Concerns grow over potentially above-average fire season in California amid dry, hot weather

PLACER COUNTY — This year's fire season in California has some officials concerned following last year's unusually low fire activity.

As the summer season progresses, Cal Fire says conditions are trending in the wrong direction.

“This sharp decline brings us back into what I consider to be an average to above-average California fire season,” said Cal Fire Unit Chief Brian Estes.

So far there have been a higher than average number of fast-moving bushfires. Estes says this is mainly due to dry grass and vegetation.

“In the last seven days, we have started 19 fires in the unit,” Chief Estes said.

Chief Estes said preparations for an above-average season are necessary for peak fire season.

“That will take us into September and potentially October, when the timber and thick brush will really start to become receptive,” he said.

This season is part of an ongoing effort to reduce fuels in our forests across the state.

With state and federal funding, the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force is working to burn up to 400,000 acres annually by next year as part of of a larger goal to treat 1 million acres each year in California.

However, it is labor intensive and crews can burn safely during a limited period of the year.

“While I think it’s an achievable goal one day, I think it might be difficult to achieve by 2025,” said Matt Dias, CEO of the California Forestry Association.

So far this year, Cal Fire has burned tens of thousands of acres, and the U.S. Forest Service announced this week that it has burned nearly 64,000 acres.