On Sunday, the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning that remains in effect through 8 p.m. today, Monday, May 19th. This is the first Red Flag Warning of the season, advising Californians of heightened wildfire conditions through inland California between Modesto and Redding.
Gusty winds and low humidity increase the potential for rapid fire spread, with the highest-risk areas found in the Central/Southern Sacramento Valley and the Northern San Joaquin Valley. The National Weather Service warns people to uphold fire safety precautions and have an emergency plan in place.
NWS Bay Area also notified residents of an “elevated threat for grass/brush fires” today in parts of the North Bay, the East Bay, and southern Monterey and San Benito County.
Firefighters spent much of Sunday battling several small fires in the region, including a grass fire in Sacramento that spread to 11 vehicles. While the flames threatened a church and an apartment complex on 47th Avenue, firefighters managed to control the fire before it reached any buildings.
While inland residents in Modesto, Stockton, and Fairfield should be vigilant of fire conditions and high temps into the 80s and 90s this week, much of the Bay Area will also experience warm weather. San Francisco may see a high of 73°F today.
As most residents of California know, it’s essential to have an emergency plan in place, especially as we enter fire season. Our Secret L.A. team compiled extensive wildfire sources during the L.A. fires, which you can refer to below.
- How to create a go-bag – including tips for those with pets
- How to prepare for an evacuation – including descriptions of each emergency warning and tips for preparing your home
- 3 essential sources to follow – for wildfire updates, road closures, and warnings, plus useful tools like the Watch Duty App
- How to deal with dangerous air quality – including air quality maps and signs to watch for
- How to prepare for power outages – including an outage tracker and tips for preparing your home