Fire Weather Warning Ongoing

High heat, low humidity, and gusty north winds are expected in the mountains and foothills along Santa Barbara’s south coast, resulting in a Red Flag Warning through Tuesday, August 7, at 10 a.m. An excessive heat watch is also ongoing.

A warm, dry mass of air in the valleys and mountains of southwest California is creating humidity in the single digits. With wind gusts in the 30-50 mph range possible late in the afternoons, fire dangers are high. Daytime temperatures are forecast to be 90-100°F, and nighttime temperatures to stay high, in the 70s and 80s, in the hills.

The high heat presents potential health risks, especially for the very elderly and very young. Staying in a cool, shaded area is recommended, as is drinking extra water. Never leave children or pets in a parked car, not even for short periods.

Vehicles have caused several fires, most tragically the Carr Fire near Redding. A wheel scraping asphalt due to a trailer’s flat tire set off sparks on July 23 that started a fire that has killed seven people, destroyed more than 1,000 homes, and burned over 163,000 thousand acres. Last month, several fires near Lompoc and along State Route 154 were caused by vehicles.

The winds are expected to weaken by Tuesday, and the heat to abate Thursday through Saturday.