Fire Season Revving Up Early In NorCal; High Winds, With 100F Temps Wed. In Sacramento Valley

[hatrack]

Fire danger is on the rise in California, as warm, dry and windy weather heralds a potentially long and difficult season. For several consecutive years, increasingly extreme, climate-change fueled wildfires have devastated parts of the state. The area of greatest concern late this week is in Northern California, where strong northerly winds will combine with dry vegetation in the Sacramento Valley, after temperatures soared to 100 degrees on Wednesday afternoon.

The risk of fast-spreading blazes may ease this weekend, but officials have expressed serious concerns about the months ahead as the entirety of California contends with a historically severe drought that has turned many areas into a tinderbox.

Because of a “critical” fire risk Thursday and Friday, the National Weather Service in Sacramento has issued a red flag warning, its alert for a dangerous combination of heat, low humidity and strong winds that could incite fast-spreading blazes. Under such conditions the National Weather Service advises extinguishing cigarettes completely, covering burn barrels and drowning fires with water — as just a small spark could ignite a major blaze.

The strongest winds are expected Thursday night and into Friday, with gusts of up to 55 mph and humidity percentages into the single digits. Wind advisories have also been issued for higher terrain in the San Francisco Bay area and in parts of the Sierra Nevada and foothills.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=&w=691

EDIT

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2022/05/19/california-fire-northern-red-flag/

[ProudMNDemocrat]

1. MTG..."Jewish Space lasers are the cause of the California wildfires."

Best be on the lookout California residents.

Be careful in all that you do.

[Silver Gaia]

2. The wind is fierce tonight in Sacramento!

And the humidity is very low. Not a good combo.

[Silver Gaia]

3. The wind emptied my hummingbird feeders last night.

It swung them around so hard that the nectar spilled out the feeder tubes onto the ground. I've never had that happen before! I refilled one of them partially just now, and almost immediately had a grateful little customer.