Gusty wind prompts Weather Service to issue ‘red flag alert’ for possible wildfires in East Bay
on October 18, 2024
The East Bay is in a red flag warning for wildfires until 5 p.m. Saturday because of dry conditions and winds of 25 to 30 mph that could spread wildfires.
In its alert, the National Weather Service said prolonged offshore wind has dried grass, tree, leaves and other vegetation that fuels fires. In addition, the humidity has dropped into the single digits, bringing near perfect conditions for fires.
Cal Fire is increasing staff on its Northern California units, bringing in crews and additional equipment are from Southern California, said Robert Foxworthy, CalFire spokesperson. That will give the agency more resources to respond to any fire breakouts in the region.
On Friday, CalFire was battling four major fires throughout the state, in San Bernardino, Tulare and Shasta counties. About 120,000 have burned in those blazes.
There were no reports of wildfires Friday in Contra Costa County.
Last year, the Balfour fire in East Contra Costa County burned more than 70 acres. It was contained the day it started, June 25.
Because of the current conditions, the East Bay Regional Park District has a Level 2 fire alert, which imposes restrictions such as no open fires or barbecues, no off-road driving and no use of gasoline-powered equipment outside of irrigated areas or designated campgrounds. The park recommends that hikers, campers and others using recreational areas first check the status of a park before setting out, as some areas may temporarily be closed.
(Top Photo: CalFire map of Oct. 17, 2024, courtesy of CalFire)
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