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Marble Cone Fire
1977 wildfire in Central California / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Marble Cone Fire was a wildland fire that was caused by two lightning strikes. It burned for three weeks in August 1977 in the Santa Lucia Mountains high country, at the Big Sur area of Monterey County, California. About 5,700 firefighters cut 160 miles (260 km) of line around the fire before it was contained. The fire burned 177,866 acres (720 km2) in the Santa Lucia Mountains, including the Ventana Wilderness, making it the largest wildfire in recorded California history at that time. As of 2024, it remains the 20th largest wildfire in the state's recorded history.[1][2][3]
Marble Cone Fire | |
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![]() Firefighters assemble preparing to attack the fire. | |
Date(s) | August 1977 |
Location | Big Sur, California |
Statistics | |
Burned area | 177,866 acres (71,980 ha; 278 sq mi; 720 km2) |
Land use | Wildlands |
Impacts | |
Deaths | 0 |
Ignition | |
Cause | Lightning |
Map | |
The fire burned 90% of the vegetation cover in the upper Big Sur River watershed. This posed a threat of serious flooding in the Big Sur River Valley, where a much smaller August 1972 fire had led to severe flooding later that year. This time, however, the rains were moderate and resulted in no major flooding problems.[4] The fire cost $10.65 million to contain and caused millions of dollars more in damage to the watersheds of the Carmel River Valley, Arroyo Seco River, Big Sur, Little Sur River and Big Creek.[5]