Marin County, CA -- The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for large portions of California including the North Bay Mountains in Marin County for predicted lightning effective today (Thursday) at 5pm through Friday at 11am.
A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are expected during this time frame.
Thunderstorms are forecast to develop over the Bay Area Region this afternoon and last into Friday morning with dry lightning as well as gusty/erratic wind potential.
Not all locations will see thunderstorms, but any lightning strikes will likely lead to new fire starts given the current drought conditions and dry fuels.
For any land use restrictions or closures contact the appropriate land management agency:
- The National Park Service Point Reyes National Seashore is (415) 464-5100
- The Mount Tamalpais State Park information number is (415) 388-2070.
- The Marin Municipal Water District information number is (415) 945-1195.
- The Marin County Fire Information Hotline number is (415) 473-7191.
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.
Defensible space is essential to improve your 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.