Red Flag Warning for October 9 through October 11, 2008 Includes All National Parks in the San Francisco Bay Area

Date: October 9, 2008
Contact: Jennifer Chapman, 415-464-5133

A Red Flag Warning issued by the National Weather Service will be in effect for both the San Francisco Bay and Monterey Bay Areas beginning at 6:00 pm this evening (Thursday) and continuing until 6:00 pm Saturday, October 11. During this period, fire danger will be extreme for Point Reyes National Seashore, Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), and Pinnacles National Monument. Wind gusts may reach 55 mph during this time. A fire under these conditions would spread rapidly and would be very difficult to control. The public is asked to take every precaution to prevent any kind of accidental fire such as those associated with recreation, smoking, driving, or the use of power tools.

Restrictions that will be in effect within the Seashore boundaries are:

1) All wood or charcoal fires will be banned, although self-contained gas stoves will be permitted at designated campgrounds and picnic areas;
2) all previously issued fire permits will become null and void;
3) Mt. Vision Road will be closed to all vehicle traffic;
4) smoking will be prohibited on all park trails and backcountry areas; and
5) park employees will not use equipment such as chain saws, lawn mowers, weed eaters, welders or other potential ignition sources outside of developed areas in the park.

Restrictions that will be in effect on all GGNRA lands, both north and south of the Golden Gate bridge, are:

1) All fires, including cooking fires and charcoal grills, will be prohibited except for self-contained, portable gas stoves, which are allowed only in designated campground and picnic areas;
2) smoking on all park trails will be prohibited;
3) all outdoor “hot work” permits will be prohibited;
4) the use of equipment that could provide a potential ignition source will be prohibited.

Restrictions that will be in effect within Pinnacles National Monument are:

1) The use of park provided grills and self-contained charcoal barbecues will be prohibited except within the campground where only duraflame logs and briquettes will be allowed; also allowed will be the use of self-contained, portable gas stoves; and
2) smoking on all park trails will be prohibited.

A map showing the entire area affected by the Red Flag Warning can be viewed online at: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/firewx/?wfo=mtr.

-NPS-