Red Flag Warning prompts reflections on both hard data and personal experiences with October fire events. 

As we move into fall and the holiday season, cooler temperatures may give a sense of relief, but in California, the wildfire threat is far from over. October, November, and December bring unique dangers—specifically, dry conditions combined with the Santa Ana and North Winds, which fan the flames of some of the deadliest fires in the state’s history. Today, the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for Thursday evening through Saturday, with high winds and critically dry conditions, highlighting the ongoing fire risks this time of year.

California has long been known for its wildfires, but looking at the data, a startling trend emerges: 12 of the 20 deadliest wildfires in California history have occurred during these three months. From the devastating Camp Fire in November 2018, which claimed 85 lives, to the Oakland Hills Firestorm (Tunnel Fire) in October 1991, these late-year months are critical for fire preparedness and response.

October 29, 2019: A Day That Stands Out

Having served 22 years in the fire service, most recently with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District in California, I remember October 29, 2019, as one of the busiest and most impactful days of my career. As one of the Assistant Fire Chiefs on call, I was responsible for the communications center, and I played a critical role in coordinating our response. It was the third of three major critical fire weather events in October, underscoring how volatile the month had been. Leading up to that day, PG&E and the National Weather Service (NWS) had predicted "32-year winds," signaling severe, dry conditions not seen in decades—and that prediction held true.

After forecasts and discussions with PG&E and the NWS, the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District took numerous steps to prepare. These included:

• Up-staffing additional firefighting resources
• Pre-positioning equipment from other areas of the state
• Increasing communication center staffing
• Developing a comprehensive incident action plan
• Placing additional chief officers on standby to respond quickly if needed

Despite these preparations, the morning’s firestorm proved even more overwhelming than anticipated.

Early in the morning on October 29, the winds began to pick up, sparking wind-driven fires in East County. As the sun rose, the winds only grew stronger. By 7:00 AM, recognizing the potential severity of the day, the Fire District decided to hold all personnel on duty and increase staffing levels even further. By 8:30 AM, the Fire District recalled all off-duty personnel, which hadn’t been done since 1991, and staffed an additional 21 engine companies.

That day, the District battled numerous blazes throughout the county, issued multiple evacuation warnings, and handled thousands of 911 calls. The Fire District achieved incredible feats of service, including almost doubling the firefighting force.

It was one of my proudest moments working for the District. We operated like a well-oiled machine—our Emergency Operations Center, communications teams, and on-the-ground personnel worked seamlessly together to protect lives and property. The sheer coordination and teamwork demonstrated by our personnel and mutual aid resources made that day a success. Contra Costa County Fire and other county fire departments responded to 10 major incidents in 18 hours, earning the nickname “Fire Siege.”

Late-Season Wildfire Risks

Though we often associate wildfires with the peak summer months, late-season fires present a significant risk. Historically, October through December has been a period of frequent, fast-moving wildfires driven by the dry conditions and strong winds typical of the season. In fact, some of the largest and most destructive fires occur during this time, when vegetation has dried out, and the winds can turn tiny sparks into roaring infernos.

Large mutual aid incidents during these months require quick, efficient responses from neighboring agencies, counties, and departments across California and outside the state. While mutual aid remains a key part of California’s firefighting strategy, the tools available to fire crews have dramatically improved over the years.

Efficiency Through Technology: How Tablet Command Helps

In the past, fire crews responding to mutual aid incidents had to rely on paper maps, radio directions, and dealing with the “fog of war.” Today, technology is making fire response more efficient and coordinated. Tablet Command plays a pivotal role in this transformation.

Fire agencies across California, as well as mutual-aid resources from outside the state, that use Tablet Command  are better equipped to manage complex, fast-moving incidents. With features such as customized maps, shared vehicle location (AVL), real-time infrared hotspots (via MODIS), offline maps, Alert California and Alert Wildfire cameras, and evacuation mapping powered by Genasys Evac (formerly Zonehaven), all integrated into a single interface, agencies can access critical information in real-time. This dramatically improves situational awareness and decision-making in the field, ensuring that resources are deployed faster and more efficiently where needed most.

Preparing for What’s to Come

At Tablet Command, we understand the importance of being prepared for large-scale mutual aid incidents, having responded to many of the same emergencies our customers face today. We constantly think of ways to improve our product to make a real difference. This extends to our infrastructure as well. Hosted on AWS and powered by Kubernetes technology with AWS auto-scaling, our infrastructure is built to handle surges in usage during fast-moving fires, ensuring our platform remains reliable when needed most. Kubernetes and AWS form the same foundation that powers mission-critical services in other SaaS platforms, such as Netflix, Slack, and Dropbox, allowing them to scale efficiently and maintain high availability during peak demand.

As we approach the cooler months, let’s not be lulled into a false sense of security. California’s wildfire history shows us that some of the most destructive fires occur when we least expect it. But with the right tools, like Tablet Command, fire agencies are more prepared than ever to protect our communities.

Stay safe this wildfire season, and remember—preparation and technology are crucial to making a difference.