Nevada, 2017Wildfire in Nevada, September 1 to 12, 2017
September 1 to 12, 2017 · NWS REV · 1 event in 1 county or zone
Thunderstorms with limited rainfall produced many lightning strikes leading to several new wildfire starts in northwest Nevada and far eastern California on the 29th of August. The Tohakum 2 Fire which started in late August was not 100% contained until early September.
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- 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.
Thunderstorms with limited rainfall produced many lightning strikes leading to several new wildfire starts in northwest Nevada and far eastern California on the 29th of August. The Tohakum 2 Fire which started in late August was not 100% contained until early September.
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 Reno, NV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 31, 7:27 PM PST, 4 hours 33 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 31, 7:27 PM PST, 4 hours 33 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Reno NV
827 PM PDT Thu Aug 31 2017
.UPDATE...
Weak convection remains over the far southern parts of Mono
County...but this is ending. The convection today remained fairly
minimal as high pressure began to build in from the northwest with
drier and more stable air.
Overnight...the presence of this building high will induce
stronger winds from the northeast over many ridges...with lighter
winds in the valleys. This could cause issues with existing fires
overnight as the mid slopes and ridges remain breezy with poor
humidity recovery.
&&
.PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... /Issued 140 PM PDT Thu Aug 31 2017/
SYNOPSIS...
High pressure will provide unseasonably hot temperatures and
light winds into early next week. Areas of wildfire smoke and
haze will be possible through the weekend. Moisture begins
increasing by Saturday bringing a return of isolated showers and
storms to the Sierra. Storms spread north and increase in
coverage Sunday into early next week.
SHORT TERM...
High pressure will take hold this weekend to provide hot weather
with high temperatures expected to be about 10 to 15 degrees
above season averages. This will put western Nevada valleys in the
upper 90s to around 100 through Sunday afternoon. If you have
outdoor plans over the holiday weekend keep heat related impacts
in mind and stay hydrated particularly for any strenuous outdoor
activity.
The other concern over the weekend will deal with smoke and haze
from the ample amount of wildfires going on regionally. The most
expansive areas of wildfire smoke remain across northern
California and southern Oregon with more localized wildfire smoke
areas from the Slinkard fire near Topaz Lake and the Tohakum 2
fire by Pyramid Lake. Surface winds will be out of the north
this evening and overnight which will help transport some of this
smoke and haze farther south through Friday morning. This may
produce degraded air quality for western Nevada valleys including
the Burning Man Festival in Black Rock Desert. Overall, winds will
remain rather light through the weekend as high pressure builds,
so mixing of smoke and haze will be rather limited through Sunday.
The Sierra may see some hazy conditions over the weekend but
light easterly flow on Saturday and Sunday should allow the bulk
of it to remain on the west slopes. Fuentes
LONG TERM...
A transition in the upper level pattern will see high pressure
sliding eastward with moisture beginning to filter in along
western periphery of the ridge. This pattern would favor
development of showers and thunderstorms across the Sierra mainly
by Sunday afternoon. As moisture increases, thunderstorms should
become more widespread with Tuesday and Wednesday of next week
showing the best potential thus far to see the best chances and
coverage for showers and storms. The increased moisture will also
yield more cloud cover which will help high temperatures cool a
few degrees each day into the middle of next week. Fuentes
AVIATION...
VFR conditions are expected through the weekend. Light north to
northeast winds will remain in place through Friday morning which
may help transport and settle areas of smoke and haze through
western Nevada valleys. Surface visibilities around 3 miles are
possible from Susanville to Pyramid Lake and the Black Rock City
Airport (88NV) Friday morning. Otherwise dry conditions will
prevail with a return of isolated Sierra showers and thunderstorms
as early as Sunday afternoon with increasing chances and coverage
into early next week. Fuentes
&&
.REV Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
NV...None.
CA...None.
&&
For more information from the National Weather Service visit...
http://weather.gov/reno
Wildfire, Western Nevada Basin and Range
- When
- September 1, 12:00 AM PST to September 12, 11:59 PM PST
- Where
- Western Nevada Basin and Range forecast zone
- Reported by
- Newspaper
- Coordinates
- 39.927, -118.898 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Tohakum 2 Fire burned 94,221 acres approximately 40 miles north of Nixon, Nevada, between August 29th and September 12th. No exact end time was found for this incident. No structures were lost, but power lines were damaged and traffic on Nevada 447 was affected by flames and smoke for several days, making travel difficult for Burning Man attendees headed to the Black Rock Desert. The fire was suspected to be started by a lightning strike from a high-based thunderstorm. The cost to fight the fire was at least $3.5M.
- 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.
- Excessive Heat in California, September 1, 20176 deaths · 2 events
- Flash Flooding and Hail in North Carolina, September 1, 2017$12 million · 2.75 in hail · 22 events
- Flash Flooding and Heavy Rain in Tennessee, September 1 to 2, 2017$275,000 · 16 events
- Flash Flood and Flood in Kentucky, September 1 to 5, 2017$350,000 · 2 events
- Wildfire in California, September 1 to 15, 20176 injured · 1 event
- Damaging Winds and Lightning Strikes in Florida, September 1, 20171 injured · $51,000 · 52 kt wind · 4 events
- Flash Flooding in Kentucky, September 1, 2017$50,000 · 11 events
- Wildfire in California, September 1 to 24, 20175 injured · 1 event
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Florida, September 1, 2017$2,000 · 52 kt wind · 17 events
- High Surf in Hawaii, September 1 to 3, 201717 events
- Drought in South Dakota, September 1 to 30, 201716 events
- Drought in Montana, September 1 to 30, 201715 events
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: 722762.