California, 2019

Wildfire in California, August 22 to 26, 2019

August 22 to 26, 2019 · NWS STO · 1 event in 1 county or zone

High pressure brought hot and dry weather to northern California from August 23 through August 26, 2019. Temperatures were forecast to be 5 to 10 degrees above normal.

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
3
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.

High pressure brought hot and dry weather to northern California from August 23 through August 26, 2019. Temperatures were forecast to be 5 to 10 degrees above normal.

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 Aug 22, 1:38 AM PST, 8 hours 24 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 22, 1:38 AM PST, 8 hours 24 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Sacramento CA
238 AM PDT Thu Aug 22 2019

.SYNOPSIS...
Above average temperatures are expected into next week. Dry
weather pattern continues.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Latest satellite imagery indicates high clouds spreading SEwd
across interior NorCal as upper level trough moves through the
PacNW. Therefore, cloud cover has kept current temperatures
generally 5 to 15 degrees warmer than 24 hours ago.

Above normal temperatures are expected through the forecast
period as the upper trough exits the region, and strong high
pressure builds over NorCal. Northerly winds will develop behind
the trough, boosting high temperatures a degree or two compared
to yesterday's readings. Valley locations should see temperatures
in the mid 90s to around 104, while highs in the low 70s to mid
80s are expected over the mountains. These forecast highs will
range from 5 to 10 degrees above normal. Overnight lows will
provide some relief from the hot daytime temperatures, with Valley
readings in the 60s.

&&

.EXTENDED DISCUSSION (Monday THROUGH Thursday)...

Upper high extends NW from the Desert SW over interior NorCal as
EPAC high extends inland. Weak upper low lifts from the SW over
NorCal Wednesday into Thursday. This will result in gradual
downward trend in high temperatures, but continued above normal
temperatures with triple digit heat in the Northern Sacramento
Valley and upper 90s elsewhere in the Central Valley. Dry weather
forecast through the extended period.

&&

.AVIATION...

VFR conds ovr Intr NorCal nxt 24 hrs. Sfc wnds genly blo 12 kts
exc lcl gsts to 25 kts in Delta and ovr hyr trrn this aftn into
tngt.

&&

.STO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.
&&

Event by event

1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.

Wildfire, Northern Sacramento Valley

When
August 22, 10:02 AM PST to August 26, 4:00 PM PST
Where
Northern Sacramento Valley forecast zone
Injuries
3 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by
Fire Department/Rescue

CalFire reported that a wildfire occurred on the morning of August 22 and lasted through the evening of August 26. This fire was named the Mountain Fire and burned 600 acres of land. It damaged 5 residential buildings and 2 additional structures in addition to destroying 7 residential buildings and 7 other structures. A local news paper also reported that about 14 wooden power poles were damaged and that the local power company worked actively to replace them. CalFire also noted that there were 3 cases of minor injuries, and that all the victims were treated and released. There were numerous evacuations, around 3,885 residents, and road closures within the area which were all lifted on the by the evening of August 24.

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 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in California, August 2019

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: 854518.