Wildfire in California, July 1 to 19, 2021

Name: Wildfire in California, July 1 to 19, 2021
Start: 2021-07-01T00:00
End: 2021-07-19T18:00
Location: California

July 1 to 19, 2021 · NWS STO · 1 event in 1 county or zone

The Salt Fire began when weather conditions were very dry with prolonged heat in the area. Gusty south winds of 15-25 mph also impacted the area.

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.

The Salt Fire began when weather conditions were very dry with prolonged heat in the area. Gusty south winds of 15-25 mph also impacted the area. The fire experienced a rapid rate of spread in the afternoon and evening hours due to ongoing drought conditions and breezy diurnal winds in the region.

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 Jun 30, 1:21 PM PST, 10 hours 39 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 30, 1:21 PM PST, 10 hours 39 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Sacramento CA
221 PM PDT Wed Jun 30 2021

.SYNOPSIS...
Isolated mountain thunderstorms near the Sierra Crest and east of
the Crest each afternoon and evening into the weekend. Otherwise
quiet and warm.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Visible satellite this afternoon is showing mostly clear skies
across interior Northern California except for cumulus building
over the mountains. A trough moving trough the Pacific NW has
broken down the high pressure ridge over northern California
today and is bringing an increase in onshore flow. Temperatures
will moderate across the region through the weekend compared to
temperatures seen earlier this week, especially in the southern
Sacramento Valley and northern San Joaquin Valley. However,
warmer than normal temperatures are forecast to continue for
areas generally north of Interstate 80 since the onshore flow will
not reach those areas as well. Periods of slightly gusty winds
are expected in the afternoons and evenings, especially in the
Delta region.

The monsoon high continues to build over the Desert SW through the
weekend. This will bring moisture over the Sierra, causing a
chance of isolated thunderstorms every afternoon and evening. For
the most part, the forcing remains over the high Sierra with
little chance of thunderstorms making it to the lower elevations.
Best chance today remains south of Interstate 80 with coverage
potentially spreading north Friday and Saturday. However,
thunderstorms are mostly expected to remain near and east of the
crest. Some precipitation is expected in the core of the
thunderstorms with PWATS of 0.5 to 1 inch forecast. However, can't
rule out the potential for fire starts due to lightning,
especially if lightning strikes outside of the core. -HEC

&&

.EXTENDED DISCUSSION (Sunday THROUGH Wednesday)...

Ensembles favor a weak trough developing along the West Coast
early next week. Thunderstorm chances expected to continue Sunday
along the northern Sierra crest, then the thunderstorm threat is
expected to shift east as drier (more stable) mid/upper level
airmass moves in with southwesterly flow aloft. Near normal highs
are expected in Delta influenced areas with highs around 5-10
degrees above average for areas further inland.
&&

.AVIATION...

VFR conditions over NorCal during the next 24 hours. A few gusts
to 30 mph possible through the Delta at times.

&&

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

Event by event

1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.

Wildfire, Shasta Lake/North Shasta County

When: July 1, 12:00 AM PST to July 19, 6:00 PM PST
Where: Shasta Lake/North Shasta County forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service

The Salt Fire began on June 30, 2021, near Lakehead by Shasta Lake, in Shasta-Trinity National Forest in Shasta County. The fire was determined to be caused by a vehicle. I-5 was closed to traffic on the morning of July 1 but was opened again later that day. Offramps near the fire were closed for several days. The fire burned 12,660 acres and caused evacuations through the area, with 27 homes and 14 outbuildings destroyed and damaged four additional outbuildings. No injuries reported. The Salt Fire burned into the Delta and Hirz Fire on July 6. The fire was not fully contained until 600 pm, July 19, 2021.

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

Every storm in California in 2021 Every state in 2021 This day in weather history Warnings in California, July 2021

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: 970260.