The California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention
’s Red Flag warning of high fire danger is expected to remain in
place until this afternoon.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention’s Red Flag warning of high fire danger is expected to remain in place until this afternoon.
Fire Prevention Specialist Chris Morgan of CDF/South Santa Clara County Fire Department said the Santa Clara Unit based in Morgan Hill has 22 engine companies ready and waiting at stations throughout its coverage area that includes parts of Santa Clara, Contra Costa, Alameda, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties.
The 22 companies include five that arrived Monday from the Fresno area.
Several local bulldozers and five engine companies from Humboldt County briefly stationed here were sent Sunday night to the Rumsey Canyon fire burning in Napa.
“That’s country designed to burn,” he said. “It’s rough terrain, it’s hot, very brushy.”
The Red Flag warning was issued Saturday afternoon for the entire San Francisco Bay and Monterey Bay regions when wind gusts reached 30 mph. Monday’s high temperature was 86 degrees.
Firefighters will be on a heightened state of alert this week throughout the Bay Area as temperatures are expected to remain in the 90s through Thursday. On Friday they should drop to the mid to low 70s, according to the National Weather Service.
Santa Clara County Fire Department Capt. Jim Xavier said things were quiet – spooky quiet – over the weekend but they, too, are staffed up.
“We have two extra people staffing patrol starting Sunday,” Xavier said about the city of Morgan Hill fire-fighting effort. “and we’ll probably keep them through Tuesday.”
Both Morgan and Xavier wanted Morgan Hill residents to be aware that, even though the summers has been mild and fires few, fire danger usually remains high in the South Valley area through October. They asked that residents be careful with matches and equipment.
