Red Flag Warning count climbed back to 43 active alerts across 13 states Saturday, reversing Friday’s partial easing and extending the critical fire weather threat through the weekend — with California’s Sacramento and Central valleys now carrying much of the load.
The increase from Friday’s 30 warnings represents a sharp rebound. The National Weather Service’s warning footprint again spans Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Utah — the same 13-state count as Thursday’s earlier peak, but with a heavier concentration in the West.
Northern and Central California are now the focal point this weekend. In the Sacramento Valley, north winds of 20 to 30 mph are expected with gusts of 35 to 45 mph; near the Delta and the western valley, isolated gusts to 50 mph are possible. Daytime minimum relative humidity is forecast to fall to 7 to 15 percent. The National Weather Service identifies the highest threat as concentrated along and west of the Interstate 5 corridor, with conditions most dangerous Saturday night through Sunday. Warning zones span a wide band: the Redding metro area, Butte, Glenn, Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, Yolo, and Sacramento counties, and portions of San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties. Residents in Sacramento weather and the surrounding valley should expect the warning period to peak overnight.
Arizona is carrying the second-largest share of alerts. Southwest winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 45 mph and relative humidity as low as 7 percent are forecast across the eastern Mogollon Rim, Little Colorado River Valley, the Chuska Mountains, Grand Canyon Country, Kaibab Plateau, and the lower Colorado River corridor. One set of zones — covering eastern Pima, southeastern Pinal, Santa Cruz, and western Cochise counties — faces warnings running from 11 a.m. Saturday through 8 p.m. MST Sunday. Separate northern Arizona zones are under warnings from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. MST Sunday.
In Stockton weather and the broader San Joaquin Valley, delta-area gusts and single-digit humidity levels place the region inside the high-risk corridor through Sunday.
The National Weather Service warns that any fires that develop or are ongoing under these conditions will have the potential to spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended across all affected zones. Emergency managers in affected areas urge residents to avoid any ignition sources and to have evacuation plans ready through at least Sunday evening.