California, 1996

Wildfire in California, May 11 to 12, 1996

May 11 to 12, 1996 · NWS LOX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

On Mother's Day, hot Santa Ana winds helped fuel a brush fire near the University of California at Riverside. The fire burned over 300 acres, including property owned by Kappa Alpha fraternity.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS LOX wrote it up.

On Mother's Day, hot Santa Ana winds helped fuel a brush fire near the University of California at Riverside. The fire burned over 300 acres, including property owned by Kappa Alpha fraternity. Three cars and two mobile homes were destroyed.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

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Event by event

1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.

Wildfire, Riverside

When
May 11, 4:00 PM PST to May 12, 10:00 AM PST
Where
Riverside County, Riverside
Coordinates
33.744, -115.994 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Wildfire
A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in California in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in California, May 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5545327.