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Note:This page contains AI-generated content for informational and entertainment purposes only. It may contain inaccuracies. Raw event data is from USGS and EMSC. All statistics, lists, and derived information are generated by this site. Full disclaimerFound an error?
Location:
42 km E of Fort Bidwell, California
Period:
31 Jul 2014 22:26:32 - 3 Aug 2014 22:16:00 (2 days 23 hours 49 minutes)
Volcanoes in 100km radius:
None
Earthquakes:
51
19 swarms found nearby.
2014
4 Aug
5 days 7 hours
82 earthquakes
18 Aug
2 days 20 hours
111 earthquakes
23 Aug
1 day 19 hours
27 earthquakes
28 Aug
2 days 2 hours
36 earthquakes
14 Sep
2 days 23 hours
44 earthquakes
1 Oct
1 day 19 hours
30 earthquakes
30 Oct
2 days 7 hours
40 earthquakes
4 Nov
55 days 22 hours
1792 earthquakes
30 Dec
38 days 0 hours
1571 earthquakes
2015
11 Feb
26 days 3 hours
529 earthquakes
15 Jul
4 days 9 hours
258 earthquakes
26 Jul
9 days 5 hours
152 earthquakes
10 Aug
10 days 1 hours
158 earthquakes
30 Aug
2 days 7 hours
43 earthquakes
13 Sep
32 days 6 hours
545 earthquakes
18 Nov
6 days 21 hours
137 earthquakes
24 Dec
18 days 2 hours
467 earthquakes
2022
S20221208.1(19.4km)
7 Dec
2 days 15 hours
44 earthquakes
2025
S20250627.1(13.2km)
26 Jun
2 days 16 hours
38 earthquakes
AI-generated article — for informational and entertainment purposes only. May contain inaccuracies. Full disclaimerFound an error?

Analysis of the July-August 2014 Earthquake Swarm East of Fort Bidwell, California

The earthquake swarm designated S20140801.1 occurred approximately 42 km east of Fort Bidwell in Modoc County, California, within the northeastern portion of the state near the borders with Oregon and Nevada. This sequence began at 22:26 UTC on 31 July 2014 and concluded at 22:16 UTC on 3 August 2014, spanning 71 hours and 49 minutes. During this interval, 51 earthquakes were recorded, with magnitudes ranging from 0.9 to 3.0 and focal depths predominantly between 0 and 4 km.

The events exhibited characteristics typical of swarm activity, featuring a gradual increase in rate followed by a cluster of larger events on 1 August and a subsequent decline without a single dominant mainshock. The largest event reached magnitude 3.0 at 10:13 UTC on 1 August, accompanied by several events of magnitude 2.0–2.4. Depths remained consistently shallow, indicating activity within the uppermost crust.

Geologically, the region lies within the Modoc Plateau, a volcanic province influenced by Basin and Range extension. Normal faulting associated with east-west crustal stretching accommodates tectonic strain in this area. The Warner Mountains to the west and adjacent valleys reflect Miocene to Quaternary volcanic and sedimentary deposits overlying older basement rocks. Quaternary basaltic flows and fault scarps indicate ongoing deformation linked to the broader Walker Lane belt and the northern termination of the Sierra Nevada.

Seismic swarms in this setting often relate to fluid migration or minor magmatic processes within the extensional regime, though no surface rupture or volcanic unrest was associated with this sequence. Historical records show recurrent low-level seismicity in Modoc County, consistent with the distributed fault network of the province.

The shallow nature of the 2014 events aligns with the thin seismogenic layer observed in similar volcanic-extensional terrains of northeastern California. No damage was reported, reflecting the modest magnitudes involved.

References
USGS Earthquake Catalog (earthquake.usgs.gov)
California Geological Survey, Regional Geologic Map Series
USGS Professional Paper on Modoc Plateau Tectonics