California, 2024

Wildfire in California, July 24 to 31, 2024

July 24 to 31, 2024 · NWS STO · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

The Park Fire started around the afternoon of July 24, just east of Chico off Upper Park Road in Upper Bidwell Park. Very hot temperatures, combined with critical fire weather conditions allowed for rapid growth of the fire shortly after ignition prompting multiple evacuations warnings and orders.

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

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 Park Fire started around the afternoon of July 24, just east of Chico off Upper Park Road in Upper Bidwell Park. Very hot temperatures, combined with critical fire weather conditions allowed for rapid growth of the fire shortly after ignition prompting multiple evacuations warnings and orders. The fire continued to burn into August.

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 Jul 24, 1:00 AM PST, 12 hours 52 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 24, 1:00 AM PST, 12 hours 52 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Sacramento CA
200 AM PDT Wed Jul 24 2024

.SYNOPSIS...
Hot again today then cooling trend Thursday into the weekend.
Locally elevated fire weather concerns today and Thursday with
areas of afternoon to evening gusty wind and lower humidity.
Threat of afternoon thunderstorms today near Sierra Nevada crest
eastward.

&&

.Discussion...
597 DM upper high centered over the Great Basin will continue hot
weather across interior NorCal today with widespread moderate to
major heat risk. High temperatures expected to be near or a few
degrees lower than Tuesday. Delta breeze looks to be slightly
stronger today, but cooling effect is limited as marine layer
remains shallow under strong subsidence. Upvalley pressure
gradient increases today with stronger afternoon to evening
southerly wind over the interior. This could result in a short
period of elevated fire weather conditions today and Thursday.
Slight chance of afternoon showers or thunderstorms over higher
elevations of our Sierra Nevada zone, however main activity
expected to be crest eastward similar to the last several days.

Cooling trend Thursday into Friday as heights/thicknesses lower
in response to deep short wave trough moving through the PacNW and
cutoff low progged through the CWA Friday afternoon into night.
Synoptic cooling with deepening marine layer and increased onshore
flow expected. Enhanced midlevel SWly flow should keep any Sierra
Nevada deep moist convection crest eastward. Locally gusty wind
continues to be possible during the afternoons as humidity trends
up into Friday.

Broad upper troughing remains along the West Coast into the
weekend. NBM advertising below normal temperatures Saturday with
mid 80s to lower 90s for the Central Valley and upper 60s to lower
80s for mountains and foothills.

&&

.EXTENDED DISCUSSION (Sunday THROUGH Wednesday)...
Long wave troughing remains along the West Coast through the
weekend keeping high temperatures below normal. Models diverge
with solutions early next week as cluster analysis varying from
unseasonably deep short wave trough moving into the PacNW Tuesday
to strong Desert SW high expanding back northwestward over NorCal
through midweek. NBM favoring a gradual warming trend with high
temperatures returning to near or slight above normal Tuesday into
Wednesday.

&&

.AVIATION...
VFR conditions over interior NorCal next 24 hrs. In Central Vly,
areas Sly sfc wind up to 20 kts possible btwn 20z-05z. Vcnty of
Delta, SWly sfc wind 15-25 kts. Isolated shra/tsra possible vcnty
of Sierra Nevada crest btwn 20z-03z.

&&

.STO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Heat Advisory until 11 PM PDT this evening for Carquinez Strait
and Delta-Central Sacramento Valley-Motherlode-Northeast
Foothills/Sacramento Valley-Northern Sacramento Valley-Northern
San Joaquin Valley-Southern Sacramento Valley.

&&

Event by event

4 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.

Wildfire, Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley

When
July 24, 1:52 PM PST to July 31, 11:59 PM PST
Where
Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley forecast zone
Reported by
Fire Department/Rescue

The Park Fire started around 2 PM on July 24, just east of Chico off Upper Park Road in Upper Bidwell Park. Very hot temperatures, combined with critical fire weather conditions allowed for rapid growth of the fire shortly after ignition prompting multiple evacuations warnings and orders. Within the first 24-30 hours, the fire was mapped at approximately 125,000 acres.

|Red Flag conditions were not being met at the time of ignition, however temperatures reached around 99 to 106 degrees, with relative humidity in the 14 to 25 percent range, and wind gusts of 10 to 25 mph. From July 24rd through the 31st, the heat continued with temperatures peaking around 94 to 106 degrees, and low relative humidity continued, in the 5 to 25 percent range, however winds returned to more of the typical diurnal regime. By July 31st, approximately 391,200 acres had burned with 434 structures destroyed and 39 structures damaged and 18% containment. Tehama County had 338,201 acres burned with 127 structures destroyed and 4 structures damaged. Butte County burned 52,999 acres with 310 destroyed and 38 damaged. The fire was not contained in the month of July.

