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North Bay fire districts prepared for increased fire danger
A red flag warning is in effect for much of the Bay Area beginning 11 am Tuesday through 7 am Thursday.
OAKLAND, Calif. - A Red Flag Warning for nearly all the Bay Area and Central Coast was issued by the National Weather Service on Monday that will last from Tuesday at 11 a.m. through Thursday at 7 a.m.
The warning covers all but coastal Marin County and areas along the Salinas River and coastal North Monterey County.
A Red Flag Warning is issued when fire conditions are dangerous because of dry fuel, high wind speeds and low humidity.
Offshore winds are forecast to be above 25 mph, with gusts over 55 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
The Weather Service recommended staying in touch with local fire agencies and making an emergency plan in case of evacuations.
The Southern Marin Fire District is among several departments that are ramping up resources and staffing as a preventative measure. It has a brush truck that is specially equipped to fight wildfires, which will be activated during Tuesday's red flag warning.
It's a 4-wheel drive vehicle that has off-road capabilities and can carry longer hoses.
"It's not just for local emergencies, it can be anywhere else in the region or other parts of the state where now you can mobilize your coordinated resources without that lag time," said Mark Fischer of the Southern Marin Fire District.
The Southern Marin Fire District covers cities including Mill Valley, Sausalito, and parts of Tiburon. It also assists Cal Fire.
"We have cleared all the brush and everything and we built a concrete house," said Antony Thier of Mill Valley.
Thier is a former volunteer firefighter and lives in a fire-prone area on Mount Tam.
His son Bodhi made go-bags as part of his Cub Scout training.
"We made little first aid kits, and I put mine in my backpack," he said.
Mill Valley Police has also alerted residents that there will be parking restrictions on Miller Avenue during the red flag warning.
Michelle Delarosa said she is concerned that in the event of a fire, evacuating could be difficult, because she lives on a one-lane road.
"It makes me a little bit worried," she said. "I keep my car pointing down just in case."
Fire officials explained how residents can best help first responders:
"Early recognition and detection, call in to 911 with good locations and in the event that something large scale happens, start evacuating early, so that it's not cluttered when resources are trying to get into an area," said Fischer.
PG&E warns of possible power shutoffs as Red Flag Warning goes into effect
Much of the Bay Area and central coast will be under the Red Flag Warning between Thursday and Saturday due to dry and windy weather conditions.