Fire Season and Burn Permits – Cal Fire Announcements

In northern California, fuels have modified a bit from recent shower activity in some areas, but heavier dead fuels remain near record dry levels, more typical of mid-June than late March. Snowpack is the lowest it has ever been at this time of year, less than ten percent of normal across the higher terrain. A robust grass crop in the valleys and foothills west of the Sierra Crest has greened up early in most areas. Green up of brush up to 5000 feet has begun which is about six to eight weeks ahead of schedule. For the southern half of California, annual grasses below 3,000 feet have already cured along the south facing slopes south of Point Conception. Elsewhere around the Area, grasses should be fully cured within the next two to three weeks. Energy Release Component values are well above normal in most areas. Live fuel moisture values have recently peaked, and are now starting to descend. Portions of California will likely see increased activity earlier than usual thanks to the dryness from the long term drought. Fire activity across the lower elevations of northern and southern California is expected to increase in the coming weeks, especially during periods of warm, dry, and windy weather.