Good Morning Central Fires FIREWISE communities.
I just wanted to let you know the differences between a Red Flag Warning, Fire Weather Watch and Extreme Fire Behavior.
RED FLAG WARNING; TAKE ACTION, Be extremely Careful with open flames. NWS issues a RED FLAG WARNING in conjunction with land management agencies to alert land managers to an ongoing or imminent critical fire weather pattern. NWS issues Red Flag Warning when fire conditions are ongoing or expected to occur shortly.
FIRE WEATHER WATCH: BE PREPARED. A watch alerts land managers and the public that upcoming weather conditions could result in extensive wildland fire occurrence or extreme fire behavior. A watch means critical fire conditions are possible but not eminent or occurring
.
EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR: This alert implies a wildfire is likely to rage out of control. It is often hard to predict these fires since they behave erratically, sometimes dangerously. One or more of the following criteria must be met:
1 Moving fast, high rate of spread
2 Prolific crowning and/or spotting
3 Presence of fire whirls
4 Strong convection column (large smoke column)
The current RED FLAG WARNING, drops down to 500ft elevation and is a very long duration.(11pm Sat) with very little fuel moisture recovery overnight. Be PREPARED not scared. Have a go bag ready, know your evacuation routes, keep informed.
This particular RED FLAG is the largest in the Bay area in 2 yrs, Obviously I don’t want to scare you, just make sure you aware of the situation we are entering. With the temperatures anticipated to be in the triple digits inland, we can expect our population in the county to double and triple over the holiday. This is why we harden our homes and create defensible space. Also, as a reminder, ALL fireworks are prohibited in Santa Cruz Co. even safe and sane. Central Fire’s jurisdiction; only within the city limits of Capitola and only on private property can you use safe and sane. Please pass this on to your FIREWISE groups and neighbors. With that said,
Have a safe and fun-filled holiday with family and friends.
Tony