California Statewide Fire Summary
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Over 5,000 firefighters are on the frontlines of the 10 major wildfires burning in
California. While many of these fires are in remote areas, several fires have
forced hundreds of residents to evacuate.
While firefighters are making good progress, weather conditions could pose a challenge
in the coming days as gusty winds and dry lightning are forecasted.
The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning due to the
possibility of dry lightning in combination with gusty winds for many of the coastal
counties from Mendocino down to Monterey. The warning goes into effect
Monday at midnight and is expected to last through Wednesday.
A Fire Weather Watch for lightning has also been issued starting Monday
morning for most of the mountains and foothills of Northern California. The
thunderstorms are expected to initially be dry, which will heighten the fire danger,
but should begin to bring some rainfall by midweek.
