July 13: What Happened on This Day in History

• 2021: The western United States experienced an exceptionally early and severe fire season, with the Interagency Fire Center reporting 67 large fires and nearly 918,000 acres of land burned by mid-July 2021. This event highlighted the growing challenges of climate change and its impact on wildfire dynamics.
• 2008: Bronislaw Geremek, a prominent Polish historian, politician, and key figure in Poland's transition from communism, passed away at the age of 76. Geremek was a significant intellectual and political leader who played a crucial role in the Solidarity movement and Poland's democratic transformation.
• 2002: A significant wildfire erupted on July 13, 2002, triggered by a lightning strike. The fire spread rapidly across Oregon and northern California, ultimately consuming 499,570 acres (approximately 2,020 square kilometers) of land. The extensive blaze was finally contained on September 5, 2002, after burning for nearly two months and causing substantial environmental and ecological damage.
• 2000: On July 25, 2000, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak meets with Yasser Arafat, head of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), at Camp David to negotiate a potential peace agreement. Despite intense discussions, the summit concludes without reaching a comprehensive resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
• 1995: NASA launched Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-70, a critical mission to deploy the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS-7) into orbit. This launch was part of NASA's ongoing efforts to expand satellite communication infrastructure for space exploration and scientific research.
• 1994: Jeff Gillooly was sentenced to 2 years in prison for his involvement in the infamous attack on Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan, a shocking incident that rocked the sports world and exposed a dark side of competitive figure skating.
• 1990: On July 13, 1990, a devastating 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck the Hindu Kush region in Afghanistan, triggering a massive avalanche on Lenin Peak (now known as Pik Lenina) in the Soviet Union. The natural disaster resulted in the deadliest mountaineering accident in history, killing 43 climbers at Camp I. The sudden avalanche swept away mountaineers who were unprepared for the catastrophic event, highlighting the extreme risks of high-altitude climbing in seismically active mountain ranges.
• 1985: The New York Yankees honor two of their legendary players by retiring the uniform numbers of Roger Maris (9) and Elston Howard (32), recognizing their significant contributions to the team's history.
• 1981: On July 13, 1981, "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes was the number one song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The track, which became one of the most iconic hits of the early 1980s, was from her album 'Mistaken Identity' and celebrated the legendary Hollywood actress Bette Davis through its memorable lyrics and distinctive sound.
• 1977: Somalia declares war on Ethiopia, initiating a significant regional conflict in the Horn of Africa that would have long-lasting geopolitical implications for both nations and the surrounding region.

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July 13th marks the 194th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (or the 195th in case of leap years).

There are 171 days remaining until the end of the year.

July 13th is the 13th day of the month of July.

What day of the week is July 13?

On July 13th, 2025 the day of the week is Sunday.

Holidays and Observances on July 13

The zodiac sign associated with July 13th is Cancer according to the Western Zodiac.

More about July 13 zodiac

What is special about the Cancer sign?

• Cancer personality traits and attitude
• Cancer most and least compatible signs
• Why July born are so special