A warning has been issued to 30,000 California residents as ‘diablo wind’ could spark fires and power outages this week.
The phenomena is the colloquial name for hot, dry winds that blow in from the northeast, sometimes hitting the San Francisco Bay Area and California’s central coast.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has reported that the winds could reach up to 45 miles per hour, but may exceed 60 miles per hour in certain locations.
As a precaution, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) – a California utility company – notified customers across the state’s north and central coastal area that it may shut down power lines to limit the danger of electrical sparks.
The NWS has issued a ‘red flag’ fire warning for parts of northern California as hot, dry ‘Diablo’ winds are forecasted to whip across the state
Nine Bay Area counties, including San Francisco, the Peninsula coast and the San Francisco bay shoreline, have been notified about the potential impacts.
Along with cities located in the zone of fire risk include Napa, Berkeley, San Jose and Big Sur, according to the NWS.
Officials are urging residents in the path of the winds to have an emergency plan in case a fire starts near them.
These winds are most common during the spring and fall, and studies have shown that climate change is increasing the likelihood of wind-driven extreme fire conditions in autumn.
Diablo winds whip California with gusts that parch the land and make it much easier for wildfires to start and spread rapidly.
Officials said winds are expected to reach 25-35 mph, gusting to 45 mph, with peak winds occurring late Thursday into Friday.
At higher elevations – most notably in the interior mountains of the North Bay and the Diablo Range – gusts could exceed 65 mph.
‘The winds are coming from the north, not the typical sea breeze from the water which would be cooler,’ said Roger Gass, a meteorologist with the San Francisco Bay Area office of the NWS.
The warning is in effect from 11pm Thursday through 5pm Saturday, local time.
‘This may be the highest fire risk period of the year so far,’ Daniel Swain, a climate scientist a the University of California, Los Angeles, said on X.
That’s partly because these winds come on the heels of an exceptionally hot and dry summer, with some areas seeing no rain since July, according to Golden Gate Weather Services.
The Kincade Fire that ravaged Sonoma County in 2019 began when a cable on a PG&E transmission tower broke, and was fueled by Diablo winds
Previous fires stoked by Diablo winds have been devastating.
The Kincade Fire that ravaged Sonoma County in 2019 began when a cable on a PG&E transmission tower broke, and was fueled by Diablo winds. It burned more than 77,000 acres and destroyed nearly 400 buildings.
In 2017, the Tubbs Fire in Napa County killed 22 people and burned roughly 36,000 acres. Sparked by an issue with a private electrical system, the blaze was fueled by Diablo winds.
And the Oakland Hills Firestorm of 1991 killed 25 people, injured 150 others and destroyed more than 3,000 homes. The Diablo winds helped spread this fire, tossing embers in all directions.
Until the winds dissipate, residents of affected areas are prohibited from using fire pits or barbecues, and from driving off-road, which could ignite a grass fire.
Officials have also warned residents to avoid using mowers or power tools outdoors, and asked that people double-check trailer chains to make sure they’re not dragging on the road as the friction can create sparks.