In early September, the La Tuna fire ignited in the San Fernando Valley. The fire scorched 7,194 acres, making it the largest wildfire in the city of Los Angeles in 50 years.
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.
The episode as NWS LOX wrote it up.
In early September, the La Tuna fire ignited in the San Fernando Valley. The fire scorched 7,194 acres, making it the largest wildfire in the city of Los Angeles in 50 years. Five homes were destroyed by the fire.
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 Los Angeles, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 1, 1:08 PM PST, 52 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA
208 PM PDT Fri Sep 1 2017
.SYNOPSIS...
Dangerously hot weather will affect the region through Saturday.
There will be a slight chance of afternoon and evening showers
and thunderstorms in the mountains and deserts. The remnants of
a tropical system may track close enough to bring some showers
and thunderstorms to portions of the region Sunday afternoon
through early Monday, along with some cooling. Hot weather is
then expected for much of next week, with a slight chance of
afternoon and evening thunderstorms in the mountains and deserts.
&&
.SHORT TERM...(TDY-MON)
Another very hot day across the area. The biggest day to day jumps
were up along the Central Coast where SLO was 106 at 1:30pm which
was a 24 degree rise from this time yesterday, SMX was 99 and also
26 over yesterday, and even Vandenberg AFB was 99 degrees. All
this courtesy of a combination of strong high pressure aloft and
decent offshore gradients which weaken and delay the sea breeze.
For areas north of Pt Conception Saturday probably not much
change overall. Light northeast flow continues and temps will
likely again top 100 in some areas away from the beaches. Further
south however increasing south to southeast flow associated with a
developing eddy circulation will likely shut down the warming
earlier in the day. So while everywhere will get off to a fast
start thanks to the warm overnight lows and morning offshore flow,
the sea breeze should bring some relief earlier than we've seen
the last couple days, though it will still be a good 6-12 degrees
above normal.
Convection today not quite as organized or robust and so far at
least confined to the mountains. As models had shown this morning
the best chances for development appear to be in the SB Mtns where
the best instability exists. The flow aloft is favorable for
storms, should they develop, to drift off over the valleys so will
have to keep a close eye on that. Tomorrow looks somewhat less
favorable for convection and best chances would be in the eastern
San Gab mtns.
Forecast gets quite complicated Sunday into Monday as we start to
see the moisture moving in from TS Lidia. What's left of the the
circulation center is expected to remain well southwest of the
area, however moisture wrapping around it from the southeast
should impact at least the southern half of the forecast area
Sunday and Sunday night and likely reach SLO county. Pwats
increase to over 2" Sunday afternoon and with some instability
with it there's a decent chance, assuming the forecast track is
reasonably close, that we'll see some showers and thunderstorms
by Sunday afternoon. And chances are pretty equal everywhere,
though somewhat better towards the south closer to the remnant
low.
The temperature forecast will be very tricky as we'll still be
dealing with offshore gradients and some better easterly support
aloft with what's left of Lidia, but then likely plenty of clouds
and potential showers/storms. Even with fairly thick clouds a
scenario like this could still see highs in the 90s for inland
coast/valleys with some lower 100's possible. But if there's
widespread precip than temps will definitely be cooler. Obviously
quite a but more humid with the tropical air mass in place so any
cooling would likely be offset but the muggier air.
Going into Monday the moisture will start to exit to the west as
the remnant low shoots out over the Pacific. Still some lingering
shower/storm chances in the morning, especially northern and
western areas, then for the afternoon just some small chances over
the interior. Temperatures still quite warm and muggy, though
decent onshore trends should bring some relief to at least the
coast/valley areas.
.LONG TERM...(TUE-FRI)
After the leftovers of Lidia exit the area Monday we should see a
slow climb in temperatures through the rest of the week as high
pressure strengthens over the Great Basin. The ECMWF wasn't quite
as far west with the expansion of the high as it had shown in
earlier runs and now looks pretty similar to the GFS, so while
some warming is expected highs aren't expected to be quite as hot
as they were and certainly not like they've been the last couple
days. The other big difference being a fairly persistent onshore
flow which is expected to strengthen as we go through the week so
we should also see a return of some marine lyr clouds to coastal
areas. There's still a favorable upper level flow pattern to allow
monsoon moisture in from the southeast so will keep the slight
chances of showers and storms over the mountains and Antelope
Valley going each day.
&&
.AVIATION...01/1700Z.
At 17Z, there was no marine layer at KLAX.
VFR conditions are expected throughout the period, except for a
chance of VLIFR to LIFR conditions, mainly north of Point
Conception.
KLAX...VFR conditions are expected throughout the period. No wind
issues are expected at this time. There is a 10 percent chance of
VLIFR to LIFR conditions between 12Z and 15Z.
KBUR...VFR conditions are expected throughout the period. No wind
issues are expected at this time.
&&
.MARINE...01/900 AM.
Conditions will likely remain below advisory levels through
Sunday. There will be local gusts to 25 kt during the afternoon
and evening hours through the weekend, especially near Point
Conception and the Santa Barbara and San Pedro Channels.
Isolated thunderstorms will continue across the Outer Coastal
Waters this morning, then activity should increase over the
weekend as Tropical Storm Lidia moves north into the offshore
coastal waters. The cyclone, currently over Southern Baja
California, or about 750 miles southeast of Point Conception could
bring showers and thunderstorms, with possible heavy downpours,
gusty winds, and cloud-to-ocean lightning.
&&
.LOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...Heat Advisory in effect until 10 PM PDT Saturday for zones
34-35-39-40. (See LAXNPWLOX).
Excessive Heat Warning in effect until 10 PM PDT Saturday for
zones 36>38-41-44>46-51>54-59-88-547. (See LAXNPWLOX).
PZ...NONE.
&&
.HAZARD POTENTIAL OUTLOOK...(MON-FRI)
No significant hazards expected.
&&
PUBLIC...MW
AVIATION...Hall
MARINE...Hall
SYNOPSIS...DB
weather.gov/losangeles1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
The La Tuna Fire burned 7,194 acres in the San Fernando Valley. The fire destroyed five homes in the area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in California in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in California, September 2017
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: 718132.