Fire Threat: Walnut Creek Under Red Flag Warning This Weekend

WALNUT CREEK, CA — Walnut Creek is among the Bay Area locations that will be under the first red flag warning of the fire season.

The National Weather Service issued the warning, which will be in place from 11 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Monday. The North and East Bay hills are included in the red flag warning, as are the East Bay valleys and the eastern half of Santa Clara County.

Any fire will spready rapidly, especially in grass and brush, the weather service said.

The warning was issued after officials determined that an offshore wind would develop this weekend, with fuels at near record dry levels following a dry winter, the weather service said. The winds will hit the Napa County hills first before spreading to the East Bay overnight and into early Saturday.

Warm and dry conditions are forecast Saturday and Sunday. The pattern will continue to dry out grasses, the weather service said.

Read the red flag warning here.

Image shows officially where the Red Flag is in effect from 11 pm Friday through 6 am Monday (red color on map). #RedFlagWarninghttps://t.co/N8DS9N2c6Xhttps://t.co/HPZw8oiUgp pic.twitter.com/XyAHtB0BZL
— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) May 7, 2021

—Written by Courtney Teague/Patch with additional reporting by Bea Karnes