SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Fire season is underway and California is already seeing its first Red Flag Warning of the season starting Sunday morning and lasting until Tuesday.
The season already started with small vegetation fires popping up near the lower foothills and valley. A fire in Calaveras County on Thursday forced people to evacuate their homes for a short period of time and another fire popped up in El Dorado County on Saturday.
A shifting weather pattern over the weekend will bring even higher fire danger. Dry, northerly winds will increase in the Sacramento Valley early Sunday. By the afternoon, humidity levels will drop to 9-18%, which is extremely low.
Growing drought conditions and recent unseasonably warm temperatures are also contributing to the rapid drying of vegetation/fuels like grasses. In fact, some models show near-record dryness.
A Red Flag Warning is in effect starting at 11 a.m. on Sunday and will last through 5 p.m. Tuesday due to dangerous fire conditions.
Spot fires at lower elevations are more likely this time of year. Often these are accidental from mowing, slash piles, or vehicles. As we have seen, fires don't start without a spark. It's especially important when heading into a dangerous fire season to keep this in mind.
