SANTA CRUZ — Local fire officials are on high alert with forecasters predicting that high winds will soon sweep over a dangerously arid landscape in the Santa Cruz Mountains and across Santa Cruz County. A red flag warning, meaning critical fire weather conditions are likely imminent, has been issued by the National Weather Service and will be in effect from 11 p.m.
Thursday to 5 p.m. Saturday for areas across the Central Coast, including all of Santa Cruz County.
Brayden Murdock, a meteorologist with the weather service, said Wednesday that gusts could exceed 50 mph at the tallest mountain peaks with wind speeds expected to regularly fluctuate from 30 mph to 35 mph. This, combined with a relative humidity as low as 10%, makes for a dangerous recipe, said Murdock. “When we consider red flag warnings, we consider how windy it is and how dry it is,” Murdock said.
“We’re hitting both of those points pretty strongly with this event.” Weather forecasters and fire officials aren’t the only ones taking precautions. Pacific Gas & Electric Co.
said Wednesday that it has included 132 customers in Santa Cruz County within the scope of a potential power safety shutoff due to high fire risk conditions. Other areas that may experience preemptive shutoffs include communities in the South Bay, North Bay, East Bay and Sierra Nevada. Still, according to a release from the utility provider, real-time weather conditions will determine the necessity and final scope of any temporary .
