53,000 gallons of fire retardant in a 90-minute period.[22] 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).[23] Winds and fire behavior moderated in the afternoon and evening. By 7:00 p.m., the fire was reported as 55000NaN0 and five percent contained.[24]

On the morning of September 24 the fire was reported as 58500NaN0 and ten percent contained, with 9,000 structures threatened and 950 personnel involved in the firefight.[25] [26] 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. That day, the fire grew by another thousand acres, primarily to the east and west along its flanks.[27] On the morning of September 25 the fire was assessed at 75440NaN0, remaining ten percent contained. On the morning of September 26, the fire was assessed at 85370NaN0, with 35 percent containment.[28] At this point, during the peak of the fire suppression effort, over 2,000 personnel were assigned to the incident.[29] 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.[30] Containment slowly increased until the Fawn Fire was declared 100 percent contained at 6:53 pm. PDT on October 2, 10 days after it began.

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.[31] A further 26 structures were damaged.

At some point during the fire suppression effort three firefighters were injured; Cal Fire did not disclose the cause or severity of their injuries.

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 percent of eligible firefighting costs to be covered by federal funding.[32] 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.[33] [34]

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.[35]

Cause

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.[36] She was allegedly found with an operable lighter, carbon dioxide cartridges, and a "pink and white item containing a green leafy substance".[37] 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.

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)).[38] During her arraignment, Souverneva entered a plea of not guilty.[39] 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.[40] [41] In November 2021, Judge Ryan found Souverneva mentally unfit to stand trial and put the prosecution on hold.[42] After undergoing competency training in the custody of the California Department of State Hospitals, in April 2022 Souverneva was found fit to stand trial.[43] [44] If convicted, Souverneva faces up to 9 years in California state prison.[45] During the initial press conference announcing Souverneva's arrest, Shasta County District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett said Souverneva might be linked to other blazes in the county and elsewhere in California. Over 100 people were arrested for arson in California in 2021, including at least 14 in Shasta County.

Fire growth & containment

Fire containment status[46]
Gray: contained; Red: active; %: percent contained;
DateArea burned
acres 		Containment
Sep 2250
Sep 235,500
Sep 246,820
Sep 258,446
Sep 268,559
Sep 278,577
Sep 288,578
Sep 298,578
Sep 308,578
Oct 18,578
Oct 28,578

