Wildfire — Los Angeles County Valleys, California

2007-05-08 to 2007-05-10 · Los Angeles County Valleys, California

Event narrative

The Griffith Park wildfire burned 817 acres in and near the Griffith Park Observatory. The combination of very high temperatures, very low relative humidity and gusty northeast winds allowed the fire to spread. No official cause of the fire has been determined. The fire destroyed or damaged several landmarks, including Dante's Peak and Captain's Roost. One injury, a homeless man, was reported.

Wider weather episode

An unusual late-season Santa Ana event developed across Southern California in early May. The offshore winds generated record heat and very low relative humidity which led to the development of two wildfires, one near Griffith Park and one on Catalina Island.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 24662. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.