The Cedar Fire (2003) was a California wildfire in San Diego County, with 273,246 acres, 2,820 structures destroyed, 15 deaths on the public record. Its cause is recorded as confirmed. Resolved / settled. Status as of October 1, 2026, per U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
The Cedar Fire burned 273,246 acres of San Diego County in October and November 2003. At the time it was the largest fire in California's recorded history. It destroyed 2,820 structures and killed 15 people, one of them a firefighter.
It began as a signal fire lit by a lost hunter. He pleaded guilty to a federal charge of setting a fire in a national forest and was sentenced to probation and community service. Prosecutors said the law gave them no basis for a homicide charge.
Our earlier entry said no litigation was known, and that was wrong. People who lost homes and family members sued the agencies that fought the fire, and they lost. A $100 million suit against San Diego County and the state forestry department was dismissed in November 2005 on immunity grounds. A claim that the federal government had effectively taken neighboring landowners' property was rejected in 2007 and again on appeal in January 2009.
A separate class action against the United States was filed in federal court in San Diego in October 2006, seeking more than $236 million. We have not found a public report of how it ended. We found no settlement paid by any agency over the fire.
The official numbers differ by source. CAL FIRE gives 273,246 acres and 15 deaths and a containment date of November 5, 2003. The state commission that reviewed the fires recorded containment on November 4 and counted 14 deaths. California State Parks cites 280,278 acres.
Fire facts
From public records; unknown values are shown, never guessed.
| Year | 2003 |
|---|---|
| Start date | 2003-10-25 |
| Containment date | 2003-11-05 |
| Region / counties | San Diego |
| Acreage | 273,246 |
| Structures destroyed | 2,820 |
| Structures damaged | 10 |
| Fatalities | 15 |
| Cause status | confirmed |
| Officially determined arson | No / not determined |
| Public settlement information | No settlement by any government agency over the Cedar Fire has been reported. The cases found against public bodies were dismissed or decided for the government. |
| Last verified | 2026-10-01 |
Cause
The Cedar Fire was started by a person. A deer hunter who was lost in the Cleveland National Forest lit a signal fire on October 25, 2003 to help rescuers find him, and it spread. A federal grand jury indicted Sergio Martinez of West Covina on October 6, 2004. On March 10, 2005 he pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in San Diego to setting an illegal fire in a national forest, and a count of making false statements was dropped. On November 17, 2005 he was sentenced to five years of probation, six months in a work furlough program, community service and $9,000 in restitution, with no prison term. CAL FIRE classifies the cause as human related.
What happened
The Cedar Fire was reported at 5:37 PM on October 25, 2003 in the Cleveland National Forest near Ramona. Driven by Santa Ana winds, it reached San Diego Country Estates around midnight and crossed into the City of San Diego at 6:30 the next morning, where Scripps Ranch and Tierrasanta were hardest hit. City police evacuated areas with 18,162 homes and about 53,570 people. Later in the week the fire turned east and burned through Cuyamaca and toward Julian, where a firefighter from Novato was killed on October 29. CAL FIRE records the fire as contained on November 5, 2003 at 273,246 acres, with 2,820 structures destroyed and 15 deaths.
Cedar Fire timeline
Each entry is dated and links to the public source it comes from.
The Cedar Fire is reported at 5:37 PM in the Cleveland National Forest near Ramona.
Source: CAL FIRE
The fire crosses into the City of San Diego at 6:30 AM; Scripps Ranch and Tierrasanta are hardest hit.
Federal major disaster DR-1498-CA is declared.
Source: FEMA
A firefighter from the Novato Fire Protection District is killed near Julian when his crew is overrun.
Source: Governor's Blue Ribbon Fire Commission, hosted by Cal OES
CAL FIRE records the fire as contained at 273,246 acres.
Source: CAL FIRE
It is reported that Allstate's claims against the city, the county and the state forestry department were rejected.
Source: Los Angeles Times
A federal grand jury indicts the hunter for setting the fire and for making false statements.
Source: San Diego Union-Tribune
He pleads guilty to setting an illegal fire in a national forest.
