A drought, overgrown vegetation and hundreds of untreated wood shingle roofs, led to a major Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) fire that killed 25 people--including a police officer and a firefighter--and injured 150 others. The fire destroyed more than 3,000 homes, apartments and condominiums over 1,600 acres, and did an estimated $ 1.5 billion in damages.
Native plant enthusiasts blame the imported eucalyptus trees that dot the hills for the virulence of the fire, although reports from USFA, NFPA and the Forest Service dispute this. The issue has created a rift among conservation groups and fire scientists on one side and anti-invasive species groups, who have been known to brandish chainsaws and dump herbicides on the trees in an effort to eradicate them.
Another legacy of the fire is the game SimCity, whose creator lost his home in the fire. The PC game includes a module that simulates the fire and challenges players to extinguish it.
