Finley Creek Fire

Wildfire in Humboldt County, September 1973

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Printed October 28, 2026 from www.firezones.info/fire/2777/finley-creek-fire-1973

Key facts

Started September 7, 1973
Contained Not recorded
Burned 12,833 acres
6th largest fire of 1973
Cause Not recorded
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Where it burned

Counties

  1. Humboldt County 12,808 acres
  2. Mendocino County 4 acres

Community

  1. Shelter Cove 3,470 acres

Acres are the land the fire burned in each county and community, and places where it burned less than an acre are not listed. Communities are cities, towns and the unincorporated places the Census Bureau names, so land outside any of them is counted only in its county.

The same land, other fires

Burned before

  1. 1959 Harold Lawrence Fire 234 acres in total 175 acres shared
  2. 1964 Telegraph Creek Fire 497 acres shared

Burned again

  1. 1988 Queens Peak Fire 364 acres in total 151 acres shared
  2. 1988 Saddle Fire 5,908 acres in total · Cause: Smoking 41 acres shared

Acres are the land each fire shares with the Finley Creek Fire, and fires that shared less than an acre are not counted. Some older or smaller fires may be missing, and a fire perimeter can include unburned patches. How to read fire history

Sources

Fire history
CAL FIRE Fire and Resource Assessment Program
Published 28 July 2026
Building damage
CAL FIRE Damage Inspection
Updated 19 October 2026

This site is independent and not affiliated with CAL FIRE or the CPUC, so for an official determination, check with the agency or your city or county. How we read the data