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Fawn Fire Incident Report . California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection . 2022-08-04 . August 27, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220827060618/https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2021/9/22/fawn-fire/ . live .
  2. Web site: Damon Arthur . Mike Chapman . Fawn Fire near Redding 100% contained; cost $25 million to suppress . Redding.com . Redding Record Searchlight . 2022-08-04 . October 3, 2021 . October 2, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221002191012/https://www.redding.com/story/news/2021/10/03/fawn-fire-near-redding-100-contained-cost-25-million-suppress/5983085001/ . live .
  3. Web site: 2021 Fire Season Incident Archive . 2022-08-05 . California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection . January 15, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220115052141/https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2021/ . live .
  4. News: Benda . David . August 23, 2019 . A look back: Mountain Fire is part of Jones Valley's 'very rich' history of wildfires . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220805144824/https://www.redding.com/story/news/local/2019/08/23/mountain-fire-jones-valley-wildfires-history-maps/2097253001/ . August 5, 2022 . 2022-08-05 . Redding Record Searchlight.
  5. News: Squatriglia . Chuck . July 2, 2007 . Strength rises from the ashes . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220805152828/https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Strength-rises-from-the-ashes-2583219.php . August 5, 2022 . 2022-08-05 . SFGATE.
  6. Web site: Schleuss . Jon . Kim . Kyle . Krishnakumar . Priya . July 31, 2018 . Here's where the Carr fire destroyed homes in Northern California . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220809214516/https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-me-carr-fire-map/ . August 9, 2022 . 2022-08-04 . Los Angeles Times . en.
  7. News: Graff . Amy . September 24, 2021 . Explosive Fawn Fire destroys more than two dozen homes . . 2022-08-05 . August 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220805152828/https://www.sfgate.com/california-wildfires/article/Fawn-Fire-Redding-evacuations-California-wildfire-16484295.php . live .
  8. Web site: Fawn Fire Incident Report . 2022-08-05 . California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection . August 27, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220827060618/https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2021/9/22/fawn-fire/ . live .
  9. Cal Fire Shasta Trinity Unit, Shasta Fire Department . CALFIRESHU . 1440829531342790666 . 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.
  10. Cal Fire Shasta Trinity Unit, Shasta Fire Department . CALFIRESHU . 1440849377975754752 .
    1. FawnFire at Fawndale Rd & Radcliff Rd. is now 50 acres and 0% contained. Steep, difficult terrain is making ground access difficult. #CALFIRESHU2021
    .
  11. Web site: September 23, 2021 . Fawn Fire – Update for September 23, 2021 . 2022-08-05 . California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection . August 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220805170629/https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2021/9/22/fawn-fire/updates/ee03df12-4536-4603-b192-c2351e0ea3ee/ . live .
  12. Cal Fire Shasta Trinity Unit, Shasta Fire Department . CALFIRESHU . 1441036776349470728 .
    1. FawnFire near Fawndale Rd and Radcliff Rd, northeast of Shasta Lake in #ShastaCounty County is 150 acres and 5% contained. #CALFIRESHU2021
    .
  13. Shasta County Sheriff's Office . ShastaSheriff . 1441039209012203530 . 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..
  14. Shasta County Sheriff's Office . ShastaSheriff . 1441067115981643792 . 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..
  15. Cal Fire Shasta Trinity Unit, Shasta Fire Department . CALFIRESHU . 1441074711492841478 .
    1. FawnFire near Fawndale Rd and Radcliff Rd in #ShastaCounty County is 800 acres and 5% contained. #CALFIRESHU2021@ShastaSheriff @211Norcal
    .
  16. Cal Fire Shasta Trinity Unit, Shasta Fire Department . CALFIRESHU . 1441122158944550917 .
    1. FawnFire near Fawndale Rd and Radcliff Rd, northeast of Shasta Lake in #ShastaCounty County is 1200 acres and 5% contained. #CALFIRESHU2021@ShastaSheriff @211Norcal
    .
  17. News: Fry . Hannah . Newberry . Laura . September 26, 2021 . Lower temperatures help firefighters boost containment of Fawn fire . . 2022-08-05 . August 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220805205227/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-09-26/lower-temperatures-help-firefighters-boost-containment-of-fawn-fire . live .
  18. News: Arthur . Damon . September 23, 2021 . 'All bets are off:' Hot, dry and breezy conditions ripe for Fawn Fire; 5% contained . . 2022-08-05 . August 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220805052400/https://www.redding.com/story/news/2021/09/23/all-bets-off-hot-dry-and-breezy-conditions-ripe-fire/5829528001/ . live .
  19. News: Arthur . Damon . September 24, 2021 . How Fawn Fire 'extreme fire behavior' moved Redding area blaze to nation's No. 1 priority . . 2022-08-05 . August 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220805052406/https://www.redding.com/story/news/2021/09/24/fawn-fire-extreme-behavior-moves-nations-top-priority/5852356001/ . live .
  20. Cal Fire Shasta Trinity Unit, Shasta Fire Department . CALFIRESHU . 1441123708148404227 .
    1. FAWNFIRE #CALFIRESHU2021 Shasta County Sheriff's Office 211 NorCal
    .
  21. CA Fire Scanner . CAFireScanner . 1441186881509543940 .
    1. 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
    .
  22. News: Wingo . Melanie . September 26, 2021 . Tough questions for Cal Fire surface in Fawn Fire community meeting . KCRA . 2022-08-05 . August 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220805164939/https://www.kcra.com/article/tough-questions-cal-fire-fawn-fire-community-meeting/37738668 . live .
  23. Redding Police Department . ReddingPolice . 1441138797362573315 . Evacuation Warning – All Areas North of SR299 and East of I-5 #FawnFire https://facebook.com/100064793586105/posts/224056663097452/?d=n.
  24. Web site: September 23, 2021 . Fawn Fire – Update for September 23, 2021 . 2022-08-06 . California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection . May 26, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220526045136/https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2021/9/22/fawn-fire/updates/409c46c2-1be4-406f-877f-1fa134595ecf/ . live .
  25. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection . CAL_FIRE . 1441405589972680705 .
    1. 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/
    .
  26. Cal Fire Shasta Trinity Unit, Shasta Fire Department . CALFIRESHU . 1441406198410973190 .
    1. FawnFire #CALFIRESHU2021
    .
