California, 2020

Wildfire in California, December 1 to 3, 2020

December 1 to 3, 2020 · NWS STO · 1 event in 1 county or zone

For the first few days of December, 1 out of the 4 wildfires, the North Complex, from earlier this summer continued to burn across northern California. The LNU and SCU complexes were controlled or extinguished in the month of October, while the August Complex became controlled in mid November.

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 STO wrote it up.

For the first few days of December, 1 out of the 4 wildfires, the North Complex, from earlier this summer continued to burn across northern California. The LNU and SCU complexes were controlled or extinguished in the month of October, while the August Complex became controlled in mid November.

The North Complex, spanning portions of Plumas and Butte counties, was also started by lightning on August 17 at 8AM PST. Fire activity occurred for the month of August, but extreme fire growth happened during the month of September due to a strong offshore wind event. Per the US Forest Service there were 16 fatalities and 2,455 structures destroyed. Containment date was announced on December 4, 2020 along with a report of 15 responder injuries.

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 Nov 30, 2:38 PM PST, 9 hours 22 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 30, 2:38 PM PST, 9 hours 22 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Sacramento CA
238 PM PST Mon Nov 30 2020

.SYNOPSIS...
Persistent dry weather will continue with mostly clear skies and
above average high temperatures. Breezy north to east winds are
expected Tuesday into Wednesday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Quiet weather continues today with some scattered high clouds
pushing south over Northern California. Temperatures are
generally mild, in the 60s across most of the Valley with 40s and
50s over the higher elevations. Light north to northwesterly flow
will continue through the day.

The trough that brought us these mostly high clouds is forecast
to continue to push inland to our north and east. As it does,
this will cause pressure gradients to tighten as high pressure
builds in over our area. Subsequently breezy north to easterly
flow is expected to increase by Tuesday morning with breezy
conditions continuing over the Northern Sierra Tuesday night into
Wednesday morning.

Patchy morning frost will continue to be possible as this high
pressure pattern remains in place. Lows in the Valley are
forecast to generally be in the 30s with some areas in the San
Joaquin Valley dipping below freezing.

&&
.EXTENDED DISCUSSION (Friday THROUGH Monday)...

Dry and mild weather will continue under ridging over the west
coast throughout the extended forecast period. There is high
confidence we will likely remain dry with little day to day change for
the first half of December as indicated by cluster analysis. We
will continue to see above average high temperatures and cool
morning lows, closer to climatology. This pattern will also
continue to yield inversions that will keep the upper foothills
and lower mountain regions a bit warmer than average overnight.
Stay tuned as models are hinting at a pattern change some time mid
month with some possible moisture returning to our area.
&&

.AVIATION...

VFR conditions with winds generally under 10 kts. MVFR possible
KSAC and KMOD due to BR around 12-17 UTC. Increasing winds over
Northern Sacramento Valley terminals expected after 6 UTC with
gusts to 15 knots by 16 UTC.
&&

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

Event by event

1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.

Wildfire, Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley

When
December 1, 12:00 AM PST to December 3, 6:00 PM PST
Where
Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley forecast zone
Reported by
Fire Department/Rescue

The North Complex, spanning portions of Plumas and Butte counties, was also started by lightning on August 17 at 8AM PST and continued through the month of September. Extreme fire growth happened just after Labor Day due to a strong offshore wind event. Per the US Forest Service there were 15 responder injuries, 16 fatalities, and 2,455 structures destroyed. As of January 20, the date when this is being prepared, updated information was released about the fire, including that it was declared contained on December 3, 2020. Time of containment is estimated since it was not provided.

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 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in California, December 2020

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: 929486.