Source: Los Angeles Times
He is sentenced to probation, work furlough, community service and $9,000 restitution.
Source: San Diego Union-Tribune
A San Diego Superior Court judge dismisses the $100 million suit against the county and the state forestry department.
Source: San Diego Union-Tribune
A class action seeking more than $236 million is filed against the United States in federal court in San Diego.
Source: San Diego Union-Tribune
It is reported that the Court of Federal Claims rejected the landowners' takings claim against the United States.
Source: San Diego Union-Tribune
The Federal Circuit affirms the judgment for the United States in Cary v. United States.
Litigation status
Resolved / settled. Status as of October 1, 2026, per U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Several civil cases over the Cedar Fire are on the public record, and those we could trace ended without recovery from a government body. Fifteen people who lost homes or relatives sued San Diego County and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in San Diego Superior Court for $100 million over the response to the fire; the judge dismissed the case on November 28, 2005. Landowners near the Cleveland National Forest sued the United States in the Court of Federal Claims, arguing that federal forest policy amounted to a taking of their property; that court rejected the claim in 2007 and the Federal Circuit affirmed on January 16, 2009, in Cary v. United States, No. 2008-5022. On October 20, 2006 a class action seeking more than $236 million was filed against the United States in federal district court in San Diego, alleging that officials failed to stop the fire in its early hours; we have not found a public report of its outcome. Allstate filed government claims against the city, the county and the state forestry department, which all three rejected in July 2004. In a separate insurance dispute, an appeals court upheld a $1.3 million jury award to an El Cajon couple against their insurer, as reported in January 2009. Resolved here means these routes were closed on the record, not that anyone was paid.
This entry reports only what the public record shows as of the status date. One federal case has no outcome we could confirm, and nothing here describes any individual situation.
Court & regulatory record
- Cary v. United States, opinion of January 16, 2009 , U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (Case 2008-5022)
- Blue Ribbon Fire Commission report to the Governor, part 2: chronology and statistics , Governor's Blue Ribbon Fire Commission, hosted by Cal OES
- Initial 30-day post-fire overview, Report 03-242 (December 3, 2003) , City of San Diego
- 2003 Cedar Fire , City of San Diego Fire-Rescue Department
- Disaster declaration DR-1498-CA , Federal Emergency Management Agency
This is a reported public-record status, not advice about any individual’s legal situation. Deadlines and eligibility change over time and depend on facts specific to each person. If you have questions about yours, contact us and we will help.
Key figures on the public record
Each figure below was published by the court, agency, or company named beside it, on the date shown. These describe the case and the disaster, not any individual’s situation.
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Acres burned | 273,246 | CAL FIRE, September 23, 2024 |
| Acres burned, state parks figure | 280,278 | California State Parks, October 1, 2026 |
| Structures destroyed | 2,820 | CAL FIRE, September 23, 2024 |
| Deaths | 15 | CAL FIRE Top 20 lists, August 4, 2026 |
| Deaths, state commission count | 14 | Governor's Blue Ribbon Fire Commission, April 5, 2004 |
| Homes in areas evacuated by city police | 18,162 homes, about 53,570 people | City of San Diego, December 3, 2003 |
| Restitution ordered in the criminal case | $9,000 | San Diego Union-Tribune, November 18, 2005 |
In the news
Independent news coverage related to the Cedar Fire. Each link opens the original public reporting.
- Oct 25, 2023San Diego's firestorm: A look at the devastating 2003 wildfires, 20 years laterNBC 7 San Diego
- Jan 21, 2009Landowners Lose Ruling Over Calif. Cedar FireCourthouse News Service
- Jan 10, 2009$1.3 million jury award to ’03 fire victims upheldSan Diego Union-Tribune
- Nov 6, 2007Judge: U.S. Forest Service did not cause 2003 Cedar fireSan Diego Union-Tribune
- Oct 25, 2006Cedar fire victims sue federal government for more than $236 millionSan Diego Union-Tribune
- Nov 29, 2005Judge dismisses $100 million Cedar fire civil suitSan Diego Union-Tribune
- Nov 18, 200535-Year-Old Sentenced in Deadly Cedar FireLos Angeles Times
- Mar 11, 2005Man Pleads Guilty in Setting Deadly WildfireLos Angeles Times
Common questions about the Cedar Fire
What caused the Cedar Fire?
