Several major wildfires ripped through Southern California between 2003 and 2008, destroying thousands of homes and burning over 3 million acres. The worst was the October 2007 fire season, where over 500,000 acres burned and more than 1,500 homes were destroyed, injuring at least 70 people and killing 14. Other major fires included the 2003 Cedar Fire, the 2007 Zaca Fire, and fires in the summer of 2008 caused by lightning in dry conditions. Learning from these past events can help prevent future wildfire tragedies through better planning and preparedness.