Wildfire — Apple and Yucca Valleys, California

2006-07-09 to 2006-07-31 · Apple and Yucca Valleys, California

Wider weather episode

Lightning sparked two large wildfires in the rugged terrain between San Gorgonio and Yucca Valley. The Sawtooth Fire burned 61,700 acres and caused considerable damage in the historic movie town of Pioneertown. It was in Pioneertown where the fire killed one man, damaged 12 residences, and destroyed 50 homes, 191 cars and trucks, 3 R.V.s, 27 trailers, 2 railcars, and 9 tractors. Meanwhile, the Millard Fire burned an estimated 24,000 acres of remote, mountainous terrain in and near the San Gorgonio Wilderness. The two fires merged on the 14th in the Mission Creek Drainage area east of San Gorgonio. The entire fire became known as the Sawtooth-Millard-Heart Complex and all combined, burned roughly 85,700 acres.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5523062. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.