Alturas Dorris

Reservoir

M21

M20

M19

M18

M17

M16

M15

M14

M13

M12

M11

M10 M09

M08

M07

M06

M05

M04

M03

M02

M01

Wildfire Location Type

Calculated

General

GPS

Refuge Boundary

Water

Rivers/Creeks

Highways

Roads

Modoc National Wildlife Refuge

Wildfire History 1936 - 2005

0 0.5 1 1.5 Miles

Modoc NWR

CA 139

0 4 8 12 Miles

CALIFORNIA

Wildfire Location Type Descriptions

Calculated: The wildfire is calculated to a central

point based upon reported legal location or

specific place description. Examples include 48N,

2E, Section 28 or middle of Unit C-4 at waters

edge.

General: The wildfire is location is based upon a

general area description. Examples include

Southwest Sump of Tule Lake NWR or Unit 4 of

Lower Klamath NWR.

GPS: The wildfire location was determined using

a geographic positioning system and supporting

software, providing a specific latitude and

longitude. An example is 41 degrees, 52 minutes,

54.33 seconds north by 121 degrees, 14 minutes,

12.98 seconds west, NAD 83.

Unknown: The wildfire location was recorded

only in relation to the refuge it occurred on.

Historical records and research did not provide

any additional information. An example would be

a wildfire listed as 1954, Tule Lake NWR.

Location:

Alturas, CA

Acreage:

7,030

Established:

November 03, 1960

Total Wildfires:

22

Percentage of Zone Total:

13

Cause Type:

Natural 1

Camp Fire 0

Smoking 4

Fire Use 3

Incendiary 4

Equipment Use 2

Railroads 2

Juveniles 0

Miscellaneous 5

Unknown 1

Number Name Year Acreage

M01 1962 4

M02 1964 0.25

M03 Headquarters 1965 0.1

M04 Godfrey Tract 1973 20

M05 Ebby Tract 1976 13

M06 Alturas Rural Assist #6 1978 12

M07 Incident 7, Fire 3 1979 26

M08 Goose Pond 1981 2

M09 Goose Pond 1984 1.0

M10 Godfrey 1985 46.0

M11 Feedlot 1987 3.0

M12 East Flournoy 1988 17

M13 Sharkey 1988 0.1

M14 Matney 1988 1.5

M15 Mid-395 1994 0.1

M16 Ranchiera 1994 1

M17 Front 1995 0.1

M18 Macspipe 1997 0.1

M19 Goose Pond 2001 1

M20 Hamilton 2002 0.1

M21 Neer Pond 2003 0.3

Location and name unknown 1982

CA 299

US 395

Canby

Alturas

Alturas, Californias, Modoc National Wildlife Refuge is known as the high desert oasis for

waterfowl. Its more than 7,000 acres offer spectacular wildlife viewing to visitors and

breeding grounds for many species of migrating birds, ducks and geese. The refuges

close proximity to a semi-urban setting and variety of recreational opportunities invites

thousands of visitors annually. Also, a system of federal, state and local roadways

transverse its lands and a railroad line runs through its center. Combined together, these

factors have resulted in wildland fire history pattern almost exclusively defined as human

caused.

There is only one naturally caused wildfire reported in the refuges history. A number of

escaped prescribed burns and equipment caused fires have scorched different corners of

the encompassed grounds. Modoc refuge is also the only zone refuge known to have any

wildfires ignited as a result of the railroad.

The 1980s were a busy time, relatively, for wildland fire suppression at Modoc NWR

compared to its overall fire history and the fire histories of the other zone refuges. Still,

the refuge continues to experience a dominant pattern of human influenced fires today.

Its annual fuels growth and high visitation numbers (both users spending time on the

refuge and passing through on one of the surrounding transportation networks) poses a

continued risk for wildland fire in the future.