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SERVICES. RESOURCES. COMMUNITY.
News from the City of Berkeley
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Prepare for high fire danger; sign up for alerts, review City’s emergency map, make evacuation plan, pack "go bags," and park off street when possible.
 From Wednesday, June 10 at 11:00 PM until Thursday, June 11 at 9:00 AM, the National Weather Service predicts “Red Flag” dry and windy conditions that lead to quick ignition and spread of wildfires.
The weather service predicts winds of 10 to 20 miles per hour with gusts up to 45 miles per hour. In addition, humidity is forecast between 12 to 18%.
Residents in the high-risk zones of the Berkeley Hills and other hillside neighborhoods should take extra steps to be ready for evacuation.
These conditions require all Berkeleyans to take greater precautions to prevent fires:
- Don’t use charcoal or burn wood.
- Use extreme caution with BBQs, power equipment, and anything else that creates heat or sparks.
- Park on pavement, not on grass or other vegetation. Avoid idling a car.
Make safe choices. Follow fire-safety rules on public and private property. Fireworks are illegal in Berkeley and nearby areas. Barbecues are prohibited in City parks during red flag weather.
Make sure you are signed up for emergency texts and emails through AC Alert and know how to navigate the City’s emergency map, which would indicate emergency actions for each neighborhood.
Prepare to leave if you live in high-risk areas
Red Flag Warnings are an early indicator of increased wildfire risk. These warnings are issued when strong winds, low humidity, and dry vegetation can combine to create dangerous fire conditions that can cause wildfires to spark easily and spread rapidly.
Residents in the Berkeley hills who are at higher fire risk can see the protective actions outlined for their neighborhood at any time by entering their address on the City’s Emergency Map.
During Red Flag Warnings, City staff monitor weather conditions closely and, in an emergency, will first update the Emergency Map with protective actions, such as an evacuation.
Hill residents should take steps now to leave faster if an evacuation is needed.
One of the best ways for all residents to prepare for emergencies is to:
- Sign up all your devices for AC Alert, which will be used to send alerts about protective actions you should take.
- Use Berkeley’s Emergency Map to monitor important locations such as your home, work, or child's school. Using the web version, you can browse and easily share locations via text or email. You can also download the Genasys Protect App , and receive real-time alerts about any status changes or emergencies in those zones.
- During high-risk weather, keep your phone on even if you are sleeping and don’t use “do not disturb” mode.
If you see something unsafe or not allowed, call 911 right away.
Complete a household fire weather and evacuation plan
Having a plan helps you make decisions ahead of time, so you can act faster and evacuate more quickly in an emergency.
Review your plan with all the members of your household and anyone who would help you to leave early or evacuate.
- Plan multiple ways out of your neighborhood. For wildfire evacuation out of the Berkeley hills, your safest option is using a car. Make plans to drive or carpool with neighbors.
- Put your go-bag by the front door. You can evacuate faster if you are ready to leave when ordered.
- Park off-street. Back your car into your driveway or garage. This helps clear streets clear for emergency vehicles and prepares you to leave more quickly if needed.
Learn more about Red Flag Warnings on our Fire Weather and Evacuation webpage.
Additional resources about “red flag warnings”
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 Prepare for wildfire season by using a free City of Berkeley program that will take away shrubs, limbs, brush, and other “hard” vegetation you gather from your property.
Berkeleyans can sign up online for this service, known as our “Berkeley Chipper Program," to choose neighborhood chipping events or sign up to get an email when the next nearby event is scheduled.
In addition, those in certain higher-risk areas of the Berkeley Hills that pay a fire district surcharge can request a vegetation debris bin, which can help move even larger amounts and a greater variety of cleared vegetation.
To see if you qualify to receive a vegetation debris bin for your neighborhood, call 3-1-1 or (510) 981-2489 outside City limits.
The Berkeley Chipper program is funded by voter-approved Measure FF and is part of Fire Safe Berkeley, a broad effort led by the Berkeley Fire Department to create tools, resources, and partnerships with the community to reduce the risk of wildfire. Berkeley Fire’s comprehensive wildfire protection plan includes annual inspections of certain hillside properties to help identify fire risks, increased public education about fire prevention, and services like the chipper program.
“Each of us has a role to play in reducing the risk of wildfire,” said Fire Chief Dave Sprague, a third-generation Berkeley resident. “Thinning vegetation around our homes and removing all vegetation within five feet of structures, decks and stairs significantly reduces the risk around your home. Each of us doing our part can also build toward decreasing the wildfire risk of entire neighborhoods.”
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 Berkeley homeowners can upgrade their windows, roofs, eaves, and vents to prevent a wildfire’s sparks, embers or heat from setting your home ablaze.
Changing building features or materials to be more fire resistant is particularly important the closer a home is to undeveloped areas like forests and regional parks.
A wildfire’s heat and embers often surge ahead of a blaze and expose vulnerabilities built into a home.
- An ember blown by winds can fall through a vent to set a home on fire – so covering vents with metal mesh is critical.
- The heat alone from a nearby wildfire can be so intense that it ignites certain building materials. As a result, multi-pane tempered windows and fire-resistant roofs can help safeguard your home.
- Embers can collect on roofs, in gutters, and along the foundation, igniting vegetation and debris which can spread fire to the roof or other parts of the structure. Sealing gaps, clearing, and enclosing gutters lowers the chance of embers entering these vulnerable areas.
Sometimes the fire risk isn’t your building. A pile of logs, a wooden fence, wooden furniture, or other flammable objects placed near your home can also ignite and expose your entire home to fire.
Don’t stop at your house. Trim trees, cut back brush, and plant fire-smart vegetation outside the first 5 feet of your home to lower your fire risk even more.
Buyers and sellers of residential or multi-use buildings with at least two residential units in the highest fire risk areas may also qualify for a tax rebate when making physical upgrades to reduce fire risk.
Making the materials of your home more resistant to heat and embers – a term often referred to as “home hardening” – might save it from a wildfire.
Read more at berkeleyca.gov.
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 Know how to safely care for, replace, and re-charge lithium batteries, which are common in household devices.
Berkeley has had eighteen fires linked to lithium-ion batteries involving e-skateboards, e-scooters, and e-bikes since 2023. Although incidents are down in the city, these dangerous fires continue to happen around the region and nation.
Simple tips can help keep you and your household safe:
- Use the original manufacturers’ chargers, batteries, or replacements and store them away from extreme heat, cold, and other flammable items.
- Charge batteries directly in an electrical wall outlet for only as long as it takes to reach a full charge, then disconnect from power source.
- Watch warning signs of battery overheating like swelling, leaking, odd noises, smoke, or unusual odors. If you see any of these, don’t touch the device. Evacuate immediately and call 9-1-1.
Lithium battery fires often start without warning, spread fast, and burn for extended time periods. If a fire breaks out, evacuate the area immediately and call 9-1-1.
Use only certified batteries and chargers on the current list from the Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory. Charge batteries safely in an open space and stop using or replace any battery that shows signs of damage.
Read more at berkeleyca.gov.
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