QuakeIndex

Fault · California

Pitas Point fault

111 kmlong (69 mi), as mapped
1–5 mm/yrhow fast it slips
< 15,000 yearssince it last broke the surface
49quakes of M2.5+ within 10 km since 2016

In plain English

The two sides move 1 to 5 mm a year — 10 to 50 cm (4 to 20 inches) every century.

Its most recent surface rupture is younger than 15,000 years.

The largest earthquake recorded near it was M 7.1 in 1812 (Santa Barbara Channel, California) — about 1,400,000 times the energy of an M3.0, the size people start to feel. It released about 670 kilotons of TNT.

USGS maps it as 2 sections: North Channel section, Pitas Point section.

This week vs. its last ten years

0/100

quiet

0 quakes of M1.5+ within 5 km of the trace in the last 7 days — busier than 0% of weeks since 2016. A normal week: 0–0.

Computed from the USGS catalogue · a description of the past, not a forecast · method

San Andreas faultGarlock faultSanta Ynez faultSan Gabriel faultSierra Madre faultHosgri faultCatalina faultOak Ridge fault (offshore)Mission Ridge fault systemSanta Cruz Island faultMalibu Coast faultSanta Cruz faultDume faultOak Ridge faultSimi-Santa Rosa faultSan Cayetano faultMid-Channel faultRed Mountain faultPleito faultWheeler Ridge faultLos Alamos faultVentura faultIsla Vista fault M 7.1 · 1812 · Santa Barbara Channel, California M 6.8 · 1925 · The 1925 Santa Barbara, California Earthquake M 6.3 · 1821 · Northwest of Santa Barbara, California M 6.0 · 1854 · Near Santa Barbara, California
The Pitas Point fault as mapped at the surface (glowing), with the other mapped faults nearby, 49 of the M2.5+ earthquakes within 10 km of it since 2016 (dots), and the epicentres of the large historic earthquakes recorded near it (rings). Traces: USGS Quaternary Fault and Fold Database. Historic epicentres are estimates.

Every year since 2016

Earthquakes of M2.5+ with an epicentre within 10 km of the mapped trace. Near is not the same as on: some will have slipped on neighbouring faults.

The big ones recorded near it

  1. M 7.1 Santa Barbara Channel, California
    December 21, 1812 · epicentre 16 km from the trace
  2. M 6.8 The 1925 Santa Barbara, California Earthquake
    June 29, 1925 · epicentre 2 km from the trace
  3. M 6.3 Northwest of Santa Barbara, California
    January 1, 1821 · epicentre 22 km from the trace
  4. M 6.0 Near Santa Barbara, California
    May 31, 1854 · epicentre 16 km from the trace
  5. M 4.1 12 km W of Isla Vista, California
    May 17, 2017 · epicentre 5 km from the trace

Before 1973 from the USGS ComCat historical catalogue (within 25 km; epicentres of old earthquakes are estimates). Since 2016, M4+ within 10 km.

Most recent near it

  1. M 2.5 7 km SE of Carpinteria, CA
    2026-04-02 · 6 km from the trace
  2. M 2.8 7 km SE of Carpinteria, CA
    2026-03-13 · 6 km from the trace
  3. M 2.9 6 km SE of Carpinteria, CA
    2026-03-10 · 6 km from the trace
  4. M 2.9 9 km S of Carpinteria, CA
    2025-12-26 · 2 km from the trace
  5. M 2.5 19 km W of Isla Vista, CA
    2025-11-09 · 6 km from the trace
  6. M 2.7 11 km SSE of Isla Vista, CA
    2025-07-03 · 1 km from the trace

Neighbouring faults

Fault trace, slip rate and age: USGS Quaternary Fault and Fold Database (public domain), simplified for the web. Earthquakes: USGS ComCat. QuakeIndex does not forecast earthquakes; a fault's history describes the past. For early warning use ShakeAlert.