49er Fire
Refer to caption
Flames appear behind a firefighting vehicle during the 49er Fire
LocationNevada County
& Yuba County, California, United States
Coordinates39°19′41″N 121°06′40″W / 39.328°N 121.111°W / 39.328; -121.111
Statistics
Cost
  • $29.1 million
  • (equivalent to about $62.4 million in 2022)
Date(s)
  • September 11 –
  • September 16, 1988
Burned area33,700 acres
52.7 square miles; 13,600 hectares; 136 square kilometres
CauseBurning debris
Buildings destroyed312
Deaths0
Non-fatal injuries≥500
Evacuated≥8,000
Map
Refer to caption
The fire burned southwest from Highway 49 in a two-pronged arc over several days, crossing both the Yuba River and Highway 20.
Refer to caption
Refer to caption
The 49er Fire burned in California's Nevada and Yuba counties, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.

The 49er Fire was a destructive wildfire in September 1988 in California's Nevada County and Yuba County. The fire was ignited on the morning of September 11, when a homeless schizophrenic man accidentally set brush on fire by burning toilet paper. Driven by severe drought conditions and strong, dry winds, firefighting crews were hard-pressed to stop the fire's advance until winds calmed and humidity levels recovered. It burned 33,700 acres (13,600 hectares) throughout the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, impinging on the communities of Lake Wildwood, Rough and Ready, and Smartsville before officials declared it fully contained on September 16.

The 49er Fire destroyed 312 structures, including more than 140 homes, making it the most destructive wildfire in Nevada County's history and—at the time—one of the five most destructive wildfires in recorded California history. It was also the seventh most expensive California wildfire in terms of losses, which amounted to approximately $23 million. The fire highlighted the rapid pace and potential consequences of development in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), along with several other fires in that time period, such as the Oakland firestorm of 1991 and the 1992 Fountain Fire. The 49er Fire was sometimes called the "wildfire of the 1990s" by officials in attempts to raise awareness of the growing challenges of firefighting in areas where human structures intermingled with wildland fuels.[1][2]

Background

WUI development

The 49er Fire began and spread through the heavily populated foothills of the Sierra Nevada in Nevada County and a small portion of Yuba County. This wildland–urban interface area, located northeast of Sacramento and at the time one of the fastest-growing areas in California, contained many houses that were difficult to protect from wildfires and some fire officials argued that they were less able to fight the fire because of the time and resources spent on defending the buildings in its path.[3][2][4] In the first several hundred acres of the fire's growth alone firefighters were forced to defend 55 different structures.[4]

Many homes lay at the end of narrow and unmarked roads, on or near steep hillsides, and adjacent to heavy vegetation;[3] according to the Nevada Fire Safe Council, 80% of the destroyed residences lacked the required brush clearance.[5] Wooden shingle (often called "shake") roofs and siding were also plentiful on structures and receptive to fire spread during the 49er Fire.[3] Nevada County had already banned such roofs in new construction, but the ban did not apply to existing structures and a Cal Fire official estimated that 30% of older homes still had them.[2] The chief ranger for the Nevada-Yuba-Placer Fire Ranger District also blamed lax land planning that allowed 'Class K' construction without plumbing or electricity in Nevada County, beginning decades before the 49er Fire.[4]

Climate and weather

Further information: 1988–1990 North American drought

1988 marked almost two years that California had been dogged by a drought that eventually spread throughout much of North America. The drought had begun in water year 1987 and it continued all the way through water year 1992 in California.[6] During this period, California recorded multiple severe wildfire seasons, with 1987, 1988, and 1990 all among the worst yet then recorded in the state by acreage burned. This was partly because the drought greatly increased tree mortality in forests, destroying at least 18 billion board feet of timber between its onset and its cessation.[6] In 1988, at least 12 California counties declared local drought emergencies, primarily in central and northern parts of the state.[7]

This map of relative humidity at 18Z on September 11, 1988, shows the low RH levels across Northern California.

