Since 2008, large wildfires that burned 3.7 million acres of land were either still under investigation at the time of Cal Fire's annual fire report, or a cause was never determined. Investigators are unable to determine the cause of every wildfire.One example was the 2018 Camp Fire – the state's most deadly and destructive on record – in which PG&E was found liable for its cause. Go here for more information on how to use tools like PurpleAir to read air quality readings near you. Finally, power companies, such as PG&E, can cause destructive wildfires through delayed maintenance of power transmission and distribution equipment, or downed power lines due to bad weather. This map shows ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes.The state's third largest wildfire – the 2018 Mendocino Complex fire – was caused by sparks from a hammer and grew to consume 460,000 acres. People can start wildfires intentionally, through arson, or unintentionally, through an equipment mishap or an untended campfire.Use the IQAir California air quality map to discover air pollution levels across the state and help attribute city air quality to the emission source. Mixed with super-dry conditions, you get something like the fire siege of 2020 – the state's most destructive fire year on record in terms of acres burned – when several massive wildfires ignited throughout the state around the same time, destroying millions of acres of land and blanketing the state with toxic smoke for weeks. A 2010 study conducted by the California Air Resources Board estimates that PM2.5 pollution causes over 9,200 deaths in California annually, with a statistical range from 7,300 to 11,000 deaths. Lightning strikes can cause widespread damage in the most remote areas of the state. By Matthew Bloch, Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs and Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio Updated Aug.Air Quality Index Hazardous (301+) Very Unhealthy (201-300) Unhealthy (151-200) Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150) Moderate (51-100) Good (0-50) Latest PM 2.5 AQI from Temporary Monitors shows particle pollution observed at portable, temporary PM2. Since 2008, large fires caused by lightning strikes have destroyed close to 7 million acres of land, followed by 2.7 million acres destroyed due to human causes, not counting the nearly 2 million acres due to malfunctioning power company infrastructure. This map displays air quality data that indicates whether the air in a selected area is healthy or potentially dangerous. and aggregate information for California communities affected by wildfire smoke.
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As you would expect, wildfires ignite in many ways.