Heightened Fire Danger, Heat and Bad Air into Friday

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A Red Flag Warning begins today at 1 p.m. and continues through late Friday for the North Bay Hills and the area of the Glass Fire. Also, a Heat Advisory is in effect for Sonoma County and the Bay Area through late Thursday.

Bad air due to smoke is now covering most of the North Bay including large areas of Sonoma County. Air quality index readings as high as 300 and above are being recorded in areas near the Glass Fire. Readings over 100 and approaching 200 cover many other areas. These levels are dangerous for even healthy people. Expect the bad air to continue today and much of Friday.

If you’ll be out, be sure to use a mask that filters fine particulates such as in N95 or KN95.

Gusty winds will begin this afternoon in the hills of the North Bay at 10 to 20 miles per hour with gusts up to 30 out of the northwest. This will create critical fire conditions into Friday afternoon. And, temperatures across the North Bay could reach the low 100s in many areas on Thursday.

All of this is being caused by a strong ridge of high pressure causing stagnant, subsiding air and winds from the northwest. These conditions should begin to improve Friday afternoon, and cooler weather and better air with some cooling ocean breezes should arrive by sometime on the weekend.