SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A red flag warning has been issued for portions of Northern California, signaling the restart of fire season in the Golden State.
The warning is for six counties — Butte, Placer, Sacramento, Shasta, Solano and Yolo counties — and lasts from 5 a.m. Saturday, through 5 p.m. Sunday, April 10.
"Given the unseasonably warm and dry conditions over the past few days and the expected strong winds and very dry conditions this weekend, some larger swaths of grass in the Sacramento Valley could support relatively large or rapid fire spread," the National Weather Service says in its warning.
The temps drop to the low 80s on Saturday, but the wind ramps up to 20 - 25 mph with gusts up to 30 mph or stronger. Grass fires are a concern, as well as higher pollen counts and allergy issues.
During Red Flag Warnings, the National Weather Service suggests people avoid outdoor burning, properly dispose of cigarettes and matches and obey local burning bans.
The ridge of high pressure responsible for the heat wave will weaken and move east during the weekend, forecasters said. Cooler air will arrive on Monday and Tuesday as an area of low pressure arrives along with possible rain and mountain snow.
The National Weather Service also notes this could be the "earliest springtime Red Flag Warning issued by the Sacramento, CA office for interior northern California."
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