Red Flag Warning remains in Effect for Marin County

Warning to remain in place until Thursday evening.  

The Marin Municipal Water District is asking ALL customers to turn off their irrigation systems and reduce indoor water use.

Marin County, CA -- The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the North Bay Mountains, interior valleys and other parts of the Bay Area, which is in effect from 5 AM Wednesday to 5 PM Thursday.

This event has the potential to be the strongest offshore wind event in the area since the October 2017 North Bay Fires.

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are expected during this time frame with a combination of strong offshore winds with gusts to 55 miles per hour and low relative humidity ranging from 10-20%.

The affected area includes both lower and higher terrain areas of Marin, Napa, Sonoma, and East Bay counties.

The concerns of this weather system are that fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.

California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and CAL FIRE have approved the strategic prepositioning and increased staffing of critical fire resources to include two strike teams (10 engines), three water tenders, two Hand Crews, the North Bay Incident Management Team and additional Dispatchers and Chief Officers throughout the county during the Red Flag Warning.

Marin Municipal Water District is asking ALL customers to turn off their irrigation systems and reduce indoor water use. Conserving water eases demand on backup generators and ensures enough water for firefighting and other essential needs

The Marin Municipal Water District is asking all customers to conserve water and to have a stored supply for their families during PG&E’s ongoing Public Safety Power Shutoff. The water district is asking all customers not to use water for irrigation or other outdoor uses, and to reduce their indoor water use.

The Marin Municipal Water District has taken precautions to prepare for the PG&E power shutoff and has installed backup generators at water treatment plants to continue to provide water from its reservoirs.

The water district has also prepared a fleet of generators that are being placed at pump stations throughout Marin as needed to keep water tanks full and to ensure service is not impacted. Conserving water during emergencies such as power outages is critical to ease the demand on backup generators and ensure we have an adequate water supply for firefighting, drinking water and other essential needs.

The following landuse 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, MMWD
• Mount Vision Rd, Inverness (National Park Service)
• All open burning and burn permits are suspended on public lands
• 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.

Residents are advised to exercise extreme caution 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.

The Mount Tamalpais State Park information number is 415-388-2070.

The Marin Municipal Water District information number is 415-945-1195.

The Marin County Fire Information Hotline number is 415-473-7191.

Defensible space and home hardening are essential to improve your home’s chance of surviving a wildfire. 

To register for emergency alerts, visit www.alertmarin.org. To learn more about preparing for wildfire, visit www.firesafemarin.org.