San Francisco, California – Dry air and gusty winds sweeping across the Bay Area are driving up wildfire risks through Saturday, prompting fire weather alerts across much of Northern California.
According to the National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area office, an elevated fire weather threat is in effect through Saturday evening. The combination of low humidity and strong, erratic winds may cause fires to ignite and spread quickly, particularly in grassy or brush-covered hillsides.
Residents from Santa Rosa to Monterey are urged to secure tow chains, avoid outdoor burning, and keep water or extinguishers nearby. Outdoor equipment that creates sparks, including mowers and grills, should be avoided during peak wind periods. Cal Fire has not issued red flag warnings as of Thursday morning, but conditions could change rapidly.
While the current fire weather risk is rated “minor” on the NWS scale, officials emphasize that even one spark can trigger a fast-moving wildfire in dry conditions like these. Power shutoffs or road closures are not currently planned but remain possible if fire activity increases.
Fire weather alerts remain active through 8 p.m. Saturday. Officials may issue further warnings as conditions evolve.