The Cedar Fire was started by a person. A deer hunter who was lost in the Cleveland National Forest lit a signal fire on October 25, 2003 to help rescuers find him, and it spread. A federal grand jury indicted Sergio Martinez of West Covina on October 6, 2004. On March 10, 2005 he pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in San Diego to setting an illegal fire in a national forest, and a count of making false statements was dropped. On November 17, 2005 he was sentenced to five years of probation, six months in a work furlough program, community service and $9,000 in restitution, with no prison term. CAL FIRE classifies the cause as human related.
Is there litigation over the Cedar Fire?
Resolved / settled. Status as of October 1, 2026, per U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
What areas did the Cedar Fire affect?
The Cedar Fire (San Diego County) affected communities including Ramona, San Diego Country Estates, Lakeside, Scripps Ranch, Tierrasanta, Poway, Crest, Harbison Canyon, Alpine, Julian, Cuyamaca, Pine Valley.
How large was the Cedar Fire?
273,246 acres, 2,820 structures destroyed, 15 fatalities, per public records as of 2026-10-01.
What caused the 2003 Cedar Fire?
The 2003 Cedar Fire in San Diego County was started by a lost deer hunter who lit a signal fire in the Cleveland National Forest on October 25, 2003. Sergio Martinez pleaded guilty in federal court on March 10, 2005 to setting an illegal fire in a national forest and was sentenced on November 17, 2005 to five years of probation, six months of work furlough, community service and $9,000 in restitution.
How big was the Cedar Fire and how many people died?
CAL FIRE records the 2003 Cedar Fire at 273,246 acres, with 2,820 structures destroyed and 15 deaths, including one firefighter. It started on October 25, 2003 and was contained on November 5, 2003.
Was there a Cedar Fire lawsuit?
Yes. Fire victims sued San Diego County and the state forestry department for $100 million, and a judge dismissed the case on November 28, 2005. Landowners sued the United States in the Court of Federal Claims and lost, and the Federal Circuit affirmed on January 16, 2009. A separate $236 million class action against the United States was filed in October 2006, and we have not found a public report of its outcome.
What areas did the Cedar Fire burn?
The 2003 Cedar Fire burned from the Cleveland National Forest near Ramona through San Diego Country Estates, Lakeside, Poway, Scripps Ranch and Tierrasanta in the City of San Diego, and east through Crest, Harbison Canyon, Alpine, Cuyamaca and toward Julian.
How many people were evacuated in the Cedar Fire?
No single countywide evacuation total for the 2003 Cedar Fire is published in the sources we read. The City of San Diego reported that its police evacuated areas of Scripps Ranch, Tierrasanta and San Carlos containing 18,162 homes and about 53,570 people.
Sources
- Cedar Fire incident record, CAL FIRE
- Top 20 Largest, Most Destructive and Deadliest California Wildfires, linked from CAL FIRE Statistics, CAL FIRE
- Blue Ribbon Fire Commission report, part 2, Governor's Blue Ribbon Fire Commission, hosted by Cal OES
- Cary v. United States, No. 2008-5022, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- 2003 Cedar Fire, City of San Diego Fire-Rescue Department
- Report 03-242, initial 30-day post-fire overview, City of San Diego
- Hunter charged with starting Cedar fire, San Diego Union-Tribune
- Man Pleads Guilty in Setting Deadly Wildfire, Los Angeles Times
- Hunter gets probation, halfway house term for setting Cedar fire, San Diego Union-Tribune
- Judge dismisses $100 million Cedar fire civil suit, San Diego Union-Tribune
- Cedar fire victims sue federal government for more than $236 million, San Diego Union-Tribune
- Allstate Seeking Redress in S.D. Fire, Los Angeles Times
- The Cedar Fire at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, California State Parks
Facts on this page are drawn from the public sources listed above and rewritten in original words. See Sources & Methodology.