SACRAMENTO, Calif. — UPDATE: Sunday, May 9 4:30 p.m.
A Red Flag Warning was extended until Tuesday at 6 p.m. due to gusty winds and low humidity continuing into the first part of the work week.
A Red Flag Warning means critical fire weather conditions are present and can help a fire spread quickly.
Grass fires have continued to be an issue for the lower elevations in the last week. This time of year it's important to remember to mow or weed before 10 a.m. and never in dry grass. Also, never pull over a vehicle in dry grass.
ORIGINAL:
Early May has seen one of the earliest fire weather warnings on record in the Golden State, and this weekend will have similar conditions return.
The National Weather Service initially issued a Fire Weather Watch for Saturday, May 8 to Monday, May 10, and by Friday afternoon, it changed to a Red Flag Warning.
Temperatures are expected to be in the upper 80s for locations below 2,000 feet above elevation.
The watch will also be windy each afternoon, with gusts up to 30 mph or stronger for these locations covered by the watch. The air will also be very dry, with afternoon relative humidity readings in the teens and single digits.
The combination of warm, wind and dry weather would create critical fire conditions for a good portion of lower elevation areas from Redding to the San Joaquin Valley and the Delta and lower foothills of the Coastal Range and Sierra.
Any non-irrigated vegetation has probably dried out with recent warm temperatures and dry conditions. The dry landscape we see now is similar to conditions seen months later in the year.
Higher elevations are still experiencing snowmelt, higher soil moisture, and weaker winds and will not be included in the weekend fire concerns.
Most fires are human-caused, and one large source of accidental fire starts to come from activities like clearing during times of high wind and lower humidity in the afternoon. Also, using equipment like lawnmowers in a dry, brushy area can cause an accidental fire. Driving through a dry brush can also ignite a fire as the hot metal beneath a car driving may cause a fire.
Fire conditions are expected to last until at least Monday afternoon.
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