Red flag fire warning issued for Sonoma, Napa, Marin counties

The Weather Service said gusting winds and low humidity in hills will create “critical fire weather conditions.”|

Dry, windy weather forecast for the North Bay area prompted the National Weather Service to issue a red flag warning for the area from 11 p.m. Wednesday through 5 p.m. Thursday.

Sustained winds up to 20 mph, with gusts to 35 mph, are expected on the ridge tops in Sonoma, Napa and Marin counties late Wednesday into Thursday morning, weakening in late morning and into the afternoon, the Weather Service alert said.

Low humidity and dry fuels will accompany the winds, creating “critical fire weather conditions,” the alert said.

Any fires that develop will likely spread fast and outdoor burning is not recommended, it said.

In response to the warning, some Sonoma County fire agencies will increase staffing and deploy ressources based on the needs in their areas, county spokeswoman Briana Kahn said in a news release.

The Sonoma County Emergency Management Division is monitoring the conditions and has staff on call and ready to respond to any conditions that could impact residents, Kahn said.

Residents may obtain safety information on Nixle by texting their zip code to 888-777 and also sign up for information tailored to a particular address by signing up for alerts at www.SoCoAlert.com.

Cal Fire has also responded by staffing all firefighting hand crews and bulldozers 24 hours a day and establishing a strike team of engines from outside the agency’s Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit, Cal Fire spokesman Will Powers said.

Cal Fire Unit Chief Shana Jones asked that residents refrain from using outdoor power equipment until the warning period has ended, and even then using the as early in the day as possible to avoid “increased burning conditions” during the heart of the day.

About 11 percent of the fires in the three-county area are caused by people using equipment in and around dry vegetation, Powers said.

Check back for additional details.

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