The Creek Fire (2020) was a California wildfire in Fresno & Madera Counties, with 379,895 acres, 853 structures destroyed, 0 deaths on the public record. Its cause is recorded as undetermined. Litigation reported. Status as of October 1, 2026, per KVPR.
The Creek Fire burned 379,895 acres of the Sierra National Forest in Fresno and Madera counties in late 2020. It is sixth on CAL FIRE's list of the largest California wildfires. Nobody died, in part because National Guard helicopter crews flew 242 trapped campers out of Mammoth Pool on the first night.
Nobody knows for certain what started it. The Forest Service closed its investigation in July 2021 with the cause officially undetermined and lightning named as the most probable cause. It expressly excluded powerlines and equipment use.
That finding shapes the legal picture. We found no lawsuit over what caused the fire or how it spread, and no claim against a utility. Edison International's recent filings with the SEC do not mention this fire; the "Creek Fire" in those filings is a different fire, near Sylmar in Los Angeles County in December 2017.
One lawsuit has been reported, and it is about warnings, not cause. Eleven campers injured at Mammoth Pool sued Madera County in 2021, alleging that a county dispatcher played down the fire when they called 9-1-1 and never called back. The county disputed that it owed them that duty. We have not found the outcome.
Official structure counts differ slightly: 853 destroyed according to the Forest Service, 856 on CAL FIRE's incident page and 858 on its Top 20 list.
Fire facts
From public records; unknown values are shown, never guessed.
| Year | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Start date | 2020-09-04 |
| Containment date | 2020-12-24 |
| Region / counties | Fresno, Madera |
| Acreage | 379,895 |
| Structures destroyed | 853 |
| Structures damaged | 64 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Cause status | undetermined |
| Officially determined arson | No / not determined |
| Last verified | 2026-10-01 |
Cause
Undetermined. The U.S. Forest Service announced on July 16, 2021 that, despite an exhaustive investigation, the cause of the Creek Fire is officially categorized as undetermined, and that investigators found the most probable cause was a lightning strike. Arson and smoking were not excluded. The investigation excluded equipment use, escaped campfires, debris burning, railroad operations, powerlines and several other causes, and found no illegal marijuana grow sites nearby. No person or company has been named as responsible.
What happened
The Creek Fire started on the evening of September 4, 2020 in the Sierra National Forest near Big Creek and Shaver Lake. Over the following night it trapped campers at Mammoth Pool Reservoir; the California National Guard reported flying 242 people out by helicopter that single night. The Governor proclaimed a state of emergency for Fresno, Madera and Mariposa counties on September 6. The Forest Service declared the fire 100 percent contained on December 24, 2020 at 379,895 acres. No deaths were recorded. CAL FIRE's incident page lists 26 civilian injuries.
Creek Fire timeline
Each entry is dated and links to the public source it comes from.
The Creek Fire starts in the evening in the Sierra National Forest.
Source: U.S. Forest Service, Sierra National Forest, archived copy
Campers are trapped at Mammoth Pool Reservoir; National Guard helicopters fly 242 people out overnight.
Source: California National Guard
The Governor proclaims a state of emergency for Fresno, Madera and Mariposa counties.
Federal major disaster DR-4569-CA is declared.
Source: FEMA, Federal Register
The Forest Service declares the Creek Fire 100 percent contained.
Source: U.S. Forest Service, Sierra National Forest, archived copy
The Forest Service announces the cause is undetermined, with lightning the most probable cause.
Source: U.S. Forest Service, Sierra National Forest, archived copy
It is reported that 11 injured campers have sued Madera County over warnings before the fire reached Mammoth Pool.
Source: KVPR
Litigation status
Litigation reported. Status as of October 1, 2026, per KVPR.
One lawsuit connected to the Creek Fire has been reported. KVPR reported on September 28, 2021 that 11 people who suffered burns and other injuries while camping near Mammoth Pool Reservoir had sued Madera County in Madera County Superior Court, in a complaint filed in May 2021. According to that report, the complaint alleges that campers called 9-1-1 when they saw the fire in the distance, that a county dispatcher played down the risk and agreed to call back if the fire's behavior changed, and that no call came. The report states that the plaintiffs do not allege that Madera County was involved in starting the fire. In a memorandum filed in July 2021 the county argued that it had no legal duty to give the campers updates and that it would in any case be immune under state law. These are allegations and arguments; we have found no ruling, settlement or case number, and this account rests on a single news report. We found no lawsuit, federal tort claim or cost recovery action over the cause or spread of the fire in searches of federal court records on CourtListener, the U.S. Attorney's press releases for the Eastern District of California, the Public Utilities Commission's wildfire investigations page and local news archives. County superior court records were not searched directly.
A reported lawsuit is not a finding against anyone, and the absence of other cases in our search is not a finding that none exists. Nothing here describes any individual situation.
