wildfire history: 1980 Panorama Fire San Bernardino CA

It is funny how the mind works. I was recently reflecting on the first wildfire that I remember hearing about. It was November 1980 and I was visiting an Great Aunt for Thanksgiving that year. She took ill suddenly so I took her to the hospital. I had just finished college and was still unemployed so I was able to extend my visit. She and I were close. She had no children, but I spent some time communicating with my family want was going on. And I visited her in the hospital.

I had a lot of time to kill. My Great Aunt had a television so I spent some time watching TV and watching local and national news. That is how I heard about what is now known as the Panorama Fire, only I don't think I knew it by that name. As I recall, I heard about this fire on a few news broadcasts in late November. Perhaps it was because of my Great Aunt's illness, she died about three weeks later, what is now known as the Panorama Fire is seared in my memory. No, I did not remember the facts of the fire which I will get to in a moment. But I can say that I knew that it was a bad wildfire with much destruction.

At some point after I began this blog on aerial wildland firefighting, I thought about that fire that burned in San Bernardino in late November of 1980 because it was the first wildfire that I can honestly say made an impression on me. I found some stats on the internet. According to this short wikipedia article on the Panorama Fire, the Panorama Fire was first reported on November 24, 1980, burned 28,800 acres killed four people, destroyed over 300 homes, and damaged another 113 homes. The fire was attributed to arson. The fire was fully contained on December 1, 1980. I also found a nice short 2015 article on the Alpen Horn News by Douglas W. Motley and Rhea-Frances Tetley with a summary of the Panorama Fire.

Here is a nice video, under 10 minutes. You will hear Sue Payne, a survivor of the Panorama Fire share her story and memories of the fire.


Direct link to video uploaded by Norman Feldheym SBPL