Lightning brings risk of new wildfires to California

Fast-moving thunderstorms with lightning and little rain are moving across Northern California and raising the risk of new wildfires in the drought-stricken region

SAN FRANCISCO -- Fast-moving thunderstorms with lightning and little rain moved across Northern California early Friday, raising the risk of new wildfires in the drought-stricken region. A red flag warning for critical fire weather conditions was expected to remain in effect all day, but the thunderstorm threat was expected to diminish in most areas by late morning, the National Weather Service said. The official downtown San Francisco rain gauge recorded 0.01 inch (0.25 millimeters) of rain by 5 a.m., marking the first time it has rained there on Sept. 10 since 1978, the weather service said. The most recent measurable September rain in the city happened in 2019. Thunderstorms also moved through parts of Southern California on Thursday and early Friday, triggering flash flood concerns for burn scars of past wildfires.