'Critical Fire Weather Conditions' Warning Issued By Weather Service

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the San Francisco Bay Area, Monterey County, Sacramento and the I-5 and Highway 99 corridors all the way from Mt. Shasta to Turlock. The weather service cautions residents about the increased likelihood that wildfires will start and spread quickly, and pointed to "critical fire weather conditions" in a social media post.

Just a few tiny slivers of coastline are excluded from the warning, which takes effect at 11 p.m. Thursday and continues until 5 p.m. on Saturday.

The driving force of the warning is high winds, with sustained winds of up to 35 mph, gusts of 45 mph, and higher elevation gusts up to 65 mph over mountaintops and ridges.

The relative humidity is also expected to plunge as low as 10-percent.

The final piece of the puzzle is dry vegetation, with crispy brown grass carpeting Northern California's rolling hills and valleys.

A prescribed burn scheduled for Tuesday in Marin County, to reduce wildfire fuels on Mount Tamalpais, was postponed. However, a prescribed burn in the Santa Cruz Mountains went on as scheduled.

Residents are urged to have a go-bag packed and ready to grab for a fast evacuation. Include medications, and your important documents, including fire insurance and deeds.

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The coastal areas excluded from the Red Flag Warning have a Beach Hazards Statement currently in effect, cautioning visitors that "Large waves can sweep across the beach without warning, pulling people into the sea from rocks, jetties, and beaches." It is scheduled to expire Wednesday evening.

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