There is a wildfire here in central coast CA and im curious why they call it an "indian fire"?

Question

Is it the way it was started or is there a town called "Indian" ? i feel kinda stupid asking because i live here but im curious.

Answer 1

They should not be calling it an Indian fire. An Indian fire is set intentionally for land management purposes. If I'm not mistaken, the fires in California were started by lightning, right?

Answer 2

How fires get their names

Every year in California thousands of wildfires start throughout the state. In most cases, the dispatch center sending the initial resources to a wildland fire will designate a name for the fire, but the first on scene engine or fire official can also name the incident. Fires are usually named for the area in which they start – a geographical location, local landmark, street, lake, mountain, peak, etc. Quickly naming the fire provides responding fire resources with an additional locater, and allows fire officials to track and prioritize incidents by name. For example during the Southern California Fire Siege of 2003, the largest wildland fire in California history, the Cedar Fire in San Diego County, was named after the Cedar Creek Falls area where it started. The destructive Old Fire, which burned during the same time period in San Bernardino County, was named after the road along which it started - Old Waterman Canyon Road.

Answer 3

Are you talking about the Goleta fire in the Santa Barbara area? or Big Sur?

I haven't heard any of these fires called this.

Answer 4

It is the "Indians Fire".  They are typically named based on where they started.  Apparently there is something there named "Indians" whether it is a creek or a road, or whatever.