Mosquito Fire
| Mosquito Fire | |
|---|---|
A pyrocumulonimbus cloud rises from the Mosquito Fire on September 8, 2022 | |
| Date(s) |
|
| Location |
|
| Coordinates | 39°00′22″N 120°44′42″W / 39.006°N 120.745°W |
| Statistics | |
| Burned area | 76,788 acres (31,075 ha; 120 sq mi; 311 km2) |
| Impacts | |
| Deaths | 0 |
| Non-fatal injuries | ≥2 |
| Evacuated | ≥11,260 |
| Structures destroyed | 78 (13 damaged) |
| Damage |
|
| Ignition | |
| Cause | Under investigation |
| Map | |
The extent of the Mosquito Fire, west of Lake Tahoe in Tahoe and Eldorado National Forests | |
The Mosquito Fire was California's largest wildfire in 2022. The fire began on September 6, burned 76,788 acres (31,075 hectares) in Placer and El Dorado counties in September and October, and was pronounced fully contained on October 22. It affected the Tahoe and Eldorado National Forests and destroyed 78 structures in the rural communities of Michigan Bluff, Foresthill, and Volcanoville. The fire suppression effort cost more than $180 million, and at its peak involved more than 3,700 firefighters. The precise cause of the fire is not known, but the possible role of Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) equipment is the subject of multiple civil lawsuits and a Forest Service investigation. The Mosquito Fire was one of 7,477 wildfires in California in 2022, which burned a combined 331,358 acres (134,096 ha).