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This Year's Fire Season Set To Be Most Destructive In California History
California's fire season is on track to burn the most land in recorded state history.
(
Robyn Beck
/
AFP via Getty Images
)
Here's some unsettling news: California is on track to surpass last year's fire season, which burned the most land in recorded state history.
Most of the destruction this year has been in Northern California, where several fires are burning.
They include the Dixie Fire, covering four counties, that has grown into the state's largest single wildfire in modern times.
Southern California has lucked out so far this year, with comparatively little in the way of destructive wildfires.
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But we're heading into another high-pressure situation, literally and figuratively.
The National Weather Service says building high pressure is leading to a warming trend and elevated fire weather conditions for inland areas Tuesday through Saturday.
High pressure will build across the Great Basin this week leading to a warming trend and elevated fire weather conditions for the interior Tue through Sat. It will continue to be dry and there may be heat risk impacts over inland areas by late week. #CAwx #SoCal #LAheat #CAfire pic.twitter.com/6TkO9fY6Ng
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) August 8, 2021
On top of that, monsoonal moisture is creating a chance for thunderstorms in the mountains and deserts through Wednesday.
Sure, some rain there would be nice, but keep in mind that it was a series of lightning strikes a year ago across seven northern counties that sparked blazes that merged into the August Complex, which remains the state's largest-ever wildfire overall.
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This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
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