SACRAMENTO — Less than a day after the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for Sacramento Valley, the state is pre-positioning firefighting resources. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the deployment of reserve fire engines Wednesday as the NWS forecasts conditions for rapid fire spread in the higher elevations of eastern Napa County.

What You Need To Know

  • California is pre-positioning firefighting equipment in the Northern part of the state following a National Weather Service red flag warning for the Sacramento Valley

  • Cal-Fire has positioned fully staffed reserve engines in Shasta, Tehama, Butte, Lake and Napa counties

  • Engines, water tenders and helicopters have been repositioned in Glenn, Sonoma and Colusa counties

  • The red flag warning is in effect until 8 p.m. Wednesday

“We’ve sent additional equipment and firefighters to where the latest weather and prediction technology shows the greatest wildfire risk and are using some of the most advanced tools in the world to detect and monitor new wildfires,” Newsom said in a statement.

Newsom said all Cal-Fire units are at peak staffing and that reserve engines have been added in Shasta, Tehama, Butte, Lake and Napa counties north of San Francisco. Engines, water tenders and helicopters are also being repositioned to areas that could catch fire in Glenn, Sonoma and Colusa counties.

The red flag warning is in effect until 8 p.m. Wednesday.

The pre-positioning comes on the heels of Pacific Gas & Electric proactively shutting electricity to 84,000 customers in the early morning hours Wednesday to prevent potential ignitions as gusty winds and low humidity increase risk.

The red flag warning NWS issued late Tuesday was the first to be issued in California this year following an unusually wet winter, cool spring and recent tropical storm. The state has so far avoided any major fires, but Newsom cautioned, “wildfire season is year-round in California. We’re heading into some of the most challenging months for fire weather.”

The state’s fire season runs from July through October and typically peaks in September and October.