Extreme heat, ‘critical’ fire danger on Labor Day as gusty winds hit Northern California
Extreme heat is continuing in Northern California on Labor Day, with a high of 110 degrees in Sacramento’s forecast after Sunday set a September record of 109.
Heat, dry conditions and gusty winds in the forecast have also prompted the National Weather Service to issue a red flag warning due to serious wildfire risk, in effect Monday night through Tuesday night for essentially all of the Sacramento Valley, patches of the greater Bay Area and much of the Sierra Nevada foothills.
Gusts could range from 30 mph in the valley to 50 mph or higher in the foothills, with poor overnight humidity recovery making fire risk even worse, according to the NWS, which in a tweet called the expected conditions “critical.”
Thousands of fire personnel continue to grapple with hundreds of wildfires throughout California that sparked mid-August, charring well over 1.5 million acres, according to Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest Service.
One of the most dangerous recent wildfires, the Creek Fire in Fresno County, already exploded in size over the weekend, growing to nearly 80,000 acres with no containment since sparking Friday evening. The blaze trapped hundreds in the Mammoth Pool Reservoir; they had to be rescued by helicopter and about 20 were flown to local hospitals.
Heat straining California power supply and extreme fire weather conditions are creating the possibility of widespread power outages later Monday.
California’s Independent System Operator, which runs the state electricity grid, reached a Stage 2 emergency Sunday night but avoided rolling blackouts that could have affected up to 3 million households. Separately, Pacific Gas and Electric is warning of possible “public safety power shutoffs” in 17 counties Monday night as fierce wind gusts are expected to intensify wildfire risks. A total of 103,000 homes and businesses could be affected. As of 11 a.m., PG&E hadn’t announced a decision regarding a public safety shutoff.
The current heat wave has shattered records throughout California. The Cal Poly weather station in San Luis Obispo County recorded a jaw-dropping 120 degrees — the hottest reading there ever, breaking a mark of 115 set in a 2017 heat wave.
Sacramento smashed a pair of daily records Sunday. Its stations at Sacramento Executive Airport and downtown each hit 109 degrees, breaking respective records of 103 and 105 degrees. The downtown record for Sept. 6 had stood for 97 years, according to the NWS. The readings tied with Sept. 1, 2017, and Sept. 1-2, 1950, as the city’s hottest September day of all time.
Skies remain hazy and air quality has been poor throughout various parts of the state due to fires. Sacramento air quality has varied day to day as winds shift.
By 10:30 a.m. Monday, the temperature had already hit 85 degrees, despite wildfire haze blocking some sunlight. The AQI reading for downtown was below 100, but was at 147 in Elk Grove and above 130 in Davis, according to SpareTheAir.com. An AQI reading between 101 and 150 is deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups, while 151 to 200 is considered unhealthy for the general population.
This story was originally published September 7, 2020 at 11:06 AM.