Lastly, the weather conditions before and during the 49er Fire's development were characteristic of a critical fire weather pattern for Northern California. A strong upper-level trough moved east from eastern Washington and Idaho as an upper-level ridge built offshore in the Pacific. Meanwhile, a jet on the western side of the trough brought cross-mountain flow out of the northeast in Northern California. These ingredients created strong northeast downslope winds (known as Foehn winds) on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada, accompanied by low relative humidity levels.[8] These winds blew at up to 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) on September 11 and 12.[9]

Progression

September 11

On the morning of September 11, 1988, at approximately 9:00 a.m., the 49er Fire was accidentally begun by Gary Wayne Parris, a homeless man suffering from undiagnosed schizophrenia. Parris was using an abandoned shack—lacking electricity or running water—for shelter on Birchville Road, just off of Highway 49. Seeking to dispose of torn strips of paper grocery bags that he had used as toilet paper, Parris set fire to the strips outside with a cigarette lighter. Almost immediately, gusts of wind blew the burning paper into nearby brush, which quickly ignited. Parris sought to put out the fire by obtaining water from a nearby pond with buckets. He was unsuccessful, and stopped nearby motorists on Highway 49, admitting to having burned the toilet paper and asking them to call the fire department. One of the motorists tried to scrape a crude firebreak with a shovel, but failed. At the same time, a fire crew from Columbia Hill Forest Fire Station spotted the smoke on their way back from another incident, also attempted to extinguish the fire, and also failed.[10][11]

Within ten minutes of the first report, Cal Fire air tankers were on the scene attacking the blaze. Fire engines were there within 50 minutes.[11] Multiple newspapers report that a second fire was then spotted from the Oregon Peak fire lookout—this one too on the north side of Birchville Road, but a mile southwest of Parris's fire and close to the Pine Grove Reservoir. The second fire grew rapidly and the two soon merged. Whether this second fire was a spot fire of the original, caused by downed or arcing power lines, or the result of a separate ignition remains unknown.[11][12]

By 10:00 a.m., the fire had burned 20–40 acres (8.1–16.2 ha), and by 11:00 a.m., one hundred acres (40 ha). The fire crossed the South Yuba River around 1:00 p.m. Forty-five minutes later, structures were burning on Owl Creek Road and McKitrick Ranch Road, and evacuations had begun for other neighborhoods between the South Yuba River and Lake Wildwood to the southwest.[11] Winds continued to blow at 40–45 miles per hour (64–72 km/h), driving rapid fire growth: at the peak of the 49er Fire's spread, it was burning more than 1,000 acres (400 ha) per hour, with wind-blown ember spotting of more than half a mile.[13] Flame heights exceeded 200 feet (61 metres).[11]

The massive smoke plume of the 49er Fire rises beyond vehicles.

Lake Wildwood was evacuated in the afternoon.[11] That night, many residents stayed and attempted to save their houses themselves, often fighting along firefighters and with varying levels of success. Many houses went up in flames despite the best efforts of residents armed with garden hoses, attempting to beat back encroaching 200-foot crown fires.[14][15][16] A group of 40 firefighters was burned over by flames and forced to deploy their fire shelters after the wind shifted, though all avoided injury.[15][17] Elsewhere, a dozer was engulfed in flames, forcing its operator to seek refuge beneath it while wrapping himself in an asbestos blanket.[17] By 6:00 p.m., 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) had burned.[11]

September 12 onwards

Still driven by high winds and spreading rapidly, the 49er Fire crossed Highway 20 at 9:30 a.m. on September 12, dashing the hopes of fire officials who had hoped to hold the fire there.[18][19][Note 1] By noon, it had burned at least 12,000 acres (4,900 ha).[18] The fire moved down Deer Creek Canyon towards Rough and Ready,[20] and at 3:15 p.m., Nevada County Sheriff deputies ordered the complete and final evacuation of the town.[15] Lake Wildwood residents, who had briefly been allowed to return, re-evacuated, this time joining Penn Valley and Yuba County's Smartsville on the list of evacuated communities.[21] The fire was 40% contained by nighttime.[20]

