Recent Burned Watershed Hazard Assessments

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2022 WERT Response | 2021 WERT Response | 2020 WERT Response | Images from the Field

WARNING: Everyone within and downstream of burned areas should remain alert and stay updated on weather conditions that may result in heavy rains over the burn scars. Flash flooding and debris flows may occur quickly during heavy rain events—be ready to evacuate on short notice. Learn how to prepare at: "Post-Wildfire Debris Flows."

A large smoke column rises thousands of feet above chaparral-covered mountains. — Smoke column above the 2020 Lake Fire. Photo credit: Austin Dave.

California Watershed Emergency Response Teams (WERTs) help communities prepare after wildfire by rapidly documenting and communicating post-fire risks to life and property posed by debris flow, flood, and rock fall hazards. The WERT response is led by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and the California Geological Survey (Department of Conservation). To learn how the CGS works with CAL FIRE and others to analyze landslide potential on newly burned landscapes, visit the CalConservation blog: Notes from the Field.

Requests for WERT report information should be directed to CAL FIRE. (CAL FIRE by default provides WERT evaluation reports and maps to affected communities, flood control managers, and emergency managers.)

2022 WERT Response

Updated August 9, 2023

In 2022, CAL FIRE and the California Geological Survey deployed WERTs to the following major burns located in state responsibility areas:

Colorado Fire Fairview Fire McKinney Fire Mosquito Fire Mountain Fire Oak Fire

Colorado Fire

County Affected: Monterey.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS Colorado Fire Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS Colorado Post-Fire BAER: Not available (not USFS jurisdiction).

Additional Information:

CAL FIRE Colorado Fire Incident Archive.
InciWeb information: No longer available.

Fairview Fire

County Affected: Riverside.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS Fairview Fire Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS Fairview Post-Fire BAER: No longer available.

Additional Information:

McKinney Fire

County Affected: Siskiyou.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS McKinney Fire Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS McKinney Post-Fire BAER: No longer available.

Additional Information:

Mosquito Fire

Counties Affected: El Dorado and Placer.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS Mosquito Fire Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS Mosquito Post-Fire BAER: No longer available.

Additional Information:

Mountain Fire

County Affected: Siskiyou.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS Mountain Fire Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS Mountain Post-Fire BAER: Not available (not USFS jurisdiction).

Additional Information:

CAL FIRE Mountain Fire Incident Archive.
InciWeb information: No longer available.

Oak Fire

County Affected: Mariposa.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS Oak Fire Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS Oak Post-Fire BAER: No longer available.

Additional Information:

CAL FIRE Oak Fire Incident Archive.
InciWeb information: No longer available.

2021 WERT Response

Updated August 9, 2023

Enhanced landslide hazards continue to exist in the 2021 wildfire areas. A typical watershed recovery period after fire is two to five years; but in some areas it can take up to ten years as trees die and roots decay. Please keep this in mind and plan accordingly.

Alisal Fire Caldor Fire Dixie Fire French Fire

Alisal Fire

County Affected: Santa Barbara.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS Alisal Fire Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS Alisal Post-Fire BAER: No longer available.

Additional Information:

CAL FIRE Alisal Fire Incident Archive.
InciWeb information: No longer available.

Caldor Fire

Counties Affected: El Dorado, Amador, and Alpine.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS Caldor Fire Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS Caldor Post-Fire BAER: No longer available.

Additional Information:

CAL FIRE Caldor Fire Incident Archive.
InciWeb information: No longer available.

Dixie Fire

Counties Affected: Butte, Plumas, Shasta, Lassen, and Tehama.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS Dixie Fire Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS Dixie Post-Fire BAER: No longer available.

Additional Information:

CAL FIRE Dixie Fire Incident Archive.
InciWeb information: No longer available.

French Fire

County Affected: Kern.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS French Fire Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS French Post-Fire BAER: No longer available.

Additional Information:

CAL FIRE French Fire Incident Archive.
InciWeb information: No longer available.

2020 WERT Response

Updated August 9, 2023

Enhanced landslide hazards continue to exist in the 2020 wildfire areas. A typical watershed recovery period after fire is two to five years; but in some areas it can take up to ten years as trees die and roots decay. Please keep this in mind and plan accordingly.

Apple and El Dorado Fires Blue Ridge Fire Bond and Silverado Fires Carmel Fire Creek Fire CZU Lightning Complex Glass Fire LNU Complex: Hennessey LNU Complex: Walbridge & Meyers North Complex River Fire SCU Lightning Complex Snow Fire

Apple and El Dorado Fires

Counties Affected: Riverside and San Bernardino.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS El Dorado and Apple Fire Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS Apple Post-Fire BAER: No longer available.
USFS El Dorado Post-Fire BAER: No longer available.

Additional Information:

CAL FIRE Apple Fire Incident Archive.
CAL FIRE El Dorado Fire Incident Archive.
InciWeb information: No longer available.

Blue Ridge Fire

Counties Affected: Orange and Riverside.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS Blue Ridge Fire Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS Blue Ridge Post-Fire BAER: Not available (not USFS jurisdiction).

Additional Information:

CAL FIRE Blue Ridge Fire Incident Archive.
InciWeb information: No longer available.

Bond and Silverado Fires

County Affected: Orange.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS Bond Fire Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USGS Silverado Fire Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS Bond and Silverado Post-Fire BAER: Not available (not USFS jurisdiction).

Additional Information:

CAL FIRE Bond Fire Incident Archive.
CAL FIRE Silverado Fire Incident Archive.
InciWeb information: No longer available.

Carmel Fire

County Affected: Monterey.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS Carmel Fire Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS Carmel Post-Fire BAER: Not available (not USFS jurisdiction).

