California, 2016

Wildfire in California, July 1 to 18, 2016

July 1 to 18, 2016 · NWS STO · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A period of heat and low humidity increased wildfire danger at the beginning of July.

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 STO wrote it up.

A period of heat and low humidity increased wildfire danger at the beginning of July.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Sacramento, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 30, 9:20 PM PST, 2 hours 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 30, 9:20 PM PST, 2 hours 40 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Sacramento CA
1020 PM PDT THU JUN 30 2016

.SYNOPSIS...
Hot and mainly dry this week. A slight cooling trend starting
this weekend and continuing through the week. Isolated late day
thunderstorms possible over the Sierra Friday and Saturday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Weaker Delta Breeze and shallower marine layer (1200 ft tonite
compared to 1800 ft last nite) than last night suggests a milder
nite over Norcal than last nite...if not rather warm over the
thermal belt areas...Nrn Sac Vly and foothills on the lee-side of
the Coastal Range. Have updated the min temps tonite to show this
trend of warmer overnite lows at most of our forecast locations.

The shallower marine layer could be conducive for a warmer day on
Fri than the current forecasts indicate especially in the Delta
influenced areas. We will take a closer look at this for the morning
package. The 01/00z BC grids are coming in with mainly upper 90s for
the immediate Delta influenced areas for maxes on Fri. This may be
the result of slight synoptic cooling from the slight lowering of 5H
heights from the sagging baggy coastal trof.

Friday highs are expected to be 5-10 degrees above normal. Cooling
trend begins Saturday into early next week, as an upper trough along
the Pacific Northwest moves inland.

Temperatures will remain near to slightly above normal during this
period. Expect Valley highs in the low to mid 90s, but the
northern Valley should remain in the upper 90s.

Model guidance suggests some monsoonal moisture moving northward
on Friday. Thus, there is a slight chance of late afternoon
thunderstorms Friday and Saturday over the Sierra. Otherwise,
expect dry conditions for the rest of interior northern
California.

&&

.EXTENDED DISCUSSION (Monday THROUGH Thursday)

A weak upper trough will persist over the Pacific Northwest into
extreme NorCal next week, resulting in dry weather and near
normal temperatures. Onshore, southwest winds may be breezy over
higher terrain with a standard Delta Breeze. Expect high
temperatures in the 90s across the Valley, with 70s and 80s over
the mountains.         JClapp

&&

.AVIATION...

VFR conditions the next 24 hours. Light W-SW flight level 10K MSL
winds with gusty terrain-driven surface winds over mountains while
the Delta Breeze will increase again this afternoon and evening.
JClapp

&&

.STO Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
None.
&&

Event by event

1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.

Wildfire, Motherlode/Camptonville to Groveland

When
July 1, 12:00 AM PST to July 18, 11:59 PM PST
Where
Motherlode/Camptonville to Groveland forecast zone
Reported by
Fire Department/Rescue

The Trailhead Fire started on June 28th and continued until containment on July 18th. The cause is still under investigation. There were a total of 5646 acres burned, with a total of 3 firefighters injured. The were 2600 structures threatened, with extensive evacuations in the area around Todd Valley and Forest Hill.

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 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in California, July 2016

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: 650493.