South Lake Tahoe, CA- The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for critical fire weather conditions from 1:00 p.m. today until 11:00 p.m. PDT on Friday, September 18, 2020 for the greater Lake Tahoe area. This means no open flames are allowed including gas and LPG fire pits/grills and pellet grills/smokers.
All sources of outdoor open flame are prohibited during these periods, including all outdoor propane and natural gas appliances. The actual hours of Red Flag Warnings may vary by the specific atmospheric conditions; check the NOAA website or follow them on social media for the latest Red Flag timing. Ridge winds look to gust as high as 70-90 mph tonight into Friday morning along the crest of the Sierra. Humidity values will be lowest today, increasing into Friday.
Now is the time to ensure your vehicle has a full tank of fuel and is parked facing out, your devices are charged, your emergency go kit is current and within reach, and that your family and pets are prepared and ready to evacuate. Visit our website for information on Emergency and Evacuation Preparedness. For additional information on how to make your home more resilient to wildfire, visit this website.
The City has a website with emergency preparedness information here. We also work with FEMA to alert everyone in the basin to emergencies through their wireless emergency alert program.
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno issues Red Flag Warnings to alert Tahoe Basin land management agencies about the onset, or possible onset of critical weather and fuel moisture conditions that could lead to rapid or dramatic increases in wildfire activity. This could be due to low relative humidity, strong winds, dry fuels, or any combination thereof. A Red Flag Warning is issued when the above conditions are expected to be met within the next 24 hours.
