| Monument Fire | |
|---|---|
| Part of the2021 California wildfires | |
 The Monument Fire on August 1, 2021 | |
| Date(s) |
|
| Location | Big Bar,Shasta-Trinity National Forest,Trinity County,California,United States |
| Coordinates | 40°45′07″N123°20′13″W / 40.752°N 123.337°W /40.752; -123.337 |
| Statistics[1][2] | |
| Burned area | 223,124 acres (90,295 ha) |
| Impacts | |
| Structures destroyed | 3 homes 1 commercial |
| Ignition | |
| Cause | Lightning strike |
| Map | |
  Location in California | |
TheMonument Fire (formerly known as thePanther Fire[3]) was awildfire west ofBig Bar inShasta-Trinity National Forest,Trinity County,California in the United States. The fire, which was started by a lightning strike, was first reported on July 30, 2021. The communities of Big Flat, Big Bar,Del Loma, and Cedar Flat were evacuated, andHighway 299 was closed in the area. The fire destroyed four structures, including three homes. By the evening of October 27, the fire had burned 223,124 acres (90,295 ha) and was fully contained,[4] and is the fifteenth-largest fire in modern California history.
 | This sectionis missing information about fire progression data after August 7th. Please expand the section to include this information. Further details may exist on thetalk page.(September 2024) |
The Monument Fire was first reported burning west ofBig Bar inShasta-Trinity National Forest around 6:00 PM on July 30, 2021.[1][5] The cause of the fire was a lightning strike.[1] The fire was first called the Panther Fire. Its name was changed by August 1 to the Monument Fire.[3]
By August 1, the fire had burned over 1,000 acres (405 ha).[3] Evacuation warnings were put in place for Del Loma and Big Bar and a portion of Highway 299 was closed three hours due to the fire's growth.[3][6]
The Monument Fire began burning in the fire scar of the 2008 Cedar Fire on August 2. Mandatory evacuations were put in place for Big Bar, Del Loma, and Cedar Flat on August 2.[7] Warnings were also put in place for Burnt Ranch. An evacuation center as opened inWeaverville andWillow Creek, California.[8] Overnight into August 4, four spot fires were established on the north side of theTrinity River andHighway 299. A rock slide blocked parts of Highway 299 near Snyder Bar. This caused a delay in resources accessing the west side of the fire. Phone and internet was also reported out in Big Bar.[5] Power lines were de-energized byPG&E for Big Bar on the morning of August 5 due to concerns about the fire's proximity to power infrastructure.[9] Big Bar was finally placed under mandatory evacuation in the early evening.[10] Additional evacuation warnings were also put in place forHelena,Junction City, Coopers Bar, Red Hill and Canyon Creek.[2] In addition to burning in the Cedar Fire scar, the Monument Fire began burning in the scars of the 2012 Flat Fire and the 2015River Complex.[10] By August 7, it was confirmed that at least four structures had burned in Big Flat, specifically one commercial and three homes.[2] That same day, the North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District announced an air quality smoke advisory for Weaverville, describing the air quality as "hazardous" and "worse than anticipated."[11]
The Monument Fire was declared 100% contained on October 26, 2021.[12] There were no fatalities in this fire, but 8 firefighters were reported to be injured. While 10,580 structures were at risk, only 28 structures were destroyed and 2 structures damaged.[13]
The Monument Fire, like many fires in the area during the 2021 fire season, has impacted recreational activities and tourism in the area. Rafting activities were halted by many companies in the area due to fire concerns and smoke.[14] Additionally, the Forest Service closed a portion ofShasta-Trinity National Forest through October 31, 2021, due to the fire.[15]
In Big Flat, one business and three homes were destroyed by the fire.[2]
The fire impacted phone and internet access in the Big Bar area, disconnecting both, starting August 4.[5] Power lines were de-energized in Big Bar on August 5 due to the fire's proximity to PG&E infrastructure.[9]
Air quality throughout Northern California was impacted by the Monument Fire, both in the local fire area, and as far as San Francisco. On August 7, an air quality advisory was put in place forWeaverville, California, due to hazardous air quality. Theair quality index was reported as 301 or higher in the community.[11] Smoke from the Monument Fire impacted air quality in theSacramento Valley andSan Francisco Bay Area.[2]
This article incorporatespublic domain material from websites or documents of theUnited States Forest Service.
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