Wildfire season could be bad with healthy vegetation
By Michelle Robertson, San Francisco Chronicle
California emerged from its five-year drought after heavy winter rains filled reservoirs and turned our golden hills green. But don’t be fooled by the emerald hues. CalFire expects wildfires to burn just as fiercely as they did during drought years – if not more so.
The Eight-Station Index, a measure of Northern Sierra precipitation that helps determine statewide water levels, has deemed 2017 the wettest year on record at 92.8 inches. With all that rainfall, California’s wide open spaces are now covered with lush vegetation.
You’d think that would be good, but firefighters say you’d be wrong. More grass means more fuel for the flames.