Residents of California are facing water shortfalls in the driest year in recorded drought history. In response to and in preparation for extreme drought conditions, Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. declared on Friday a State of Emergency.

"We can't make it rain, but we can be much better prepared for the terrible consequences that California's drought now threatens, including dramatically less water for our farms and communities and increased fires in both urban and rural areas," Brown said.

On a note related to the State of Emergency, the arid conditions in the southern part of California are prime for the ignition and spreading of wildfires. As such, the National Weather Service (NWS) has put in place several Red Flag Warnings, which are expected to remain active through Saturday evening.

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. The impacts of these conditions are that, if fire ignition occurs, there could be rapid spread of wildfire that would lead to a threat of life and property.

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