The complex fire burned a total of 393,624 acres (159,294 ha) from August 16 to October 1, 2020, making it the fifth-largest overall wildfire recorded in California's modern history, surpassed only by the 2018 Mendocino Complex Fire, the 2021 Dixie Fire, the 2024 Park Fire,[3] and the 2020 August Complex fire.[4] The SCU Complex was one of several fire complexes burning during August and September in California, most notably the LNU, CZU, and August complexes.[5]
On August 20, the fires reached Lick Observatory, an astronomical telescopic observatory operated by the University of California, located on Mount Hamilton.[9] One residential building not in use was destroyed, and some other residential buildings were damaged, but the telescope domes themselves did not burn.[9]
By August 26, the Deer zone was fully contained,[8][6] and the other Canyon and Calaveras zones had grown together into a single branch of the fire.[8]
On October 1, Cal Fire reported that the entire fire complex had been fully contained.
Effects
Casualties and property damage
The fire complex had destroyed 222 structures, damaged another 26, and injured 6 people. No fatalities were recorded.[1]
Land ecology
A year following the fire the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) and Save Mount Diablo (SMD) monitored the fire impact on the 6,000 acres of the park district lands. Their observation was that the burn was mostly beneficial for the ecology of the region,[10] despite its extent. This was attributed to the fire's moderate to low intensity which spared most of the park trees, rejuvenated vegetation and triggered germination of rare species of fire poppies. The study prompted CalFire officials to consider increasing the use of prescribed burning in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
^ abcdef"SCU Lightning Complex". Cal Fire Incidents. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. October 2, 2020. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
^ ab"SCU Lightning Complex". Cal Fire Incidents. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. August 27, 2020. Archived from the original on August 27, 2020. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
^Hernández, Lauren; Swan, Rachel; Cabanatuan, Michael; Williams, Michael; Arredondo, Vanessa; Fracassa, Dominic; Li, Roland; Beamish, Rita (August 25, 500). "California fires live updates: Wildfires have burned almost 2,000 square miles in 10 days". San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Newspapers. Archived from the original on August 25, 2020. Retrieved August 25, 2020. SCU Complex fires that began Aug. 16 and affect steep terrain of Alameda, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties...
"SCU Lightning Complex". Cal Fire Incidents. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
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