Court & regulatory record
- Forest Service Announces Cause of 2020 Creek Fire (July 16, 2021), archived copy , U.S. Forest Service, Sierra National Forest
- Creek Fire incident page, final update, archived copy , U.S. Forest Service, InciWeb
- California; Major Disaster and Related Determinations, FEMA-4569-DR , Federal Emergency Management Agency, Federal Register
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 | 379,895 | U.S. Forest Service, July 16, 2021 |
| Rank among largest California wildfires | 6th | CAL FIRE, October 2, 2024 |
| Structures destroyed, Forest Service | 853 | U.S. Forest Service, July 16, 2021 |
| Structures destroyed, CAL FIRE Top 20 list | 858 | CAL FIRE, October 2, 2024 |
| Structures damaged, Forest Service | 64 | U.S. Forest Service, July 16, 2021 |
| People airlifted from Mammoth Pool on the first night | 242 | California National Guard, September 6, 2020 |
| Deaths | 0 | CAL FIRE, October 2, 2024 |
In the news
Independent news coverage related to the Creek Fire. Each link opens the original public reporting.
- Sep 12, 2023Three years after the Creek Fire, national guardsmen who rescued campers receive hero’s welcomeKVPR
- Jul 27, 2022What life looks for those who stayed and left after Big Creek's fire 2 years agoNPR, via KVPR
- Sep 28, 2021Campers Injured In Creek Fire Sue Madera County For DamagesKVPR
- Jul 16, 2021What caused the Creek Fire near Fresno last year? Here’s what investigation revealsThe Fresno Bee
- Sep 11, 2020Ordered To Leave Their Homes, Creek Fire Evacuees Decide What Goes With ThemKVPR
- Sep 7, 2020Creek Fire Updates: Containment, Acres Burned, Some Evacuation Orders LiftedKVPR
- Sep 6, 2020Massive Rescue Operation Underway As Crews Battle California's Creek FireNPR, via KVPR
Common questions about the Creek Fire
What caused the Creek Fire?
Undetermined. The U.S. Forest Service announced on July 16, 2021 that, despite an exhaustive investigation, the cause of the Creek Fire is officially categorized as undetermined, and that investigators found the most probable cause was a lightning strike. Arson and smoking were not excluded. The investigation excluded equipment use, escaped campfires, debris burning, railroad operations, powerlines and several other causes, and found no illegal marijuana grow sites nearby. No person or company has been named as responsible.
Is there litigation over the Creek Fire?
Litigation reported. Status as of October 1, 2026, per KVPR.
What areas did the Creek Fire affect?
The Creek Fire (Fresno & Madera Counties) affected communities including Big Creek, Shaver Lake, Huntington Lake, Pine Ridge, Alder Springs, Meadow Lakes, Mammoth Pool.
How large was the Creek Fire?
379,895 acres, 853 structures destroyed, 0 fatalities, per public records as of 2026-10-01.
What caused the Creek Fire?
The cause of the 2020 Creek Fire in Fresno and Madera counties, California is officially undetermined. The U.S. Forest Service announced on July 16, 2021 that investigators found the most probable cause was a lightning strike, and that powerlines, equipment use and escaped campfires were excluded.
How big was the Creek Fire?
The 2020 Creek Fire burned 379,895 acres in the Sierra National Forest in Fresno and Madera counties, California. It started on September 4, 2020 and was declared fully contained on December 24, 2020. It ranks sixth on CAL FIRE's list of the largest California wildfires.
Is there a Creek Fire lawsuit?
One lawsuit over the 2020 Creek Fire has been reported: 11 campers injured at Mammoth Pool Reservoir sued Madera County in Madera County Superior Court in 2021, alleging the county failed to warn them. It does not allege the county started the fire. We have found no lawsuit over the cause of the fire as of October 1, 2026.
Did Southern California Edison cause the Creek Fire?
No finding says so. The U.S. Forest Service investigation of the 2020 Creek Fire excluded powerlines as a cause, and Edison International's filings do not report claims over it. The Creek Fire discussed in Edison's filings is a separate December 2017 fire in Los Angeles County.
How many people were rescued from Mammoth Pool during the Creek Fire?
The California National Guard reported that 242 people were rescued by helicopter from Mammoth Pool Reservoir in a single night, September 5 to 6, 2020, after the Creek Fire cut off the road out.
Sources
- Forest Service Announces Cause of 2020 Creek Fire, archived copy, U.S. Forest Service, Sierra National Forest
- Creek Fire incident page, archived copy, U.S. Forest Service, InciWeb
- Creek Fire incident record, CAL FIRE
- Top 20 Largest California Wildfires, linked from CAL FIRE Statistics, CAL FIRE
- 2020 Fire Siege report, CAL FIRE
- 40th CAB rescues nearly 400 stranded by Creek Fire, California National Guard
- Major disaster declaration FEMA-4569-DR, Federal Register
- Campers Injured In Creek Fire Sue Madera County For Damages, KVPR
Facts on this page are drawn from the public sources listed above and rewritten in original words. See Sources & Methodology.