Increase in humidity helps put out flames, wildfire containment rises to 13% in San Mateo, Santa Cruz counties

Monday, August 24, 2020
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- Overnight moisture has helped firefighters battling the CZU Lightning Complex Fire burning in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties.

RELATED: What we know about LNU, CZU, SCU complex fires in Santa Cruz, Napa, Sonoma, San Mateo counties and beyond

Low clouds rich with water droplets helped squelch some of the fires burning along the coastline.

"With the increase in humidity, the fire has actually extinguished itself," CAL FIRE operations chief Mark Brunton said.

Containment went up to 13%, while the overall size reached 78,000 acres, according to CAL FIRE.

VIDEO: Staggering footage of lightning storm that started Bay Area fire complexes
Staggering footage of lightning storm that started Bay Area fire complexes


A Red Flag Warning for the entire Bay Area that was supposed to go until 5 p.m. today was canceled.

A National Weather Service spokesperson had originally said there was a 50% chance that the fire area could see direct lightning hit from thunderstorms.

"The weather hasn't been as significant as we were expecting," Brunton said. "That has given us the opportunity for our crews to make a lot of great progress throughout this fire."

The cool and moist air won't reach further than the immediate shoreline, limiting it's positive effects on other fires away from the coast.

As of Monday morning, more than 23,000 structures are still being threatened by the CZU Lightning Complex.

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