Berkeley Hills Residents Urged To Ready For Increased Fire Risk

BERKELEY, CA — The city of Berkeley is urging hillside residents to prepare for a changing world with more frequent and severe wildfires.

The city is warning residents to make plans to stay elsewhere during “Extreme Fire Weather” events, defined by the Berkeley Fire Department as rare periods of extremely low humidity and high winds.

“Severe fire weather conditions are now more common and as a result, so are catastrophic wind-driven fires,” city officials said in a statement, noting that four of the five most destructive wildfires in California history occurred last year.

“A wildfire driven by hot, dry ‘Diablo’ winds can spread so quickly that even those who have taken all the traditional steps to prepare may not have time to evacuate safely once a fire starts,” city officials said.

“In these extreme wind-driven fires, there may not be time for traditional notifications for evacuation advisories and warnings. Instead, the first alert you receive may be an order to immediately evacuate.”

Hillside residents should stay on heightened alert during Red Flag Warnings:

• Keep your phone on and with you at all times
• Avoid activities that could cause a spark
• Be prepared to rapidly evacuate if necessary

Fire weather in Berkeley: Red Flag Warnings, Extreme Fire Weather, and when to leave the hills, a video produced by the city, illustrates how weather conditions translate to fire risk.