The Matilija Fire was a major wildfire that burned nearly in the Santa Barbara National Forest (now the Los Padres National Forest) of Southern California, during the autumn of 1932. The fire is named for Matilija Creek, near the location from which it originated.
With the possible exception of the Santiago Canyon Fire of 1889 (which occurred before the start of official record-keeping), it was the largest known wildfire in California history until the 2003 Cedar Fire. The Matilija Fire is currently the seventeenth-largest in the state's modern history.
Events
In 1932, most of the area burned by the Matilija Fire had not seen a major fire since at least 1911. The area had also been experiencing severe drought conditions for the two years prior to 1932. This had resulted in a major build-up of dry fuels in the chaparral, which typically burns every 10 or 15 years.
The 1932 fire season had been relatively quiet for the Santa Barbara National Forest. At 10:00 AM local time on September 7, smoke was spotted from La Cumbre lookout, rising from the North Fork of Matilija Creek north of Ojai. Ojai District Ranger E.L. Baxter ordered a fire crew to make preparations while he traveled out in advance to scout the fire. It took two hours to reach the fire, by which time it had expanded to . Although the cause of the fire remains uncertain, it may have been started by a hunter's campfire or an exploding tank of butane gas.
By evening, fire crews were hiking up to the site, and Baxter expected the fire to be contained at by midnight. However, heavy Santa Ana winds kicked up at 5:30 pm, and the fire exploded in size. Fifty men on a crew led by Supervisor Nash-Boulden were trapped, but they managed to survive after lighting a backfire on the canyon slope, pulling in fresh air and opening an escape route. High temperatures, low humidity and winds sent the fire burning quickly through the thick chaparral covering the mountains. By midday on September 8, the fire had grown to and was rapidly spreading to the south and east. In one hour the fire traveled as embers jumped from one ridge to the next. Due to the unpredictable winds, crews were unable to safely cut line ahead of the fire, and resorted to "cold-trailing", or cutting line along the edges of already-burned areas.
For the next eleven days, the fire burned daily. About 2,500 to 3,000 firefighters were ultimately brought in to the Matilija Fire, coming from eight forests around the West. As many as 1,200 personnel were on the fire line at any one time. There were few roads into this area, and the rugged terrain and thick vegetation made access difficult. Supplies had to be transported by pack mules and horses, or dropped from airplanes. Bulldozers were also used in an attempt to open new roads, but this effort was largely unsuccessful. By September 10, the fire had reached south nearly to the Pacific Ocean, had jumped west into the upper Santa Ynez River drainage, and was advancing swiftly east into the Sespe Creek drainage. A wall of flame wide swept down Sespe Creek, burning as much as in a single hour. By the evening of September 10 the fire was at with no containment.
Hand crews cut of line around the perimeter of the fire, but high winds repeatedly blew fire past the containment lines and progress was extremely slow. Three fire camps were destroyed and a fourth was narrowly saved. By September 13, the fire had burned as far north as Reyes Peak (near Pine Mountain), and the lookout tower there was destroyed. By September 18, it had reached Santa Paula Peak, more than east of Matilija Creek. The fire lookout there was threatened, but was saved by a backfire at the last minute. Fire activity finally decreased around September 18, when the Santa Ana winds ceased. A heavy fog came in from the Pacific Ocean, elevating humidity, and by September 20, crews had managed to cut a line around the entire fire and contain it.