SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California is bracing for a potentially record-breaking heatwave with low humidity values through the extended forecast, and it's concerning news for Cal Fire Battalion Chief Jon Heggie.
"Now that we're going to see an extended heatwave with extended low humidity values, really what that does is it creates an environment where all the fuel, brush and grass in California is ready to burn," Heggie said.
An Excessive Heat Warning is in effect for the valley and foothill regions of Northern California from Saturday through Tuesday. Sunday and Monday are expected to be the hottest, with valley highs expected to be 110-115 degrees.
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California has been relatively fortunate this year in terms of acres burned. As of the end of August, 202,000 acres have burned - down from 2.2 million last year, according to Heggie.
"If you look at the weather pattern this year, we've had a lot more humidity. When we have higher humidity from that monsoonal flow, it keeps the fire danger low," Heggie said.
A persistent monsoon season has funneled beneficial moisture to the California atmosphere for much of the summer. Dry thunderstorm events, like the 2020 August dry lightning event that resulted in over 2.5 million acres burnt, have been kept at bay thanks to the abundant monsoonal moisture. Most central and southern Sierra locations have received 1-4 inches of rain in August, with average only being around half an inch.
The upcoming heatwave will undo beneficial August rains as temperatures near all-time record highs. Elevated fire weather conditions are expected due to extreme heat, dry fuels and low relative humidity values, according to NWS Sacramento. However, winds will be light under the high pressure dome that's supplying the heat.
"When you have that wind, and you have that when that's pushing a fire and throwing embers and creating spot fires, that's when those fires have that chance to become that 'mega fire,'" Heggie said. A "mega fire" is a fire that has burned at least 100,000 acres.
Heggie said Cal Fire is taking proactive measures, which includes increases to staffing to prepare for the upcoming scorching holiday weekend.
He warns that although the fire season has been slow, the time for serious fires is not over, particularly when the notoriously dangerous offshore wind events ramp up in the fall.
"We're not out of the woods yet with this year," Heggie said. "We still have that potential for devastating fires, especially as we get into those fall months with the winds that usually are associated with that time of year."
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