Strong Winds in East Bay Hills, Weather Service Says

The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory saying strong winds, with increased fire danger, are expected to buffet the East Bay hills during the early morning hours and through the afternoon Thursday.

The agency said "strong to very strong" north to northwest winds of 35-40 miles per hour, with gusts up to 60 miles per hour, are possible.

The advisory applies to the North Bay also.

The winds will also increase the danger of late-season fire, the weather service said.

"The strong offshore flow that will develop across the North Bay and East Bay hills/mountains will create elevated fire weather concerns," the agency's advisory said. "These strong winds will combine with low relative humidity values and dry fuels."

A fire that erupted early Tuesday at Big Sur has burned hundreds of acres and destroyed at least 22 structures, including at least 14 homes, according to the Los Angeles Times.

High winds in the East Bay on Nov. 21 toppled trees, caused widespread power outages and were linked to two deaths, including a fatal traffic accident that took the life of 29-year-old John Paul Koehn of Albany, who helped manage his family's longstanding Berkeley manufacturing firm, Edward Koehn Co.

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