Strong winds and low humidity could mean higher fire danger for Fresno and much of the Central Valley, according to the National Weather Service.
The National Weather Service recently issued its first fire weather watch of the season for the region.
“We could see wind gusting up to 35 miles an hour, dry grass and low humidity all across from the coastal hills over to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada,” National Weather Service meteorologist Carlos Molina told The Fresno Bee. “The conditions will be favorable for fire starts.”
The weather service previously issued a similar fire weather watch for parts of Northern California including Sacramento and Modesto.
Is Fresno at risk of wildfires? Will conditions cool down in time for Memorial Day?
Here’s what to know:
The fire weather watch will be in effect from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday, May 22, for the San Joaquin Valley and Sierra foothills, the National Weather Service said.
During that time, the weather agency said, the risk of wildfires is expected to be especially high.
Central Valley communities impacted by the fire weather watch include Fresno, Visalia, Bakersfield, Coalinga, Los Banos and Merced, according to Molina.
The area could see winds of 15 to 20 mph, with gusts reaching 25 to 35 mph, the weather service said in the watch.
Humidity will be at 5% to 15%.
That combination can cause fire to rapidly grow in size and intensity, according to the weather service.
“Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly,” the federal agency said. “Outdoor burning is not recommended.”
Molina said that people using lawnmowers or trimmers should watch out for rocks while cutting grass.
“If a lawnmower hits the rock, it creates a spark” that can potentially start a blaze, he said.
Fires can also spark as a result of cigarette butts or vehicles dragging chains on the road, he said.
Wildfire season is approaching in California, and experts warn it could be worse than usual.
Wildfire season typically runs from May to November, with most fires happening during the summer months, according to the Western Fire Chiefs Association.
The National Interagency Fire Center predicts an “above-normal” risk for significant wildfires across much of California from June through August, according to its latest seasonal outlook.
The Fresno area was expected to see sunny skies on Wednesday, with a high temperature near 93 degrees and an overnight low temperature around 63 degrees according to the National Weather Service’s latest seven-day forecast.
Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.
“It’s going to be rather warm out there,” Molina said. “The hot temperatures, the dry air and the strong winds, all of those things will make (conditions) favorable to create a fire if there are any sparks going on out there.”
Thursday will be sunny with a high near 92 and gusts as high as 15 mph.
Thursday night will be mostly clear, with a low around 57 and gusts as high as 20 mph.
That’s when temperatures will “start dropping down,” Molina said.
Friday is forecast to be sunny with a high near 85 and a low around 56. Wind gusts could reach 15 mph during the day, or 20 mph at night.
According to the weather service’s forecast, Saturday will be sunny with a high near 89 and a low around 61.
Fresno residents can expect more sunshine on Sunday, when the high will be near 93 and the low will be around 62.
Fresno residents can expect winds of 5 mph during the day, the weather service said, with gusts reaching 15 mph at night.
“By the time we get to Memorial Day, the temperatures will start to warm up a little bit,” Molina said. “It’s actually going to be a pleasant Memorial Day weekend.”
Monday, Memorial Day, will see clear skies with a high near 91 and wind gusts up to 15 mph.
This story was originally published May 21, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
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Fernanda Galan covers Central Valley and California news as The Fresno Bee’s service journalism reporter. Before joining The Bee in 2024, she reported in Milwaukee, Arizona and Los Angeles. She is a graduate of Arizona State’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.