On September 13, the weather changed in favor of firefighting efforts. Winds calmed down to 5–7 miles per hour (8.0–11.3 km/h), temperatures dropped by ten degrees Fahrenheit, and relative humidity levels doubled.[22] An inversion layer kept smoke trapped near the surface, grounding air tankers and limiting visibility in Rough and Ready to under three miles per hour (4.8 km/h), but also quelling fire activity.[23] Evacuation orders for multiple communities, including Rough and Ready and Penn Valley,[17] were lifted, and Highways 20 and 49 reopened. The fire still remained active: it threatened the Grass Valley Group industrial complex, moved into the Jones Bar area near the Yuba River, and burned into grasslands around Beale Air Force Base before it was extinguished four miles (6.4 km) from the main part of the base, but no structures were lost after the night of September 12.[22] Firefighters worried about the remaining un-contained portion of the fire in the Rush Creek drainage, south of the Yuba River and northwest of Grass Valley and Nevada City, but despite occasional spot fires a combination of hand crews and helicopters kept the fire from escaping.[24] The night of September 13 brought higher humidity levels and relief from the winds.[25]

On September 14, part of the fire's eastern flank moved towards Nevada City near Jones Bar Road but was halted by fire crews. That day, the fire was declared 90% contained.[23] The fire was declared 100% contained on September 15, at 6:00 a.m,[26] and Cal Fire announced that the fire was completely controlled on September 16, at 8:30 p.m., five days after it had ignited.[27] In total, more than 8,000 people had been forced to evacuate in the communities of Rough and Ready, Cement Hill, Lake Wildwood, and Penn Valley.[25] At peak staffing, at least 2,700 firefighters had fought the 49er Fire.[23]

Effects

The fire caused no fatalities.[28] The most serious injuries were borne by two firefighters—Rene Ruiz and Larry Lindbloom—as they attempted to defend a home in the Wildwood Heights subdivision. Their fire engine was burned over, destroying both it and the home in question, while sending the pair to the hospital via helicopter with second and third degree leg burns.[29][15] Both were released within 24 hours.[17] According to a Cal Fire official, 500 firefighters sustained minor injuries.[24]

An abandoned, burning fire engine sits next to a destroyed home; behind, Lake Wildwood is visible below smoke.

The fire burned 33,700 acres and destroyed 312 structures.[28] When it occurred, it was the seventh most expensive (in terms of losses) and 5th most destructive wildfire in recorded California history, though it has since fallen well out of the top 20 destructive fires.[30][13][31] It remains the most destructive wildfire in Nevada County history.[13] The number of the destroyed structures that were homes is unclear. The Nevada Fire Safe Council reported it as 148,[5] while the Red Cross estimate of houses burned reached 190, including 23 mobile homes.[32] According to the Red Cross, another 17 dwellings were damaged. Dozens of vehicles and multiple boats were also destroyed.[33] The fire threatened—but did not burn—the Woods Crossing bridge, built in 1862 and reportedly the longest single-span covered bridge in the United States.[34]

As the fire burned, Governor of California George Deukmejian declared a state of emergency in Nevada and Yuba counties.[25] President Ronald Reagan did the same for the two counties on September 29, allowing them to access millions of dollars in federal relief.[35] The Yuba County Board of Supervisors also declared a local emergency.[21] In 1989, the California State Assembly passed AB 3, a disaster relief bill to provide money to supplement federal funds for individual and family claims.[36] After the fire, the Small Business Administration approved almost $1.7 million in home, property, and business loans. The state Department of Social Services provided another $174,000 in grants for recovery.[37] Jerry Partain, then the director of Cal Fire, reported that damages amounted to $23 million, and fire suppression costs to an additional $6.1 million.[3] There were also incidental economic impacts: in the weeks after the fire, tourists canceled hotel reservations in Nevada City and Grass Valley, mistakenly assuming that the 49er Fire had damaged the towns even though it had never entered them.[38]

Legal proceedings

Apprehension and charges

A spokesperson for the Nevada County Sheriff's Department said deputies spotted Parris walking away from the abandoned house when they were en route to assist firefighters.[39] A member of the Nevada County Sheriff's Department said he then found Parris 12 miles (19 km) from the ignition point after witnesses advised him to look for a man with a bucket. Upon being found, Parris's first words were allegedly "I'm in trouble, aren't I?".[10] That day, he was only cited for negligent burning, and remained free for two days until he was arrested and jailed on September 13 on charges of public intoxication.[34]

