[2][4] The fires burned more than 422,147 acres (660 sq mi; 1,708 km2) of land from early February through late November,[1] due to Red Flag conditions, destroying hundreds of structures, injuring 134 people, and killing four.

It began in late August, and resulted in the devastation of 160,577 acres (251 sq mi; 650 km2) of land as well as the death of two firefighters.

A state of emergency was also declared for the 7,800-acre (12 sq mi; 32 km2) Lockheed Fire in Santa Cruz County, to the north.

[7] In Southern California, the normal wildfire season begins in October, with the arrival of the infamous Santa Ana winds, and it is unusual to see fires spread so rapidly during other times of year.

The combination of high temperatures, low humidity and a large quantity of tinder-dry fuel, some of which had not burnt for decades, allowed some of the normal fires to quickly explode out of control despite the lack of winds to spread the flames.