LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County and much of the rest of the state is under a fire weather watch for early in the new week due to extremely high temperatures.
The National Weather Service issued the fire weather watch, which is in effect from 10 p.m. Monday through 8 a.m. Wednesday.
A fire weather watch means that critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur, the National Weather Service said.
The forecast calls for a prolonged period of hot and dry conditions that began this weekend and will continue into early next week.
The National Weather Service said that period will be followed by the potential for strong north to northeast winds on area ridges from Monday evening through Wednesday morning, with wind speeds estimated to be between 20 and 30 miles per hour, and gusts as high as 40 miles per hour.
These winds would primarily impact Lake County and extreme eastern portions of Mendocino and Trinity counties, based on the forecast.
Strong winds combined with low relative humidity values of between 10 and 15 percent on Tuesday afternoon with poor overnight recoveries in the 25- to 40-percent range could result in critical fire weather conditions, the National Weather Service said.
Forecasters said those conditions meant that any new fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
At the same time, an excessive heat warning is in effect in Lake County and across the state through Tuesday at 6 p.m. due to temperatures topping the century mark.
Compounding the situation for Lake County is a continuing air quality alert that’s in effect through 10 p.m. Monday.
The Lake County Air Quality Management District issued the alert due to smoky and hazy conditions from the LNU Lightning Complex, which is nearly full containment, and the August Complex, which continues to grow in the Mendocino National Forest.
Local air quality conditions can be tracked here.
A fire and smoke map can be found here.
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Fire weather watch issued for much of California
- Elizabeth Larson
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