Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

Public Safety

Fire Season In U.S. Already One For The Record Books

Members of the media set up in front of smoke from the Wallow fire June 8, 2011 in Springerville, Arizona.
Marcio Jose Sanchez
Members of the media set up in front of smoke from the Wallow fire June 8, 2011 in Springerville, Arizona.

San Diego County Wildfire Risk Predicted To Be Higher in Late Summer

San Diego County Wildfire Risk Predicted To Be Higher in Late Summer
The National Interagency Fire Center predicts a normal wild-land fire season for Southern California from July through September.

The National Interagency Fire Center predicts a normal wild-land fire season for Southern California from July through September.

But Mike Mohler with CalFire said fire season is year round in California.

He said rainy weather during the winter and late-spring mean more fuel for wildfires.

Advertisement

"The series of rains has brought several different crops of grass," said Mohler. "The later rains brings another crop of grass that in turn dies and becomes what we call ladder fuel. You've got almost three different grass crops from each rain, then they cure, so it adds to that fuel bed."

Mohler said as warmer weather dries the vegetation fire risk increases.

He said the concern grows during Santa Ana wind conditions that come in late summer and in October and November.

Mohler said creating defensible space around homes and structures can help reduce property loss.

There are currently large fires burning in nine states, the biggest is the Wallow Fire in Arizona.

Advertisement

The National Interagency Fire Center says more than 4.2 million acres have burned across the U.S. this year, making 2011 already one of the worst wildfire seasons in the last 10 years.

And it's not even officially summer.

KPBS has created a public safety coverage policy to guide decisions on what stories we prioritize, as well as whose narratives we need to include to tell complete stories that best serve our audiences. This policy was shaped through months of training with the Poynter Institute and feedback from the community. You can read the full policy here.