California’s Drought Is Over.
Hundreds of thousands of acres and countless structures have been destroyed in recent years in California as intense fire seasons have hit the state each summer.
And while a wet winter that dampened the state’s six-year drought may inspire hope that this fire season could be less severe, experts say that’s not the case.
But as the grass dries out this summer, it becomes prime fuel for the aggressive and fast-moving fires that have become so familiar in the Golden State.
Eight wildfires are currently burning thousands of acres in California.
Between Jan. 1 and June 25 this year, 2,135 fires have burned 20,249 acres in California, according to data from Cal Fire.
That’s slightly more than the same time frame in 2016, when 1,750 fires had burned 18,354 acres.
In total, 6,986 fires burned 564,835 fires in 2016.
But California still has several of its water restrictions it implemented over the last few years.
That delays the fire season for those areas — but it will likely return in the later months in the summer as the packs dry up, experts said.