Director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), Joe Tyler, recently gave a press conference declaring that wildfires in the state had already burned five times the amount of land compared to the average for the current season.
Tyler is the state’s top wildfire official and expressed an increased need for caution from California residents as the wildfire season continues.
News Conference
At a July 11 news conference, Tyler asserted that state fire prevention forces have responded to more than 3,500 wildfires that have torched almost 220,000 acres this year.
“We are not just in a fire season, we are in a fire year,” Tyler said at the news conference. “Our winds and the recent heatwave have exacerbated the issue, consuming thousands of acres. So we need to be extra cautious.”
Above Average
This amount of wildfire damage is reportedly equivalent to five times the amount of damage in an average year for mid-July.
Experts have been warning about the increased wildfire risk as a number of different factors have combined at the same time to increase the risk to California’s land.
Contributing Factors
A particularly wet winter in California left the state abundant in grass that quickly dried to become kindling as the weather got hotter.
California and other parts of the country are under the pressure of an intense heat wave that creates ideal conditions for fires to start burning.
Drought Ending
The wetness in California during the winter was hailed for bringing the state out of what was being classified as a megadrought.
A study from earlier this year published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed that such a record snow event is an anomaly that is less likely to happen in the future.
June Lightning
As the heatwave dried out the increased grass resulting from an abnormally precipitous winter season, a heavy period of lightning storms in June started igniting the area and kickstarted the wildfire season in earnest.
At the end of June, the National Lightning Detection Network documented more than 66,000 lightning events in California, and the most recorded in one day over the last 5 years.
Dry Lightning
Unfortunately for Californians, lightning in the state has been very dry, meaning that it does not bring much rain with it, if any at all. A lightning storm that occurred between June 22 andJune 23 affected over ⅓ of the state of California and was thought to be responsible for what some called the Thunder Fire.
“This is the #ThunderFire burning here in the foothills of #KernCounty just to the east of the #5fwy, said KNX reporter Brian Douglas on X. “It’s about 190 acres and 15% contained. It started from a lightning strike.”
Newsom’s Comments
Last Wednesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom blamed climate change for the current heatwave that is setting records across the Western United States.
“Climate change is real,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said at a news conference Wednesday. “Those extremes are here present every day in the great state of California.”
Plea to Residents
Director Tyler urged residents during his press conference to not take the threat of wildfire lightly and to ensure they knew plans for when the worst happens.
“This is my plea to you, please create a wildfire action plan that addresses escape routes, meeting points, animal arrangements, and a communications plan with your family,” said Tyler.
Listen to Authorities
Tyler also emphasized the importance of listening to officials in places of authority who are working to ensure residents have up-to-date information.
“Listen to the guidance of law enforcement and our firefighters for evacuation warnings and orders. Prepare your home to defend from an advancing wildfire, and prepare your home by home hardening and utilizing defensible space,” said Tyler.
Difficulty Battling Fires
The recent intense heat has made it difficult for firefighters to battle the numerous fires that are spreading out over large areas quickly.
Cal Fire has had to adapt to the temperatures, changing the protective equipment of its personnel to lighten their load as the heat tires firefighters out.
High-Risk Areas
Wildfires have been burning in several places, and the California government has been shifting around limited resources to high-risk areas in anticipation of future blazes.
“Working proactively to place firefighting resources in high-risk areas, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) has strategically prepositioned critical fire engines and personnel in multiple counties to be able to respond if needed,” said a Cal OES announcement at the beginning of the month.
