Matilija Fire
The Matilija Fire was a major wildfire that burned nearly in the Santa Barbara National Forest (now the Los Padres National Forest) of Southern California, during the autumn of 1932. The fire is named for Matilija Creek, near the location from which it originated. With the possible exception of the Santiago Canyon Fire of 1889 (which occurred before the start of official record-keeping), it was the largest known wildfire in California history until the 2003 Cedar Fire. The Matilija Fire is currently the seventeenth-largest in the state's modern history. Events In 1932, most of the area burned by the Matilija Fire had not seen a major fire since at least 1911. The area had also been experiencing severe drought conditions for the two years prior to 1932. This had resulted in a major build-up of dry fuels in the chaparral, which typically burns every 10 or 15 years. The 1932 fire season had been relatively quiet for the Santa Barbara National Forest. At 10:00 AM local time on September 7, smoke was spotted from La Cumbre lookout, rising from the North Fork of Matilija Creek north of Ojai. Ojai District Ranger E.L. Baxter ordered a fire crew to make preparations