Red Flag Warning Issued For East Bay Hills

EAST BAY AREA, CA — Breezy conditions and low humidity readings have led to very elevated fire weather concerns in the Bay Area, with a red flag warning in effect from Friday night to Sunday morning, weather officials said. The red flag warning will begin at 10 p.m. today and run through 10 a.m. Sunday, National Weather Service officials said. The officials noted that this is a moderate event that is not as strong as the one in October during the North Bay wildfires.

Winds will be high in the North Bay mountains and East Bay hills and moderate in other locations, according to the weather service. Northerly winds of 20 to 35 mph can be expected, with local gusts likely exceeding 50 mph. Relative humidity readings of 10 to 20 percent are forecast for Saturday afternoon, while humidity values of 10 to 30 percent are expected Saturday night.

"We have a dry cold front coming through the area, and with that we are already getting strong winds," said meteorologist Drew Peterson. "It's already dry out there, so a combination of these things led to the issuance
of the red flag warning."

Peterson said this has been a dry season, "so we don't have moisture to keep (fire) conditions down."

The Bay Area isn't the only place with fire worries. There are a number of red flag warnings in place across the state, Peterson said. With the warning in place, Marin County Fire Department Chief Jason Weber has indefinitely suspended open burning within the county's borders.

"We are suspending open burning because of predicted fire weather, the lack of precipitation and unusually dry fuel conditions for this time of year," Weber said in a statement. "This directive will remain in effect until adequate precipitation is received and fuel conditions are moderated," Weber said.

By Bay City News

Photo courtesy Autumn Johnson/ Patch