A fire danger sign outside Berkeley Fire Department Station 7 in the Berkeley Hills. Credit: Clara Mokri for Berkeleyside
A blast of hot, dry and windy weather will raise wildfire risks across much of Northern California this week — although forecasts show Berkeley should avoid the most dangerous conditions.
The Berkeley Hills are included in a Red Flag Warning issued by the National Weather Service that runs from 11 p.m. Wednesday through 9 a.m. Thursday. But Weather Service meteorologist Brian Garcia said the Berkeley side of the hills is not forecast to reach Red Flag conditions, which refer to strong winds and low humidity that can fuel fast-growing wildfires.
That’s because the marine layer — the moisture-rich breeze coming off the Pacific Ocean that acts as Berkeley’s natural air conditioning — means both the air and the vegetation on our hillsides won’t be as dry as it is just a few miles to the east.
“There has been enough of a marine layer that the fuels are still on the moist side, and the winds will not be quite as strong,” Garcia said. “It really boils down to those microclimates.”
He said the Berkeley Hills were covered by the Red Flag Warning only because they are part of a Weather Service zone that also includes interior areas of the East Bay, from Orinda and Moraga to the Diablo Range, where the risks will be higher. The warning extends up through the North Bay mountains to cover much of the northern Central Valley; PG&E has warned it might shut off power in portions of eight counties this week to prevent its equipment from sparking wildfires, though Alameda County is not one of them.
While fire risks won’t be as severe, Berkeley can still expect to feel some heat in the coming days.
After a cool start to the week, temperatures will ramp up Wednesday and peak Thursday with highs in the mid- to upper-80s. Garcia said the forecast at this point shows temperatures falling by about 10 degrees on Friday, though it’s possible the hotter weather could linger into that day as well.
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Nico Savidge is Berkeleyside’s news editor, and has covered city hall since 2021. He has reported on transportation, law enforcement, politics, education and college sports for the San Jose Mercury News,…
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