It is early 2026, and if you are looking for the King Fire, you might be seeing two very different stories depending on which map you are looking at.
Right now, there isn't a massive, active "King Fire" threatening thousands of homes like the one people remember from a decade ago. But just a few months back, in August 2025, a new blaze with that same name popped up in Los Angeles County, and it gave everyone a pretty good scare.
When people ask "where is the King Fire in California," they're usually caught between a terrifying memory of the Sierra Nevada and a much more recent brush fire near the Grapevine.
The Recent Flare-Up: Los Angeles County (August 2025)
The most recent "King Fire" didn't happen in the deep forest. It started on August 14, 2025, right next to one of the busiest stretches of road in the world.
If you've ever driven the I-5 north of Los Angeles toward the Tejon Pass, you know the spot. The fire ignited near Smokey Bear Road, just east of the freeway. This is the Gorman/Castaic area, a place where the wind usually rips through the canyons like a freight train.
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By the time the sun came up that Thursday morning, the fire had jumped to nearly 600 acres. For a few hours, things looked dicey. The L.A. County Fire Department and the Angeles National Forest folks had to shut down lanes on the I-5, and they even told people in Paradise Ranch and Hungry Valley to get ready to leave.
Current Status: It's out.
The 2025 King Fire was fully contained by August 18, 2025, after burning exactly 591.2 acres. No homes were lost, and nobody was killed, which is a huge win considering how fast fires move in that dry brush.
The "Big One": El Dorado County (The 2014 Legacy)
If you aren't talking about the small brush fire from last year, you're almost certainly thinking of the monster 2014 King Fire. This is the one that permanently changed the map of Northern California.
That fire started in Pollock Pines, about an hour east of Sacramento. It wasn't a lightning strike or a downed power line. It was arson. A guy named Wayne Huntsman lit it near King of the Mountain Road (hence the name) and then actually filmed a video of himself standing between two fires.
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This fire was a different beast entirely:
- Location: El Dorado County, specifically the Eldorado National Forest.
- Size: It scorched 97,717 acres.
- Impact: It destroyed 12 homes and 68 other buildings.
- The "Fire Tornado": On September 17, 2014, the fire exploded, running 15 miles in a single day. It created its own weather.
Why does this matter in 2026? Because the "where" is still visible. If you hike through the Eldorado National Forest today, you’ll see the "ghost forest"—thousands of acres where the trees didn't just die; they were essentially nuked. Massive restoration projects are still happening there today because about 17,000 acres of that land were so badly burned they won't grow back on their own.
Tracking Fire Risk in 2026
So, where should you be looking if you’re worried about fires right now?
Honestly, the start of 2026 has been relatively quiet compared to the nightmare of January 2025. You probably remember that last year, the Palisades and Eaton fires destroyed thousands of structures in L.A. County. It was one of the worst winter fire seasons we've ever seen.
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As of mid-January 2026, CAL FIRE is reporting only a handful of small wildland fires across the state—way below the five-year average for this time of year.
How to stay updated:
- Watch Duty App: This is basically the "holy grail" for Californians now. It’s faster than the local news and gives you the exact perimeters.
- CAL FIRE Incident Map: The official word. If it’s not on here, it’s likely a very small local response.
- Genasys (formerly Zonehaven): This is what you check for evacuations. Know your zone before the smoke starts.
Actionable Steps for the 2026 Season
Wildfire season in California isn't really a "season" anymore; it’s a year-round reality. Even if the King Fire is currently a memory, the next one is always a possibility.
- Download Watch Duty: Seriously. If you live in a high-risk area (like King City or the Sierra foothills), this app is essential for real-time alerts.
- Check Your Zone: Go to the Genasys website and find your evacuation zone. Screenshot it. Keep it in your photos so you don't have to hunt for it when the power goes out.
- Vegetation Management: If you own property, 2026 is the year to get serious about that 100-foot defensible space. State inspectors are getting stricter about this, especially in "Communities at Risk" like King City, which just approved a major new riverbed prevention plan.
- Review Your Insurance: With the massive losses from the 2025 fires, many providers are changing their coverage. Make sure you aren't underinsured for "total loss" scenarios.
The King Fire of 2014 left a scar on the land, and the King Fire of 2025 left a reminder that even "small" fires can shut down major interstates. Stay vigilant, keep your go-bag by the door, and keep an eye on those northern L.A. County canyons.