Natural disasters
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Landslides and wildfires have occurred in Anaheim Hills during recent years. Santa Ana Winds are a major factor in fueling the wildfires in the area.
Landslides[edit]
A landslide in January 1993, destroyed over 30 homes and impacted over 200 others.[citation needed]
During the winter of 2005, a twenty-day rain event in Orange County led to not only flooding, but a landslide that caused the unstable hillside along the street of Ramsgate Drive to give way. Three homes and a private street were destroyed in the landslide.
Wildfires[edit]
1982 Gypsum Canyon[edit]
The first major wildfire since the development of Anaheim Hills occurred in October 1982. Santa Ana Winds drove a fire that ended up causing $50 million in property damage. The fire burned 17,000 acres (69 km2) and destroyed 14 homes.
2006 Sierra Peak[edit]
A wildfire broke out on February 7, 2006, in the Cleveland National Forest, the National Forest that separates Anaheim Hills from the Riverside County Border. This fire grew and firefighters were unable to contain it due to 20 mph (32 km/h) winds and 80 °F (27 °C) temperatures. On the morning of February 9, 2006, the fire worsened, which forced the evacuation of a large section of Anaheim Hills. Nearly 75% of the Community of Anaheim Hills was either under voluntary or mandatory evacuation. [citation needed] This resulted in the closing of two local elementary schools for two days, and several other schools served as shelters for the evacuees during the day.[citation needed]
The fire burned over 10,000 acres (40 km2) of land and caused significant natural resource damage by burning a recovering Tecate cypress grove. [citation needed] It was later determined that a controlled blaze set by the Cleveland National Forest started the fire, and the National Forestry Service was forced to pay the cost from the firefighting efforts.[citation needed]
2007 Windy Ridge[edit]
On Sunday, March 11, 2007, at 07:53 AM (PST), a fire possibly started by a stolen vehicle on the southbound 241 Windy Ridge Toll Plaza, destroyed over 2,000 acres (8.1 km2) in Anaheim Hills and the city of Orange. Due to winds moving as fast as 35 mph (56 km/h), an estimated 2,500 homes were evacuated, with 2 injuries reported.
2008 Freeway Complex[edit]
The Freeway Complex Fire broke out in the Corona area at around 9am on Saturday, November 15, 2008, which burned south-westerly into Anaheim Hills, forcing the immediate evacuation of 3,100 homes in the Weir Canyon area. In total, more than 200 residences were destroyed by the fire, of which fourteen houses and 86 apartments were burned within Anaheim Hills.
2017 Canyon Fire 2[edit]
On October 8, 2017, the Canyon Fire 2 broke out near the interchange for California State Route 91 and California State Route 241 on the border of the City of Anaheim. The Canyon Fire 2 was the second fire in the same area in a matter of weeks, the first fire was designated the Canyon Fire.
Canyon Fire 2 was driven by fast moving winds and low humidity. By noon on the day the fire began, it had burned 800 acres (1.3 sq mi). By 2:30, fueled by high winds and low humidity, it had burned 2,000 acres (3.1 sq mi) and was 0 percent contained.
Canyon Fire 2 led to the evacuation of 16,570 residents of Anaheim, Orange, North Tustin, Orange Park Acres and Tustin and the destruction of 25 homes located in Anaheim Hills and Orange.