Panorama Fire
wildfire in San Bernardino county, California, U.S
The Panorama Fire was a destructive and fatal wildfire in the U.S. state of California's San Bernardino County. The fire began on November 24, 1980, and was fully contained on December 1, 1980. The fire was set by an unknown arsonist about 10:50 a.m. near Panorama Point, a county equipment depot along California State Route 18 in the San Bernardino Mountains. The fire's growth was exacerbated by strong Santa Ana winds that reached 90 miles an hour, pushing the flames into populated areas in Waterman Canyon and the city of San Bernardino. 325 structures were destroyed, including 310 homes.
When the fire occurred, it was the fourth most destructive wildfire in recorded California history and the most destructive in the history of San Bernardino County. It has since passed out of the top 20 destructive wildfires statewide, and its structure toll in San Bernardino County was surpassed in 2003 by the Old Fire.
The fire resulted in four fatalities: Earl F. Welty, 83, and his wife, Edith, 82, who were caught in the fire; Joseph Benjamin, 54, who collapsed while watering his roof; and Rosa Myers, 64, who suffered a heart attack while being evacuated.
Fire progression
On November 24, winds were so strong that air tankers were grounded and firefighters reported being pelted by rocks the size of golf balls.
The public source identifies “Panorama Fire” as wildfire in San Bernardino county, California, U.S. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Panorama, Fire and wildfire.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Panorama Fire”, the useful work is to connect “wildfire in San Bernardino county, California, U.S” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 22, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q30624635. Authority coordinates are 34.226, -117.309. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1980 and 2003.
Architectural summaries often privilege surviving fabric and can understate demolished phases, contested use or displaced communities. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Panorama Fire”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Panorama Fire primary sources, Panorama Fire archive and Panorama research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
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Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Panorama Fire” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.