It was first reported at 5:37 PM PDT on October 25, 2003, to the south of Ramona in central San Diego County. The Cedar Fire began in the Cuyamaca Mountains within the Cleveland National Forest. ĭrivers scramble up the embankment to escape from Interstate 15, as the Cedar Fire crosses the freeway In December 2017, the Thomas Fire surpassed the Cedar Fire to become California's largest modern wildfire on record, before the Mendocino Complex Fire's Ranch Fire surpassed both fires to become the state's largest wildfire in August 2018. In November 2018, the Camp Fire (2018) surpassed the Tubbs Fire (which had previously surpassed the 1991 Oakland Firestorm and the Cedar Fire) to become the single most destructive wildfire in California history, in terms of the number of buildings destroyed.

According to CALFIRE, it is also the fifth deadliest and fourth-most destructive wildfire in state history, causing just over $1.3 billion in damages. The fire remains one of the largest wildfires in California history and, as of 2020, the eighth-largest wildfire in the state's modern history. Hotspots continued to burn within the Cedar Fire's perimeter until December 5, 2003, when the fire was fully brought under control. By the time the fire was fully contained on November 4, it had destroyed 2,820 buildings (including 2,232 homes) and killed 15 people, including one firefighter.

The fire's rapid growth was driven by the Santa Ana wind, causing the fire to spread at a rate of 3,600 acres (15 km 2) per hour. The Cedar Fire was a massive, highly-destructive wildfire, which burned 273,246 acres (1,106 km 2) of land in San Diego County, California, during October and November 2003. Cedar Fire (southern California) Show map of southern California

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