SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Central Valley and Sierra alike have been receiving much-needed precipitation this week, with more in the forecast this weekend.
Could the mid-April moisture delay the ramping-up of fire season this year?
Captain Parker Wilbourn of the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District says he hopes so, but after such a dry winter, he doubts it will make a huge difference.
"It's a running joke in the firehouse that every year is going to be the next worst fire season we've ever had, and we hope that's not the case,” Wilbourn said. "In the greater Sacramento area, we've already seen temperatures in the 90s. We've seen relative humidity decreasing and those fuel moistures drying out."
Cal Fire Spokesperson Robert Foxworthy has similarly tempered hopes.
"Any precipitation that we receive, and especially large amounts of precip, will slow the progression of fire season and slow that uptick in fire activity,” Foxworthy said. “But the amount that we are in a deficit, obviously, a small amount of precipitation won't turn that around."
He said statewide numbers illustrate the growing fire danger.
As of Apr. 8, California had seen more than 1,000 wildfires, which burned a total of more than 6,200 acres in 2022.
Compare that to the five-year average at the same point in the year — with just 662 fires and only 1,400 acres burned.
As for when Northern California will see fire season really ramp up, Cal Fire recommended looking at the National Interagency Fire Center, which published this four-month wildfire outlook at the start of the month.
According to that outlook, Northern California's fire danger is normal in April. Fire danger becomes "above normal" in parts of NorCal starting next month, and into June and July, even more areas are at higher risk.
“So make sure that if you do live in one of those wildland-urban interface areas, you do have a bag packed, you are ready to go this season,” Wilbourn said. “Make sure that you have two ways out of your home and make sure that you have a plan with your family, a meet-up point if things do go south."
Cal Fire recommends people check out their wildfire preparedness website HERE, which they call a one-stop shop for wildfire safety and preparation resources.