Wildfire, Mt Shasta/Western Plumas County

When
July 24, 1:52 PM PST to July 31, 11:59 PM PST
Where
Mt Shasta/Western Plumas County forecast zone
Reported by
Fire Department/Rescue

The Park Fire started around 2 PM on July 24, just east of Chico off Upper Park Road in Upper Bidwell Park. Very hot temperatures, combined with critical fire weather conditions allowed for rapid growth of the fire shortly after ignition prompting multiple evacuations warnings and orders. Within the first 24-30 hours, the fire was mapped at approximately 125,000 acres. Red Flag conditions were not being met at the time of ignition, however temperatures reached around 99 to 106 degrees, with relative humidity in the 14 to 25 percent range, and wind gusts of 10 to 25 mph. From July 24rd through the 31st, the heat continued with temperatures peaking around 94 to 106 degrees, and low relative humidity continued, in the 5 to 25 percent range, however winds returned to more of the typical diurnal regime. By July 31st, approximately 391,200 acres had burned with 434 structures destroyed and 39 structures damaged and 18% containment. Tehama County had 338,201 acres burned with 127 structures destroyed and 4 structures damaged. Butte County burned 52,999 acres with 310 destroyed and 38 damaged. The fire was not contained in the month of July.

Wildfire, Central Sacramento Valley

When
July 24, 1:52 PM PST to July 31, 11:59 PM PST
Where
Central Sacramento Valley forecast zone
Reported by
Fire Department/Rescue

The Park Fire started around 2 PM on July 24, just east of Chico off Upper Park Road in Upper Bidwell Park. Very hot temperatures, combined with critical fire weather conditions allowed for rapid growth of the fire shortly after ignition prompting multiple evacuations warnings and orders. Within the first 24-30 hours, the fire was mapped at approximately 125,000 acres. Red Flag conditions were not being met at the time of ignition, however temperatures reached around 99 to 106 degrees, with relative humidity in the 14 to 25 percent range, and wind gusts of 10 to 25 mph. From July 24rd through the 31st, the heat continued with temperatures peaking around 94 to 106 degrees, and low relative humidity continued, in the 5 to 25 percent range, however winds returned to more of the typical diurnal regime. By July 31st, approximately 391,200 acres had burned with 434 structures destroyed and 39 structures damaged and 18% containment. Tehama County had 338,201 acres burned with 127 structures destroyed and 4 structures damaged. Butte County burned 52,999 acres with 310 destroyed and 38 damaged. The fire was not contained in the month of July.

Wildfire, Northern Sacramento Valley

When
July 24, 1:52 PM PST to July 31, 11:59 PM PST
Where
Northern Sacramento Valley forecast zone
Reported by
Fire Department/Rescue

The Park Fire started around 2 PM on July 24, just east of Chico off Upper Park Road in Upper Bidwell Park. Very hot temperatures, combined with critical fire weather conditions allowed for rapid growth of the fire shortly after ignition prompting multiple evacuations warnings and orders. Within the first 24-30 hours, the fire was mapped at approximately 125,000 acres. Red Flag conditions were not being met at the time of ignition, however temperatures reached around 99 to 106 degrees, with relative humidity in the 14 to 25 percent range, and wind gusts of 10 to 25 mph. From July 24rd through the 31st, the heat continued with temperatures peaking around 94 to 106 degrees, and low relative humidity continued, in the 5 to 25 percent range, however winds returned to more of the typical diurnal regime. By July 31st, approximately 391,200 acres had burned with 434 structures destroyed and 39 structures damaged and 18% containment. Tehama County had 338,201 acres burned with 127 structures destroyed and 4 structures damaged. Butte County burned 52,999 acres with 310 destroyed and 38 damaged. The fire was not contained in the month of July.

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 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in California, July 2024

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: 1192060, 1192397, 1192399, 1192401.