Wildfire in California, September 1 to 10, 2023

Name: Wildfire in California, September 1 to 10, 2023
Start: 2023-09-01T00:00
End: 2023-09-10T18:00
Location: California

September 1 to 10, 2023 · NWS EKA · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Wildfires that developed after a dry lightning event in mid-August continued to burn in Del Norte, Humboldt, and Trinity counties in Northwest California. One fire, the Smith River Complex, was particularly damaging and is included here.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

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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 EKA wrote it up.

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 Eureka, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 31, 1:47 PM PST, 10 hours 13 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 31, 1:47 PM PST, 10 hours 13 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
National Weather Service Eureka CA
247 PM PDT Thu Aug 31 2023

.SYNOPSIS...Noticeably cooler weather will spread across the area
behind a cold front today and persist through Sunday. In addition,
periods of beneficial showers are expected through Saturday, with
isolated thunderstorms possible. Drier weather is then likely
starting Sunday, with warmer temperatures returning next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...An airmass change is taking place across Northwest
California today as a cold front associated with a digging upper
trough advances east across the region. Gusty west winds
associated with the passing front will continue to impact portions
of Lake and Mendocino County through early evening and then weaken
later tonight. Otherwise, a band of light rain is generally
dissipating as it moves inland late this afternoon. However, an
upper low is forecast to become centered over the region during
the next 24 hours. Ascent and deep-layer moistening associated
with that feature combined with cold air aloft and steepening
lapse rates will aid in widespread shower development,
particularly over Trinity, Humboldt, and Del Norte Counties during
Friday. In addition, a band of heavier showers with embedded
thunderstorms is forecast to move west from Trinity to Humboldt
and Del Norte Counties during early afternoon. Locally higher
rainfall rates will be possible with that band of precipitation.
Otherwise, unseasonably cool weather with highs in the 60s and 70s
will be common across interior valleys Friday and Saturday.

Additional showers will be possible during Saturday, though model
forecast soundings show lapse rates weakening, which may reduce
the threat for thunderstorms. The upper low is then forecast to
open up and begin exiting east Sunday into Monday. Drier weather
will become probable as that takes place, and interior
temperatures will moderate going into next week.

Garner

&&

.AVIATION...Impactful LIFR/IFR conditions were maintained
overnight/morning (less frequently in the early-mid afternoon) at
coastal airports and airfields due to a persistent marine layer.
The stratus layer was temporarily disrupted as cold front clouds
and rain mixed with the lower layers. Visual satellite indicated
distinct texture, and radar confirmed embedded (light)
showers...which moved mainly over Humboldt Bay. Plenty of smoke
(FU) advection continued across the region but was later masked by
the influx of frontal cloudiness. Before midday UKI was reporting
MVFR HZ, and even briefly reported IFR HZ in the afternoon. UKI
also reported routine afternoon gustiness. With frontal conditions
departing the coast this afternoon, low clouds Cig/Vis will most
likely manifest into the evening and overnight beginning with
MVFR/IFR and finally LIFR in the morning. /TA

&&

.MARINE...Post frontal northerlies will gust up to 30 kt across
the southern waters during the next 24 hours, and up to 25 kt
across the northern outer waters. Winds are then forecast to
weaken Friday evening, followed by modest strengthening out of the
south during Saturday. Gusty north winds are then forecast to
return early next week.

Garner

&&

.HYDROLOGY...A band of heavy showers and embedded thunderstorms is
forecast to spread west from Trinity County toward the coast.
Convectively enhanced rainfall rates and generally slow storm
motions will aid in rainfall rates potentially exceeding a half
inch per hour near the River Complex, Smith River Complex, Slater,
and South Fork Complex burn scars from Friday morning through
Friday evening. Reference the latest flash flood products for more
information.

Garner

&&

.EKA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...
     Flash Flood Watch from Friday morning through Friday
     evening for CAZ102.

     Flash Flood Watch from Friday morning through Friday
     evening for CAZ107.

NORTHWEST CALIFORNIA COASTAL WATERS...
     Small Craft Advisory until 11 AM PDT Friday for PZZ455-475.

     Small Craft Advisory from 11 PM this evening to 11 AM PDT
     Friday for PZZ470.

&&

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For forecast zone information
see the forecast zone map online:
https://www.weather.gov/images/eka/zonemap.png

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.

Wildfire, Del Norte Interior

When: September 1, 12:00 AM PST to September 10, 6:00 PM PST
Where: Del Norte Interior forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service
Coordinates: 41.745, -123.958 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Dry thunderstorms produced numerous lightning strikes across the Six Rivers National Forest. Twenty-seven fires developed within the Gasquet Ranger District creating the Smith River Complex. The complex grew in size rapidly in the first couple of weeks of the fire, jumping U.S. highway 199 causing it's closure for 3 weeks and resulting in the evacuation of the town of Gasquet. The fire also destroyed the high tension powerlines powering all of Del Norte County. The county was completely without power through August 25th when generators were installed to power the community. Main transmission lines were not repaired until September 10th when full power was restored. The fire continued to burn through September into October with fewer impacts to the community with a total of 95,000 acres burned plus 2 residences and 3 minor structures destroyed.

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 2023 Every state in 2023 This day in weather history Warnings in California, September 2023

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: 1136323.