The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the City of Oakland that will last from starting at 11pm Wednesday, September 19th until 5pm on Thursday, September 20th.
During this time period, the National Weather Service expects that there will be northerly winds up to 20 miles per hour with gusts of 35 miles per hour, and that during the day the relative humidity will be from 25 to 35% in the driest areas.
In addition to the Oakland Fire Department’s normal operations, the firefighters will be conducting roving fire patrols in the Oakland Hills.
WHAT IS A RED FLAG WARNING?
The National Weather Service issues Red Flag Warnings to alert fire departments of the onset, or possible onset, of critical weather and dry conditions that could lead to rapid or dramatic increases in wildfire activity. Firefighters will raise red flags at fire stations to warn residents of extreme fire weather, as warnings are issued by the National Weather Service.
A Red Flag Warning is issued for weather events which may result in extreme fire behavior that will occur within 24 hours. A Red Flag Warning is the highest alert. During these times extreme caution is urged by all residents, because a simple spark can cause a major wildfire. Please see the flyer below which discusses what you residents and visitors can do to prevent a wildfire.
JOAQUIN MILLER PARK CLOSURE
Section 12.64.180 of the Oakland Municipal Code (OMC), states that Joaquin Miller Park is closed to the public when a Red Flag Warning is in effect. Signs will be posted at all park entrances and trails regarding the closure.
STAY UP TO DATE ON EMERGENCIES AND PUBLIC SAFETY
The public is encouraged to subscribe to AC Alert to receive calls, emails and text messages. The system allows subscribers to provide up to five locations, such as a school, home, work and an elder dependent’s address. That way, subscribers will receive updates when an emergency alert impacts one of their self-identified locations.
AC Alert is a unified emergency notification system for Alameda County residents, businesses and visitors. An AC Alert subscription is free, and all residents and business owners are strongly encouraged to sign up. For more information about this system and to find out how to participate, please visit www.acalert.org.
LEARN HOW TO PREPARE FOR A WILDFIRE OR OTHER EMERGENCY
Communities of Oakland Respond to Emergencies (CORE) is a free training program for the public. Individuals, neighborhood groups and community-based organizations in Oakland can join. CORE helps communities form disaster response teams. These teams will help care for the community if a major disaster happens. To learn more about CORE, please use this link: https://bit.ly/2K9e9a1.
To download the full press release as a PDF, please click here.
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