Posted by Congressman Doug LaMalfa at 12:00 am on Jun 23, 2008 Comments Off on Wildfires In NorCal
One of the things Calfornia is in the news for each year is the
wildfire season. Usually, fire season tends to peak in the
fall as that is when the fire fuels are at their driest.
Weeds have completely died off, last years dead brush, slash, berry
vines, etc. have lost their moisture. Forested areas have
dried out completelyof snow, runoff, and any residual
moisture in these fuels has been extractedby summer heat and
all the dead and dying timber and slashis fully exposed to
fire danger.
We see many fires already breaking out aroundthe state
now, in mid-June.Here in Butte County, the Humboldt
Fire,which is down to the last bits of mop-up duty, was a
national news item.A total accounting so far of 84
homes and multiple out buildings were destroyed, along with over
20,000 total acres burnedof forested, grazing or brushy
canyon lands.
Conditions are acutely dangerous this
year.Because of low overall rain and snowfall,
the fuels are extremely dry all over with the moisture content in
the less than 10% range, which is usually what is typical for later
in the year. Indeed, CalFire chiefsI’ve spoken to call
it… Read More