  27. Web site: September 24, 2021 . Fawn Fire – Update for September 24, 2021 . 2022-08-05 . California Department of Fire and Forestry . August 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220805175925/https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2021/9/22/fawn-fire/updates/4f560d59-6e7f-4954-8098-918ca45fbf09/ . live .
  28. Web site: September 26, 2021 . Fawn Fire – Update for September 26, 2021 . 2022-08-06 . California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection . August 6, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220806064017/https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2021/9/22/fawn-fire/updates/5c6ae333-8a34-4863-b8a3-2c5f5a5355db/ . live .
  29. Web site: September 26, 2021 . Fawn Fire – Update for September 26, 2021 . 2022-08-06 . California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection . August 6, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220806064017/https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2021/9/22/fawn-fire/updates/9067ae64-a405-4f35-a803-931664758975/ . live .
  30. Web site: Stutson . Alec . September 28, 2021 . Q&A: High Winds And Low Humidity Complicate Fawn Fire Fight . 2022-08-05 . North State Public Radio . en . September 29, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210929051420/https://www.mynspr.org/news/2021-09-28/q-a-high-winds-and-low-humidity-complicate-fawn-fire-fight . live .
  31. News: Espino . Jenny . Chapman . Mike . Skropanic . Jessica . September 25, 2021 . Fawn Fire updates: Blaze now at 8,446 acres; containment rises to 25% . . 2022-08-05 . August 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220805201348/https://www.redding.com/story/news/2021/09/25/fawn-fire-updates-cal-fire-survey-damage-redding-structures/5864197001/ . live .
  32. Web site: September 24, 2021 . FEMA Fire Management Assistance Granted for the Fawn Fire . 2022-08-05 . . en . December 1, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211201063943/https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20210924/fema-fire-management-assistance-granted-fawn-fire . live .
  33. Web site: September 27, 2021 . Governor Newsom Proclaims State of Emergency in Shasta County Due to Fawn Fire Cal OES News . 2022-08-05 . Cal OES News . California Governor's Office of Emergency Services . en . August 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220805180550/https://news.caloes.ca.gov/governor-newsom-proclaims-state-of-emergency-in-shasta-county-due-to-fawn-fire/ . live .
  34. Web site: August 10, 2021 . Governor Newsom Proclaims State of Emergency in Trinity, Tehama and Shasta Counties Due to Fires . 2022-08-05 . Office of Governor Gavin Newsom . en . July 27, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220727030705/https://www.gov.ca.gov/2021/08/10/governor-newsom-proclaims-state-of-emergency-in-trinity-tehama-and-shasta-counties-due-to-fires/ . live .
  35. News: Curtis . Chloe . October 1, 2021 . National Guard assisting Redding hospital impacted by COVID-19 and Fawn Fire . Action News Now . 2022-08-05 . August 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220805041724/https://www.actionnewsnow.com/news/local/national-guard-assisting-redding-hospital-impacted-by-covid-19-and-fawn-fire/article_1149c301-d2e6-5535-a6fd-3209f3c416b2.html . live .
  36. News: Fracassa . Dominic . Picon . Andres . September 23, 2021 . Bay Area woman suspected of lighting fast-moving Fawn Fire near Redding . . 2022-08-05 . August 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220805045138/https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/Fast-moving-Fawn-Fire-near-Redding-prompts-16482702.php . live .
  37. News: 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 . . 2022-08-05 . August 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220805044503/https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/Arson-suspect-in-Fawn-Fire-was-thirsty-tried-to-16492210.php . live .
  38. News: September 25, 2021 . Damage Assessment Teams Check Fawn Fire Destruction In Shasta County . CBS Sacramento . 2022-08-05 . August 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220805051728/https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/fawn-fire-damage-assessment/ . live .
  39. News: Chandler . Michele . September 24, 2021 . Bay Area woman suspected of being serial arsonist pleads not guilty in Fawn Fire . . 2022-08-05 . August 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220805051723/https://www.redding.com/story/news/2021/09/24/bay-area-woman-suspected-starting-fawn-fire-pleads-not-guilty/5848692001/ . live .
  40. News: Graff . Amy . September 27, 2021 . Bay Area woman charged with starting Fawn Fire after allegedly burning bear urine . . 2022-08-05 . August 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220805051656/https://www.sfgate.com/california-wildfires/article/Palo-Alto-woman-Fawn-Fire-Alexandra-Souverneva-16490138.php . live .
  41. News: Chandler . Michele . September 29, 2022 . Bay Area arson suspect charged with setting the Fawn Fire: Here's what we know . . 2022-08-05 . August 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220805052405/https://www.redding.com/story/news/2021/09/29/fawn-fire-arson-charge-alexandra-souverneva-bay-area/5887705001/ . live .
  42. News: Solis . Nathan . November 17, 2021 . Caltech grad charged with setting Fawn fire is declared mentally unfit to stand trial . . 2022-08-05 . August 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220805192829/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-11-17/caltech-grad-charged-with-starting-fawn-fire-not-mentally-fit-to-stand-trial . live .
  43. News: Chapman . Mike . Arthur . Damon . March 10, 2022 . New evaluation ordered for woman suspected of starting Fawn Fire . . 2022-08-05 . August 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220805050157/https://www.redding.com/story/news/2022/03/10/fawn-fire-alexandra-souverneva-arson-evaluation/6987830001/ . live .
  44. News: Staff . Newsroom . April 7, 2022 . Woman accused of starting the Fawn Fire deemed fit to stand trial . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220805050321/https://kobi5.com/news/woman-accused-of-starting-the-fawn-fire-deemed-fit-to-stand-trial-186839/ . August 5, 2022 . 2022-08-05 . KOBI Television.
  45. News: Medina . Eduardo . September 25, 2021 . Woman Charged With Arson in Starting California Wildfire, Officials Say . en-US . . 2022-08-05 . 0362-4331 . August 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220805051656/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/24/us/palo-alto-fawn-fire-arrest.html . live .
  46. Web site: Fawn Fire Status Update Reports . California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection . 2022-08-06 . August 6, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220806063905/https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2021/9/22/fawn-fire/updates/ . live .

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