Woodacre, CA – The U.S. National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the North Bay mountains and other parts of the Bay Area, which is in effect from 11 p.m. Wednesday, September 19, through 5 p.m. Thursday, September 20. The move supersedes a Fire Weather Watch that previously was in effect.
The top portion of a National Weather Service map shows Marin County in the Red Flag Warning area. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are expected during the designated time frame with a combination of strong offshore winds with gusts to 35 mph and low relative humidity ranging from 25-35 percent.
Local fire officials, including those with the Marin County Fire Department, believe wildfires that develop during Red Flag Warning conditions likely will spread rapidly. Residents are advised to exercise extreme caution during a Red Flag Warning because a simple spark could cause a major wildfire.
The affected area for this Red Flag Warning includes higher-elevation areas of Marin, Napa, Sonoma counties. The following land use restrictions are in effect for the Marin Municipal Water District, Mount Tamalpais State Park, the Marin County Open Space District, and the Point Reyes National Seashore during the Red Flag conditions:
- Closure at Sky Oaks Ranger Station near Fairfax;
- Closure at Natalie Coffin Green Park in Ross;
- Closure at Leo Cronin Fish Viewing Area parking lot in Lagunitas;
- Closure to Mount Vision Road (National Park Service) near Inverness;
- All open burning and burn permits are suspended on public lands;
- All watershed land use permits are canceled;
- Road closures for motor vehicle traffic within Mount Tamalpais State Park, north of Panoramic Highway on Pantoll Road and Ridgecrest Boulevard;
- All Mount Tamalpais State Park use permits north of Panoramic Highway are suspended, including filming.
There are several phone numbers residents may call to hear about the latest conditions:
- Mount Tamalpais State Park: 415-388-2070
- Marin Municipal Water District: 415-945-1195
- Marin County Fire Department: 415-473-7191
Creating defensible space is essential to improve your home’s chance of surviving a wildfire. One hundred feet of defensible space around a home also greatly improves firefighter safety.
To register for emergency alerts, visit www.alertmarin.org. To learn more about preparing for wildfire, visit www.firesafemarin.org.