2020 SCU Lightning Complex Fire – A Look Back One Year Later

One year ago today, on August 16, 2020, a summer dry lightning storm blew through Northern California sparking a devastating number of wildfires that would devastate the region for months to come. On August 18, 2020, the SCU Lightning Complex Fire blew onto the ranch. For the next four days, we were in full fire-fighting mode. Fires in California are not unusual. We usually deal with at least one on the ranch each year. But it is rare for one of the largest fires ever recorded in California to threaten our home and our animals, particularly when the state’s fire resources are stretched so incredibly thin. The SCU Lightning Complex fire was different.

Before the fires, we were already gearing up for a difficult late summer and fall. Moderate drought conditions were only expected to worsen and Covid-19 was making uncertain beef prices even more volatile. Then, in the middle of a historic heatwave, a dry lightning storm rolled through Northern California the early morning hours of August 16, 2020.

We had a lightning strike directly on the property on August 16, but were able to quickly get it under control before it spread. Others in the Diablo Range and in Northern California generally were not so lucky.

The SCU Lightning Complex Fire was actually a collection of fires that eventually converged into one large fire. It was named after the Cal Fire units that were coordinating the response – SCU stands for Santa Clara Unit. Ultimately, it burned over 390,000 acres. One year later, it is the fourth largest wildfire in California history.

One factor that made this situation unique was that the SCU Complex was just one of multiple complex fires that were started by the storm. In August 2020, 5 of the 20 largest wildfires in California history were devastating the state. To say that the state’s fire resources were overwhelmed would be an understatement.

On August 18, one of the SCU Complex fires that had been started 2 days before came blowing onto the ranch from the southeast. We spent all of August 18 fighting the fire on our own – not a single firefighter could be spared from the other fires threatening people’s homes and lives. Our only real goal was to slow the flames down enough that the professional fire crews could get to us in time to save our house, the animals, the corrals and other structures.

The situation was worst from about 1:00 am – 4:00 am on the morning of August 19. At that point, we had all been actively fighting the fire for twelve hours and it had crested the hill above our house. It was only a matter of how long before it reached the structure. It was at this time that professional assistance arrived. The fire crews helped saved our house, our corrals and the animals we had gathered. The fire swung back around from east again on August 20, but – thanks to a massive tractor fire break – we were spared additional devastation.

We are so thankful for the firefighters who showed up right when we were at our lowest point. Over the next few days, we saw too many teams to keep track of. Cal Fire was absolutely stretched to the max with these fires raging across California. We cannot adequately express our gratitude for all that they did during the extraordinary emergency that affected so many others in our state. Cal Fire (including teams from Morgan Hill, Marin, Corona, Murphys, Willits, Mendocino and others), the Butte CCC, and the local departments lending their assistance (Alameda, East Bay Regional Parks, Tracy and others) were all truly incredible. We also need to specially thank our local fire crew – the Site 300 Alameda County Unit.

We can never express our gratitude to our friends and family who helped us during this time and in the days that followed moving cattle to safety (on foot), scouting fire locations, fighting fires with every implement on hand (a favorite was a wet towel) and generally just being incredible in an extraordinary time. We also want to thank the Tracy Press – our local paper – which covered our experience with the SCU Complex fire in its article “Rancher scrambles to protect livestock, help crews fighting wildfires” on August 25, 2020.

We are so thankful each and every day that we were spared the worst as we know many others throughout the state were not so lucky. And now, a year later, we again watch the devastation left by the Dixie Fire.

We have documented some of the recovery process on our Instagram for those that wish to follow along. Also check out the Save Mount Diablo series about the SCU Fire aftermath: The Diablo Range Revealed.