Red Flag Warning In Effect For Marin County

MARIN COUNTY, CA – A red flag warning is in effect for Marin County and other parts of the Bay Area as critical fire weather conditions are expected to return this week.

The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning until 5 p.m. Tuesday because of warm, dry and windy conditions expected in the region. The warning impacts the North Bay mountains, including the higher terrain areas of Marin, Napa and Sonoma counties.

"A very dry airmass with light to moderate offshore winds will continue Monday through at least Tuesday and possibly midweek," weather officials said. "The combination of these weather conditions with very dry fuels will create critical fire weather conditions through at least Tuesday afternoon."

A combination of strong offshore winds with gusts up to 35 mph and low relative humidity, ranging from 5 to 15 percent, are expected in the region. With those weather conditions, fires that develop are likely to spread rapidly.

The following restrictions are in effect for the Marin Municipal Water District, Mount Tamalpais State Park, Marin Open Space, and The Point Reyes National Seashore during the red flag conditions:

• Closures at Sky Oaks, Natalie Coffin Green Park (Ross), and Leo Cronin parking lot in the Marin Municipal Water District
• Mount Vision Road in Inverness (National Park Service)
• All open burning and burn permits are suspended on public lands.
• All watershed land use permits are canceled.
• Closures to Mount Tamalpais State Park – roads north of Panoramic Highway are closed to motor vehicle traffic on Pantoll Road and Ridgecrest Boulevard. All park use permits north of Panoramic Highway are suspended, including filming.

The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services has approved the strategic prepositioning of critical fire resources to include a strike team (five wildland fire engines), a water tender, firefighters and additional dispatchers throughout Marin County during the red flag warning, according to the county.

Residents are advised to be extra cautious during the red flag warning because a simple spark could cause a major wildfire, including the use of equipment and machinery as well as smoking.

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