What Does RED FLAG WARNINGS & FIRE WEATHER WATCHES mean?

7/15/2019 (Permalink)

When it’s hot out, keep an eye out for fire weather. The National Weather Service has safety tips and all heat and storm warnings.

A Red Flag Warning is issued for weather events which may result in extreme fire behavior that will occur within 24 hours. A Fire Weather Watch is issued when weather conditions could exist in the next 12-72 hours.

Fire Weather

The type of weather patterns that can cause a watch or warning include low relative humidity, strong winds, dry fuels, the possibility of dry lightning strikes, or any combination of the above.More information available at The National Weather Service

Helpful Safety Tips and Reminders

As the months roll on in the area with hot weather SERVPRO of North Highlands / Rio Linda not only wants you to stay safe and hydrated during the heat but also be prepared to keep your town and properties safe as well. Here are some Safety Tips to follow during red flag warnings & fire weather watches:

1. Equipment Use Safety

• Don’t mow or trim dry grass on Red Flag Warning days. Instead, mow before 10 a.m. when it is not hot and windy.
• Never use lawn mowers in dry vegetation.
•  If you are in a wild land area, make sure you have a spark arrester, which is required for portable gasoline powered equipment.

2. Campfire Safety

• Before starting a campfire, obtain a campfire permit.
• Never leave a fire unattended.
• Carefully extinguish the fire when you are finished. Douse with plenty of water and stir to make sure everything is cold to the touch. Dunk charcoal in water until it is cold. Do not throw live charcoal on the ground.

3. Outside

• Keep 100 feet of defensible space around structures.
• Clear dead weeds and vegetation.
• Remove leaves and needles from gutters.
• Trim branches 6 feet from the ground.
• If you are allowed to burn grass clippings, etc., in your area, all burn barrels must be covered with a weighted metal cover, with holes no larger than 3/4 of an inch.

4. Vehicles

• Never pull over in dry grass.
• Make sure trailer chains don’t drag on the ground.
• Properly maintain your vehicle.
• Monitor tire pressure to avoid driving on wheel rims, which can ignite.
• Don’t let brake pads wear too thin.
• Never throw cigarettes or matches out of a moving vehicle.

5. Other

• Properly extinguish cigarette butts.
• Don’t make the mistake of burning landscape debris like leaves or branches on No Burn Days, when it is windy, or if it is prohibited in your area.
• Target shoot only in approved areas, use lead ammunition only, and never shoot at metal targets.
• To prevent arson, report suspicious activities to authorities.

We Are Here For You

If disaster strikes your home or business SERVPRO of North Highlands / Rio Linda is here for you to get your life back on track. "Like it never even happened." SERVPRO of North Highlands / Rio Linda has experience with fire disasters in California.  We were there and available fast for the Tubbs Fire, Camp Fire, and other disasters as soon as we got the green light informing us that it is safe for us to enter the area.

Thank You

During heightened fire danger, CAL FIRE will place additional firefighters on duty, staff more fire engines and keep more equipment on 24 hours a day to be able to respond to any new fires. SERVPRO of North Highlands / Rio Linda would like to take a moment to thank all the Cal Fire Firefighters for being there keeping California safe.