Dome Fire (2020)

rdf:langString Dome Fire (2020)

rdf:langString Dome Fire

rdf:langString A white BLM vehicle stands guard in the road as tall orange flames burn on both sides behind it among scrub and Joshua Trees

rdf:langString The location of the fire south of Interstate 15

rdf:langString Lightning strike

rdf:langString $2.2 million USD

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rdf:langString Dome Fire

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rdf:langString USA California

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rdf:langString The location of the Dome Fire in Southern California

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rdf:langString Dome Fire

rdf:langString The Dome Fire was a large and ecologically destructive wildfire in Mojave National Preserve, San Bernardino County, in the U.S. state of California in August 2020. Caused by a lightning strike on August 15, the fire began near Cima Dome (a geological formation for which the fire was named) and exhibited rapid growth over the following 36 hours, aided by weather conditions and a lack of available firefighting resources. During this period the Dome Fire destroyed only 6 structures, but burned more than a quarter of the , one of the largest and densest populations of Joshua trees known in the world. The fire killed as many as 1.3 million Joshua trees. No injuries or fatalities were reported among firefighters or civilians. The fire cost $2.2 million USD to suppress, and burned 43,273 acres (17,512 ha) before being fully contained on August 24. The Dome Fire was one of the many large wildfires of the 2020 California wildfire season, which was notable for its severity. The Dome Fire burned at the same time as other wildfires in the state considered a higher priority, such as the Lake Fire elsewhere in Southern California and the LNU, SCU, CZU, and August Complex fires, which contributed to the lack of fire suppression resources available to the Dome Fire effort. The mass Joshua tree destruction resulting from the Dome Fire has led to concern about the future of the species, which is predicted to face declines in its range due to development and climate change, with its increasing wildfire risk. Wildfires are not unknown in the region; the , also sparked by lightning, burned more than 70,000 acres in the Mojave National Preserve southwest of the Dome Fire footprint. However, fire is not an integral or frequent part of the fragile desert ecosystem, as it sometimes is in other California ecosystems (such as chaparral shrubland and coniferous forest ecosystems), and species like the Joshua Tree do not have fire adaptations to readily protect or recover from wildfires. Therefore, the ecological ramifications of the Dome Fire in the Cima Dome region are difficult to predict but expected to be long-lasting, if not permanent.