Additional Information:

CAL FIRE Carmel Fire Incident Archive.
InciWeb information: No longer available.

Creek Fire

Counties Affected: Fresno and Madera.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS Creek Fire Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS Creek Post-Fire BAER: No longer available.

Additional Information:

CAL FIRE Creek Fire Incident Archive.
InciWeb information: No longer available.

CZU Lightning Complex

Counties Affected: Santa Cruz and San Mateo.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS CZU Lightning Complex Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS CZU Lightning Complex Post-Fire BAER: Not available (not USFS jurisdiction).

Additional Information:

CAL FIRE CZU Lightning Complex Incident Archive.
InciWeb information: No longer available.

Glass Fire

Counties Affected: Sonoma and Napa.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS Glass Fire Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS Glass Post-Fire BAER: Not available (not USFS jurisdiction).

Additional Information:

CAL FIRE Glass Fire Incident Archive.
InciWeb information: No longer available.

LNU Lightning Complex - Hennessy Fire

Counties Affected: Napa, Solano, Yolo, Lake, and Colusa.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS Hennessey Fire Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS LNU Lightning Complex Post-Fire BAER: Not available (not USFS jurisdiction).

Additional Information:

CAL FIRE LNU Lightning Complex Incident Archive.
InciWeb information: No longer available.

LNU Lightning Complex - Walbridge and Meyers Fires

County Affected: Sonoma.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS Walbridge Fire Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USGS Meyers Fire Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS LNU Lightning Complex Post-Fire BAER: Not available (not USFS jurisdiction).

Additional Information:

CAL FIRE LNU Lightning Complex Incident Archive.
InciWeb information: No longer available.

North Complex

Counties Affected: Plumas and Butte.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS North Complex Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USGS North Complex - Claremont Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS North Complex Post-Fire BAER: Not available.

Additional Information:

CAL FIRE Incident Archive: Not available.
InciWeb information: No longer available.

River Fire

County Affected: Monterey.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS River Fire Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS River Post-Fire BAER: Not available (not USFS jurisdiction).

Additional Information:

CAL FIRE River Fire Incident Archive.
InciWeb information: No longer available.

SCU Lightning Complex

Counties Affected: Santa Clara, Alameda, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Merced.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS SCU Lightning Complex Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS SCU Lightning Complex Post-Fire BAER: Not available (not USFS jurisdiction).

Additional Information:

CAL FIRE SCU Lightning Complex Incident Archive.
InciWeb information: No longer available.

Snow Fire

County Affected: Riverside.
Map and Assessment of Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards:

USGS Snow Fire Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazards web page.
USFS Snow Post-Fire BAER: No longer available.

Additional Information:

CAL FIRE Snow Fire Incident Archive.
InciWeb information: No longer available.

Images from the Field

Select any photo to open it full size in a new window.

Two individuals posing near a helicopter.

WERT members prepare to perform aerial reconnaisance of post-fire hazards. Photo credit: Ellie Spangler, CGS. August 29, 2020.

Mountains denuded by wildfire loom over homes on flat land below.

RIVER FIRE: Burned mountainous terrain above homes in the Pine Canyon area near Salinas, California (Monterey County). These conditions are a concern because of potential for debris flows. Photo credit: Brian Swanson, CGS. August 31, 2020.

A steep slope of a narrow canyon. A road follows the canyon bottom.

CARMEL FIRE: Burned steep slope above Cachagua Road showing extensive dry ravel and associated rockfall hazard in Monterey County, California. Photo credit: Brian Swanson, CGS. August 31, 2020.

An individual taking notes at the base of a burned slope.

RIVER FIRE: Documenting a potential debris flow hazard above a county road. Monterey County, California. Photo credit: Ellie Spangler, CGS. August 30, 2020.

Blackened skeletons of trees and shrubs stand watch over miles of burned hills.

SCU LIGHTNING COMPLEX: Burned hillslopes above Pulse Canyon near San Antonio Valley. Santa Clara County, California. Photo credit: Ellie Spangler, CGS. September 6, 2020.

Four individuals hiking up a charred hillside.

RIVER FIRE: A CGS and CAL FIRE team performing ground reconnaisance of post-fire hazards. Photo credit: Ellie Spangler, CGS. August 29, 2020.

A steep gully denuded by fire. Bare soil and boulders are all that remain.

SCU LIGHTNING COMPLEX: Potential debris flow hazard on Oak Ridge, near Mount Hamilton. Santa Clara County, California. Photo credit: Ellie Spangler, CGS. September 5, 2020.

Two individuals on a charred hillside. One of the individuals is reaching down to the ground while the other observes.

RIVER FIRE: Don Lindsay (CGS) and Brian Mattos (CAL FIRE) assessing the water repellency of burned soil on a hillside. Monterey County, California. Photo credit: Ellie Spangler, CGS. August 29, 2020.

David Longstreth, senior engineering geologist, was one of many in the field assessing post-fire geohazards in the Santa Cruz area after the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex:

Web page by:
California Geological Survey - Burned Watershed Geohazards Program

Recent Burned Watershed Hazard Assessments

2022 WERT Response

Colorado Fire

Fairview Fire

McKinney Fire

Mosquito Fire

Mountain Fire

Oak Fire

2021 WERT Response

Alisal Fire

Caldor Fire

Dixie Fire

French Fire

2020 WERT Response

Apple and El Dorado Fires

Blue Ridge Fire

Bond and Silverado Fires

Carmel Fire

Creek Fire

CZU Lightning Complex

Glass Fire

LNU Lightning Complex - Hennessy Fire

LNU Lightning Complex - Walbridge and Meyers Fires

North Complex

River Fire

SCU Lightning Complex

Snow Fire

Images from the Field

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