Marin County, CA -- The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the North Bay mountains and other parts of the San Francisco Bay Area from 9 p.m. Saturday, September 26, to 8 a.m. Monday, September 28.
A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are expected during this time frame for strong wind gusts and hot, dry conditions. The affected area includes higher terrain areas of Marin, Napa, Sonoma, and East Bay counties.
The concerns of the weather system are that wildfires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Erratic gusty outflow winds may result in dangerous and unpredictable fire behavior. Residents are advised to exercise extreme caution during the Red Flag Warning because a simple spark could cause a major wildfire, including the use of equipment and machinery as well as smoking.
California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and CAL FIRE have approved the strategic prepositioning and increased staffing of critical fire resources.
All National Park Service beaches in Marin will remain open, but the following land-use restrictions will be in effect for the Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD), Mount Tamalpais State Park, and Marin County Open Space District preserves during the Red Flag conditions.
- Closures at Sky Oaks, Natalie Coffin Green Park (Ross), Leo Cronin Parking Lot, MMWD
- Mount Vision Road in Inverness
- Closure to Fairfax Bolinas Road
- All open burning and burn permits are suspended on public lands
- Closures to Mount Tamalpais State Park; roads north of Panoramic Highway are closed to motor vehicle traffic on Pantoll Road and Ridgecrest Boulevard. All park use permits north of Panoramic Highway are suspended, including filming.
Helpful phone numbers:
- Mount Tamalpais State Park, (415) 388-2070
- Marin Municipal Water District, (415) 945-1195
- Marin County Fire Information Hotline, (415) 473-7191
Defensible space is essential to improve a home’s chance of surviving a wildfire.
To register for emergency alerts, visit www.alertmarin.org. To learn more about preparing for wildfire, visit www.firesafemarin.org.
-- Marin County Fire Chiefs Association