Wildfire Risk in California is High Amid Critical Fire Weather Conditions, NWS Issues Red Flag Warning to Many Parts of the State

Critical fire weather conditions in California are expected to increase wildfire risk in some parts of the state in the coming days this week. On Monday afternoon, July 1, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a red flag warning.

This alert shows fire weather such as wind, relative humidity, and temperatures for the majority of the Golden State is above average compared with recent days over the past week.

The wildfire risk in the state can impact large vegetation areas on the outskirts of cities or towns. In related incidents in recent years, California wildfires have devastated crops and affected local ecosystems and nearby communities.

Wildfires are common in the state but they can also happen in other states nationwide, especially during the summer months from June to August.

Red Flag Warning

The red flag warning issued at 4:57 p.m. EDT (local time) on Monday shows an ongoing period of critical fire weather conditions from late Monday to Wednesday, July 3. According to the NWS office in San Francisco, California, the warning means critical fire weather conditions are ongoing or will occur soon. This will result in extreme fire behavior due to a combination of the said fire weather hazards.

Below are some of the affected areas indicated in the weather service's red flag warning:

• Eastern Brooks Range south slopes
• Dalton Highway Summits
• Yukon Flats
• Napa and Sonoma, Lake County
• Sacramento Valley

Critical Fire Weather Conditions

Fire weather, which is rated from low to moderate and critical, pertains to weather and climatic conditions that are favorable for fire growth and smoke dispersion. According to the NWS, fire weather is used by meteorologists. It also considers soil moisture and relative humidity as ingredients for potential wildfires. In most cases, fire weather alerts are issued before and during the eruption of wildland fires.

The US Government weather agency explains that red flag warnings or fire weather watches are issued when a combination of dry fuels and weather conditions favors the eruption of fires. For instance, wildland fires such as bushfires and forest fires can be triggered by at least one or two of these fire weather conditions.

California Wildfire Statistics

As mentioned earlier, California is no stranger to wildland fires since it is also part of the Western US region where drought conditions are persistent. In 2020, massive California wildfires resulted in the deaths of 33 people after a series of blazes engulfed a total land area of more than 1.7 million hectares, according to local authorities.

This year alone, there have been a total of 2,731 California wildfires recorded as of July 1, as reported by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, which also monitors fire incidents caused by humans, in addition to fire weather-triggered wildland fires.