End of drought could mean the beginning of a busy wildfire season in Southern California.
“Whatever brush didn’t burn in last year’s fire season is still there but it is dead because of the five-year drought,” said Inspector Gustavo Medina of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
On Monday, the county, as well as Cal Fire and the fire departments from San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside and Imperial counties announced the start of fire season.
To be ready, Los Angeles County Fire has eight helicopters standing by.
In September, the department will have two super scooper planes available through the end of fire season.
Fire departments are concerned that homeowners have become complacent since the drought ended.
“Yeah, we are already having brush fires.
Wildfires occur in the Santa Monica, San Bernardino and San Gabriel mountains and in the surrounding foothills, he said.
Advertisement A few common spots Los Angeles County Fire is watching are the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, the Malibu hills and canyons, the Santa Clarita area and the corridor of the 5 Freeway.
Sometimes clearing an area to the dirt will allow more invasive grasses to grow, which are more flammable.