| Matilija Fire | |
|---|---|
| Date(s) |
|
| Location | North of Ventura, California |
| Coordinates | 34°35′N 119°26′W / 34.59°N 119.44°W |
| Statistics | |
| Burned area | 219,254 acres (88,729 ha; 343 sq mi; 887 km2) |
| Impacts | |
| Deaths | None known |
| Non-fatal injuries | 2 firefighters injured |
| Damage | $120,000 (1932 USD) |
| Ignition | |
| Cause | Unknown, possibly escaped campfire |
| Map | |
  Location in California | |
The Matilija Fire was a major wildfire that burned nearly 220,000 acres (89,000 ha) in the Santa Barbara National Forest (now the Los Padres National Forest) of Southern California, during the autumn of 1932. The fire is named for Matilija Creek, near the location from which it originated.
With the possible exception of the Santiago Canyon Fire of 1889 (which occurred before the start of official record-keeping), it was the largest known wildfire in California history until the 2003 Cedar Fire. The Matilija Fire is currently the eighteenth-largest in the state's modern history.