Wildfire, S Sierra Foothills
- When
- July 16, 2:56 PM PST to July 31, 11:59 PM PST
- Where
- S Sierra Foothills forecast zone
- Reported by
- State Official
Wildfire in California, July 16 to 31, 2017
The Detwiler Fire began on July 16, 2017, 15 miles northwest of Mariposa, CA. It was human caused.
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 HNX wrote it up.
The Detwiler Fire began on July 16, 2017, 15 miles northwest of Mariposa, CA. It was human caused. It burned 81,826 acres, resulting in 63 residences, 67 minor structures and 1 commercial structure being destroyed with another 13 residences and 8 minor structures damaged. The fire forced the evacuation of several small rural communities for as long as 10 days and also the entire town of Mariposa (population 18,000) for 3 days. Parts of Highways 41, 49, and 140 were closed at times during the fire. The fire was 90 percent contained on July 31, 2017, but no additional growth occurred before it was completely contained on August 24, 2017. Cost of containment was $87 Million.
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 Hanford, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 16, 12:33 PM PST, 2 hours 23 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 16, 12:33 PM PST, 2 hours 23 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service San Joaquin Valley - Hanford CA 133 PM PDT Sun Jul 16 2017 .SYNOPSIS...Skies will remain partly cloudy through this evening due to a weak disturbance moving northeastward from the coast; however, isolated thunderstorms remain a possibility along the Sierra crest. Otherwise, high pressure will continue to provide above normal temperatures, but slightly lower, for the next few days. && .DISCUSSION...Mid-level clouds continue to stream up from the coast into the San Joaquin Valley and the Sierra Nevada due to a weak disturbance. The mid-level moisture appears relatively shallow and likely will not result in additional shower activity in the San Joaquin Valley. However, enough instability remains over the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada, so isolated thunderstorms could develop mainly from Yosemite to Sequoia NP until this evening. Today's and Monday's high temperatures will remain several degrees above average in much of the region, as the high pressure ridge remains in place. This ridge will weaken a little by Tuesday and move further eastward, and southwest flow aloft will likely remain, at least over northern portions of our forecast area until at least late in the week. Temperatures are expected to moderate and lower a few degrees in some areas, but will still remain at least slightly above average. There is a bit of uncertainty regarding the forecast beyond Tuesday. There is a small chance that some subtropical moisture could return to our area by the middle of the week. Some of the latest model runs did show a little increase in this moisture by this time. However, decided to keep the forecast dry for the next several days, including over the Sierra Nevada crest, as would like to wait and see if model solutions become more consistent. As for next weekend, there will likely be little change in weather or temperatures. At this time, models are generally showing little change in the weather pattern, and little to no subtropical moisture expected to reach our area. && .AVIATION... Areas of smoke from wildfires will persist across the Sierra Nevada and the west side of the San Joaquin Valley for at least the next 24 hours. Isolated thunderstorms are possible over the Sierra Nevada thru 04Z this evening. Otherwise, VFR conditions will prevail across the central CA interior during the next 24 hours. && .AIR QUALITY ISSUES... please see SFOAQAHNX && .CERTAINTY... The level of certainty for days 1 and 2 is medium. The level of certainty for days 3 through 7 is medium. Certainty levels include low...medium...and high. Please visit www.weather.gov/hnx/certainty.php for additional information an/or to provide feedback. && .HNX Watches/Warnings/Advisories... NONE. && public...BSO avn/fw...Bean synopsis...BSO weather.gov/hanford
Event by event
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
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
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Arizona, July 16 to 17, 2017
- Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in South Carolina, July 16, 2017
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Ohio, July 16, 2017
- Flash Flood and Flooding in Ohio, July 16, 2017
- Flooding in Indiana, July 16 to 21, 2017
- Damaging Winds in North Dakota, July 16, 2017
- Flash Flood and Damaging Winds in Georgia, July 16 to 17, 2017
- Damaging Wind in Arizona, July 16, 2017
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Montana, July 16, 2017
- Flash Flooding and Hail in South Carolina, July 16, 2017
- Waterspouts in South Atlantic Coastal Waters, July 16, 2017
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Ohio, July 16, 2017
More
Every storm in California in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in California, July 2017
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: 709513.