Name: Wildfire in California, September 5, 2019
Start: 2019-09-05T12:19
End: 2019-09-05T12:45
Location: California

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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.

An upper level low with embedded disturbances brought isolated showers and thunderstorms to the region. Model data indicated that any available moisture would be|above 700 millibars so rainfall with any thunderstorms would be limited. These conditions, combined with seasonably dry fuels and moderate to poor humidity recoveries, led to fire weather concerns for northern California.

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 Sep 5, 2:11 AM PST, 10 hours 8 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 5, 2:11 AM PST, 10 hours 8 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Sacramento CA
311 AM PDT Thu Sep 5 2019

.SYNOPSIS...
Isolated northern mountain thunderstorms this morning then over
the Sierra this afternoon. Dry Friday and through the weekend. No
significant weather through next week. A little above normal
temperatures today and Friday then near to below normal over the
weekend and next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Norcal remains under southerly flow aloft between high pressure
over the four corners U.S. and a closed low off the north coast. A
short wave disturbance pivoting northward in this southerly flow
is currently bringing isolated showers and thunderstorms to the
coast range and the northeast part of the state although most of
this shower activity is outside the CWA at this time. A few rain
gauges picked up some light precipitation to up to around 2 tenths
of an inch. Considering precipitation and that most activity is
outside the CWA, will drop Red Flag warning currently in place for
the northern mountains. The shower activity is expected to move
northward out of the forecast area later this morning. Attention
will then shift to the Sierra Cascade range this afternoon where
southerly flow and monsoon moisture will generate isolated
thunderstorms. Highest moisture is still located above 700 mb so
although rainfall is expected, heavy precipitation is not. The
overall airmass cools slightly today as the main upper low pushes
towards the north coast but daytime highs are still expected to
come in a little above normal.

The offshore upper low is forecast to open and shift into the
Pacific Northwest tonight and Friday morning taking any
precipitation chances with it. Airmass under brief ridging on
Friday will continue daytime highs a little above normal for the
end of the work week.

Another weaker Pacific trough is forecast to push through the
Pacific Northwest and Norcal on Saturday and Sunday. At this time,
models keep any precipitation associated with this trough to the
north of the forecast area so CWA remains dry through the weekend.
The main impact of this trough passage will be increased onshore
flow and a fairly significant cooling of daytime highs over the
weekend. Daytime highs Saturday and Sunday are forecast at a few
to several degrees below normal for early September.

&&

.EXTENDED DISCUSSION (Monday THROUGH Thursday)...

Mean trough forecast along the West Coast next week with
temperatures near or slightly below average. Pattern expected to
be dry except for low precipitation chances near the Oregon
border.
&&

.AVIATION...

Local MVFR conditions vicinity isolated thunderstorms Coast
Range, northern mountains and northern Sierra Nevada. Decreasing
storm coverage after 20Z as storms shift north and east out of the
area. Otherwise, VFR conditions expected. Local southwesterly
wind gusts 15-25 kts Delta, and southerly northern Sacramento
Valley 21Z-03Z.
&&

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

Event by event

2 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.

Wildfire, Mountains Southwest Shasta County to Northern Lake County

When: September 5, 12:19 PM PST
Where: Mountains Southwest Shasta County to Northern Lake County forecast zone
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue

On September 5 thunderstorms developed over interior northern California sparking several wildfires within the region. This particular fire was named the Red Bank Fire and it grew up to 8,838 acres. This fire damaged or destroyed 2 structures and caused road closures and mandatory evacuations. Evacuations were lifted by the evening of September 8.

Wildfire, Mountains Southwest Shasta County to Northern Lake County

When: September 5, 12:45 PM PST
Where: Mountains Southwest Shasta County to Northern Lake County forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service

On September 5 thunderstorms developed over interior northern California sparking several wildfires within the region. This particular fire was named the South Fire and it grew up to 5,332 acres, with the majority of the fire growth occurring between September 5-21. Terrain is steep and rugged out there, which made containment difficult and called for road closures at times. The last major update that the Shasta-Trinity National Forest Service put out was on September 21, 2019; however, on November 27, 2019 at 10AM PST, they reported the fire was officially 100% contained and controlled.

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 2019 Every state in 2019 This day in weather history Warnings in California, September 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: 858276, 858275.