Though Parris originally faced a misdemeanor for the negligent burning, after meeting with Cal Fire officials Darlington upped the charges to a felony even as news reports raised doubts about Parris's possible mental health issues and level of responsibility for his actions.[12] Parris was arraigned on September 15. Judge Edwards ordered Parris held in county jail on a $50,000 bail, prompted by Nevada County district attorney John Darlington, who argued in favor of the atypically large bail by citing Parris's past arrests for public intoxication and a concern for his safety. While Parris could have been held financially responsible for the fire, Darlington noted that it was a futile expectation, given that Parris had no money.[40] On September 19, Parris pleaded not guilty to the charge of felony reckless burning.[33] The case then went before the Nevada County Superior Court. Judge Ersel Edwards changed the charge from reckless burning of an inhabited structure to reckless burning of an uninhabited structure, after testimony that Parris's shack had not been fit for human habitation.[10]

The case was moved to the Sutter County Superior Court after Judge Edwards disqualified himself because he knew several fire victims, and there were fears that an impartial jury could not be formed in Nevada County because of the fire's widespread damage to local homes and property.[41] In February 1989, Parris pled not guilty by reason of insanity to the two felony charges for reckless burning, as well as two misdemeanors. Testifying in his own defense, Parris admitted to hearing voices, among other phenomena, and said that the winds that had blown the burning paper into the brush had been the work of supernatural forces. Nevada County district attorney John Darlington argued that Parris had been sufficiently aware of his actions for his decision to burn the paper to qualify as reckless, though Parris's public defender argued otherwise.[42]

Conviction and incarceration

Parris was assaulted and injured in jail while awaiting his conviction.[41] In February 1989, a Sutter County Superior Court jury found Parris guilty of the two felony counts (reckless burning of a structure and reckless burning of forest land) and the two misdemeanor counts (negligently allowing a fire to burn out of control and burning property without permission of the owner).[43] Shortly thereafter, he was found legally insane. Sutter County Superior Judge Timothy J. Evans declared that Parris would serve out the remainder of his sentence at Atascadero State Hospital, an all-male maximum-security psychiatric facility, also requiring that Parris's mental condition be re-evaluated after completing his sentence.[44] Evans ruled that Parris's incarceration could be extended indefinitely by the court if he were still found to be a danger.[43]

Some time after his conviction, Parris was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. Parris was released as an outpatient in 1995, but allegedly violated the terms of his release and was re-arrested in 1997 in Texas. In 1998, Sutter County Judge Robert Damron declared that Parris remained a threat, sentencing him to two more years at Atascadero.[45] He was released in 2002.[46]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The Roseville Press-Tribune reports that the fire jumped Highway 20 at 9:30 am, while The San Francisco Examiner says the fire jumped the highway on "Monday afternoon." The Press-Tribune reference is preferred because it (A) was printed and issued the same day that the fire crossed, and (B) provides a specific, rather than vague, time.

