What is a Red Flag Warning?

A Red Flag Warning means high temperatures, very low humidity and stronger winds are expected to combine making an increased risk of fire danger.

Red Flag Status for Grass Valley & Nevada City, CA

Red Flag Status for Penn Valley, CA

Red Flag Status for Truckee, CA

Another weather pattern that would spawn a Red Flag Warning is dry lightning. This is where lightning strikes are expected with little to no rainfall. This is most common in California and the Western States during the summer months.

It doesn’t take much wind to start a fire during dry conditions. Anything over 15 mph is adequate when the relative humidity is very low.

The following is a list of things you should avoid when a Red Flag Warning has been issued: 

• Do not throw cigarettes or matches out of a moving vehicle
• Avoid open burning, including campfires. 
• Extinguish all outdoor fires properly
• Never leave a fire unattended
• Don't park cars over dry brush

You can check with the National Weather Service to see if a Red Flag Warning has been issued or YubaNet.com.