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Southern California can breathe a sigh of relief: Fire season is all but over
Southern California has gotten a drenching lately, which has put a major damper on the potential for large wildfires.
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Robert Gauthier
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Southern California fire season is all but over
After all the rain we've had lately, large fires likely won't be a concern until deep into 2026.
Topline:
Southern California — from the coast to the mountains to the deserts — has gotten so much rain over the past month that large-scale, fast-moving fires are essentially no longer a concern. And they likely won't be until well into 2026.
Expert assessment: "Basically, we're out of fire season across all of Central and Southern California," said Matt Shameson, meteorologist with the U.S. Forest Service's South Ops Office, which regularly assesses wildfire conditions.
Fire risk: The assessment is determined by a variety of factors, including dead and live fuel moisture, both of which are well above critical thresholds after recent storms. Vegetation is greening up, soils are getting saturated and dry creeks are starting to run again. As of late November, parts of Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties have received between 5 to 9 times more rainfall than is normal for this time of year.
The year ahead: We likely won't see any significant fire activity until April, when grasses dry out. Large scale forest fires in our mountains shouldn't be a concern until the middle of summer at the earliest. Fires along Southern California's coastal mountain ranges usually don't occur until the Santa Ana winds show up in late September or early October.
The big caveat: We can't predict the weather. If we don't see any rain from here on out and only experience hot, dry and windy conditions, fire risk could return within a month. In that case, we'll be back to update you.
Speaking of the weather: The most recent rain storm should be out of the area by Saturday, and the Santa Ana winds are going to be showing up, according to the National Weather Service. With the ground saturated, trees are more susceptible to being knocked down by the wind. For the Thanksgiving holiday, expect mild weather and temperatures in the 70s if current forecasts hold.
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