With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Fire official: Orange County vegetation is dry, meaning danger
File: A ball comes to rest in the sun parched grass during the second round of the Van Lanschot Senior Open played at Koninklijke Haagsche Golf and Country Club on July 10, 2010 in The Hague, Netherlands.
(
Phil Inglis/Getty Images
)
Listen
0:57
Fire official: Orange County vegetation is dry, meaning danger
Fire official: Orange County vegetation is dry, meaning danger
We’ve barely had any winter this year in Southern California. You know what that means: fire danger.
You can count on one hand how many times it’s rained in L.A. and Orange counties this winter. Not much.
What little precipitation has fallen has been dried out by summer-like temperatures.
Laura Blaul is a fire marshal with the Orange County Fire Authority.
Sponsor
"We always say this because we always want to be on our toes, but the fuel moistures are very low," Blaul says. "It’s hot. We’ve already had some red flag days in January. We had some in December even. And so we want to make sure that people are prepared that we could get a wildfire any day."
In other words, fire season in Southern California is pretty much year-‘round now. Cal Fire just recently issued new fire hazard maps that add thousands of homes to high fire risk areas.
Some cities have approved the maps with no issues. But others, like Tustin, have declined to approve them. Mission Viejo will consider whether to approve its new maps this week.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
