CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, California — The wind is picking up. The air is dry. And fire officials across the East Bay are watching every ridge and hillside like they have seen this story before — because they have.
A Red Flag Warning is now in effect for parts of Northern California, starting at 5 a.m. Saturday and running through Monday night. For Contra Costa County Fire officials, the combination of high winds, low humidity, and climbing temperatures is more than enough reason to stay on full alert.
Fire Crews Are Already Positioning Equipment
Contra Costa County Fire is not waiting for a spark to start preparing.
“As a district when it’s wildfire season, we’re going to make sure we’re staffing our wildland apparatus, we’re going to make sure our water tenders are available — and any other equipment we need,” said Captain Victor Daniel with Contra Costa County Fire Prevention.
That kind of readiness is not routine caution. It is a direct response to conditions that fire officials know can turn a small grass fire into a neighborhood emergency within minutes.
PG&E Is Watching Too
The threat is not just on the ground. PG&E is actively monitoring parts of Northern California for possible public safety power shutoffs.
When winds reach dangerous levels, the utility may cut power to reduce the risk of electrical equipment sparking a fire. It is a measure that inconveniences residents but has become a regular part of fire season in the Bay Area.
Bay Point Still Carries the Scars
For people living near Bay Point, this weekend’s warning is not just a weather alert — it is a reminder.
In July 2024, a brush fire tore through the area and came within 60 yards of a residential backyard. Two years later, the signs are still visible. Burn marks on fences. Pink retardant stains on a neighbor’s car. And memories that have not faded.
Kevin Pereyra had only moved into the neighborhood a few months before the fire.
“As I was evacuating, I was kind of looking in the backyard and I see the flames on top of the hill and I was like ‘Oh no — it’s coming,'” he said.
His neighbor Wayne still has not forgotten what it felt like to watch fire approach his home.
“It’s really scary because we saw the burn marks and neighbor said it came 60 yards from its backyard,” he said.
Residents Say the 2024 Fire Changed Everything
For those who lived through the Bay Point fire, the way they think about wildfire season is completely different now.
Pereyra said his family no longer treats fire warnings as background noise.
“Now it’s something we do have to think about everyday. We actually bought stuff for us to take that’s fire-proof,” he said.
Wayne put it simply: “It’s a wakeup call to really think again because we were really scrambling.”
What You Should Do Before Monday Night
If you live in or near an affected area, fire officials recommend acting before conditions worsen — not after.
Charge phones and backup batteries now, have a go-bag ready with documents, medications, and essentials, know your evacuation route before you need it, and sign up for local emergency alerts through your county.
Fire season in the Bay Area no longer has an off switch. This weekend is another reminder of that.
Are you in the Red Flag Warning zone this weekend? Tell us how you are preparing in the comments — your tips could help a neighbor stay safe.
