The Basin Complex Fire was a massive wildfire near

Big Sur Big Sur () is a rugged and mountainous section of the Central Coast of California between Carmel and San Simeon, where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. It is frequently praised for its dramatic scenery. Big Sur ha ...

that ignited on June 21, 2008, and was the result of a lightning strike. It eventually grew to , becoming the second-largest wildfire of the 2008 California wildfire season, and burning most of the Ventana Wilderness. State and federal officials spent more than $120 million to fight the fire, making it is the most expensive fire in California history up to that time, and the second most expensive in U.S. history, exceeded only by the Biscuit Fire in 2002. Eventually, the Thomas Fire surpassed the Basin Complex Fire in firefighting costs as well.

The fire

The fire forced the evacuation of

prior to the July 4 holiday weekend. Camp Pico Blanco was forced to evacuate the camp and diverted its Scouts to Boulder Creek Scout Reservation in Santa Cruz. The camp lost only one building, an outlying ranger's cabin. Big Sur residents were permitted to return on July 9. , the fire is the twentieth-largest

wildfire in California 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 identif ...

, since accurate records began in 1932. FEMA - 37389 - State and Federal Officals Tally Wildfire Disaster in California

References

{{California wildfires by year 2008 California wildfires Wildfires in Monterey County, California Santa Lucia Range Monterey Ranger District, Los Padres National Forest June 2008 events in the United States July 2008 events in the United States