"The LUCAS fire grew to over 4,100 acres within a week, requiring thousands of personnel and escalating costs to over $30 million, illustrating the rapid escalation potential of wind‑driven wildfires in California's lake region."
The LUCAS wildfire, located 10 miles north of Upper Lake in Lake County, California, was first discovered on September 10, 2026. The fire rapidly expanded from 300 acres on September 11 to 4,109 acres by September 14, with a peak of 4,128 acres reported on September 15. Containment progressed slowly, reaching 10% by September 12, 15% by September 13, 25% by September 14, 33% by September 15, 40% by September 16, 53% by September 17, 67% by September 18, 84% by September 19, 95% by September 20, and finally 100% containment on September 21. Personnel involvement peaked at 2,609 on September 14, while estimated costs rose from $1.3 million on September 11 to $31.1 million by September 21. The fire behavior evolved from extreme, wind‑driven runs to moderate short‑range spotting, then to active running, and ultimately to minimal smoldering as containment closed.
Official source description: 10 Miles N from Upper Lake, CA
Minimal; Smoldering
Good air quality. Outdoor activity is generally safe near this incident.
Nearest reporting station: Ukiah. Source: AirNow.gov (EPA).
The fire is now fully contained and in a minimal smoldering state; however, general wildfire safety precautions remain advised in the area until official clearance is issued.
IRWIN ID: {0330E46B-236E-4706-8A32-04AC4A27AC1F}
Discovered: Sep 10, 2026
Cause: Undetermined
Est. Cost to Date: $31,096,262
Coordinates: 39.2319, -123.0028
Other wildfires that have recently been contained or dropped from official tracking in CA.
The LUCAS Fire has burned 4,128 acres as of September 21, 2026.
Yes, the LUCAS Fire is fully contained (100%).
The official cause has been listed as: Undetermined.
The LUCAS Fire is burning in Lake, CA.
Yes, as of the latest official update, the LUCAS Fire remains active.
Real-time map, acreage, and containment for every major U.S. wildfire, updated from official NIFC data.
View Live Map →