Corral Fire in Merced County sparked by human activity on Jan. 27

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First discovered: four months ago, 4:05 p.m. Jan. 27

Initial location: Merced County, Calif.

Fire type: Wildfire

Fire name: Corral

A new wildfire was reported 4:05 p.m. Jan. 27 at in Merced County, California.

Corral Fire has been burning on state land for four months. It is suspected that it was triggered by human activity, such as debris and open burning. Currently, there are no details on the containment of the fire.

Historic data

NIFC statistics for 2024 show that humans caused 8,011 fires in California, resulting in 990,939 acres of wildland burned.

Source: National Interagency Fire Center

United Robots Sacramento

This story was originally published May 20, 2026 at 3:33 PM.