wildfire
A wildfire, forest fire, bushfire, wildland fire or rural fire is an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identi ...
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, during the 2015 California wildfire season. The fire, which started on August 9, burned before it was contained on August 25. As the fire progressed, inmate fire crews from
Cal Fire
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) is the fire department of the California Natural Resources Agency in the U.S. state of California. It is responsible for fire protection in various areas under state responsi ...
played a vital role in fighting the fire with over 800 inmates on the line.
On August 12,
Cal Fire
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) is the fire department of the California Natural Resources Agency in the U.S. state of California. It is responsible for fire protection in various areas under state responsi ...
officials confirmed that the fire had merged with the Rocky Fire which was burning to the north. Officials stated that with the northern edge of the Jerusalem Fire now touching the southern edge of areas already burned by the Rocky Fire the two incidents had merged. They added that while the incidents would now both be operated under a unified command, they would retain their own names, acreage counts and containment dates.
By August 15, many of the evacuation orders had been lifted from the area but returning residents were warned to watch for down power lines that still could pose hazards.