References

  1. ^ Geissinger, Steve (March 16, 1989). "$255 million bond issue targets fire danger". The Modesto Bee. Associated Press. pp. B-3. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved January 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b c Nancy, Weaver (September 18, 1988). "Newest challenge in the war against wildfires – people". The Sacramento Bee. pp. B1, B2. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved January 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b c d "Ideas aired to reduce wildfire dangers". Redding Record Searchlight. Associated Press. October 22, 1988. p. A-7. Archived from the original on January 3, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b c Payton, Ken (April 5, 1989). "49er Fire lesson: Leave clearing around home". The Sacramento Bee. pp. B3. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b Kellar, Liz (September 11, 2018). "Nevada County's 49er Fire proved a harbinger of fire seasons to come". The Union. Archived from the original on November 27, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Water Resources Support Center, Institute For Water Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (1992). Lessons learned from the California Drought (1987–1992). ASCE Publications. p. 122. ISBN 9780788141638. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2022 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ Stein, Mark A. (July 22, 1988). "1 in 5 Already Feeling Pinch of the Drought". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  8. ^ "GACC: Northern California Critical Fire Weather Patterns". Program for Climate, Ecosystem and Fire Applications. Archived from the original on October 10, 2022. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  9. ^ Foster, David (December 10, 1988). "Natural Wildfires Now Burn More Than Brush". Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  10. ^ a b c Abrams, Richard (November 2, 1988). "49er Fire suspect ordered to trial". The Sacramento Bee. p. 26. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved November 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g Schaffhauser, Dian (September 11, 2013). "25 Years Ago: The Faces of the 49er Fire". YubaNet. Fire Safe Council of Nevada County. Archived from the original on January 29, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  12. ^ a b Stein, Mark A. (September 15, 1988). "Mental State a Factor in Case Against Fire Suspect". Los Angeles Times. pp. 3, 32. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved December 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ a b c O'Leary, Tim (May 11, 1989). "Officials: Nevada County-size fire could hit Placer". The Sacramento Bee. pp. 107, 122. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
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  15. ^ a b c d Mitchell, Jim (September 13, 1988). "'49er Fire' claims 84 homes: Out-of-control blaze injures 2 firefighters". Reno Gazette-Journal. pp. 1, 10. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved December 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Cooper, Candy J. (September 13, 1988). "Watching a dream go up in smoke". The San Francisco Examiner. p. 21. Archived from the original on December 21, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ a b c d "Thousands flee blaze in Sierra". Redding Record Searchlight. Associated Press. September 13, 1988. pp. 1, 10. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ a b Kostyrko, George (September 12, 1988). "Winds whip 49er fire". The Roseville Press-Tribune. pp. 1, 3. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ Cooper, Candy J.; Marine, Craig (September 13, 1988). "Blazing blitz; eerie lull: Powerful winds die down but battle is far from over". The San Francisco Examiner. pp. 1, 22. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved December 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ a b Witt, John Robin; Weaver, Nancy (September 13, 1988). "Sierra fire destroys 84 homes: Property losses at $9 million". The Sacramento Bee. pp. 3, 10. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ a b Geissinger, Steve (November 13, 1988). "Fire rips through 'Gold Rush' area". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
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  24. ^ a b Grieve, Tim; Weaver, Nancy (September 14, 1988). "Fire crews on verge of victory". The Sacramento Bee. pp. 8, 19. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ a b c Lait, Matt (September 15, 1988). "Gold Country Fire Nearly Contained". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  26. ^ Abrams, Richard (September 16, 1988). "$50,000 bail set for drifter held in blaze". The Sacramento Bee. pp. 13, 15. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "49er Fire destroys about 140 homes". The Press-Tribune. United Press International. September 18, 1988. p. 4. Archived from the original on December 1, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ a b "20 Largest California Wildland Fires (By Structures Lost)". California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. 2001. Archived from the original on October 31, 2001. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  29. ^ Stein, Mark (September 13, 1988). "N. Calif. Fire Destroys 84 Homes, Threatens Town". Los Angeles Times. Contributions by Carl Ingram. Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
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  32. ^ "New estimate boosts 49er Fire toll to 190 homes destroyed". The Sacramento Bee. September 27, 1988. p. 3. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved December 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ^ a b Abrams, Richard (September 20, 1988). "Drifter pleads not guilty to starting 49er Fire". The Sacramento Bee. p. 17. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ^ a b Grieve, Tim (September 15, 1988). "Drifter faces felony charges in 49er blaze". Santa Cruz Sentinel. McClatchy News Service. p. 10. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  35. ^ Sanchez, Edgar; Mecoy, Laura (September 30, 1988). "Fire-hit counties declared disaster areas by Reagan". The Sacramento Bee. p. 32. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  36. ^ "Both houses pass '49er fire relief measure". The Biggs News Butte County Reporter. May 11, 1989. p. 8. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  37. ^ "Aid deadline near on 49er fire". The Sacramento Bee. November 24, 1988. p. 2. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  38. ^ "The State: Fire Takes Toll on Tourism". Los Angeles Times. September 27, 1988. Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
  39. ^ "Culprit behind 49er Fire is in jail". The Roseville Press-Tribune. September 14, 1988. p. 5. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
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  41. ^ a b "Man convicted for starting California wildfire". United Press International. February 11, 1989. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  42. ^ Cox, John D. (February 10, 1989). "Evil winds? Supernatural beings fanned flames in 49er Fire, accused says". The Sacramento Bee. pp. 37, 38. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved November 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  43. ^ a b "49er Fire starter is found insane". The Sacramento Bee. March 7, 1989. pp. 20, 21. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
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  46. ^ Mattson, Doug (February 11, 2002). "Igniter of 49er Fire out of jail". The Union. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
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