California firefighters already battled 1,500 wildfires as searing heat, dry grass give ample fuel

By early June, California wildfires have burned 34,394 acres, four times the 5-year average amount of land consumed by this time of year. Vegetation growth fueled by multiple atmospheric rivers has helped provide fuel for fires this season.

California’s wildfire season is off to an aggressive start this year, with a triple-digital heat wave and plenty of dry grass fuels complicating the landscape for firefighters.

As of June 3, CAL Fire firefighters have responded to more than 1,500 wildland fires, which have burned 34,394 acres. Wildfires have burned four times the average amount of land consumed by this time of year, according to CAL Fire statistics. 

The above-average acres burned are primarily due to the Corral Fire burning in San Joaquin County, which surpassed more than 14,000 acres over the weekend. The fire started Saturday and is nearly 100% contained as of Wednesday. 

Cal Fire responded to 7,127 wildfires for the entire year of 2023. 

Extreme heat baking West 

Firefighters across the West are facing extreme heat early this summer, with temperatures normally not seen until July.

In Tracy, California, near where the Corral Fire continues to burn, the forecast high temperature on Wednesday was 105 degrees. The National Weather Service issued Excessive Heat Warnings for nearly 20 million people from California's Central Valley to the deserts of Arizona.

PEAK OF SCORCHING TRIPLE-DIGIT HEAT WAVE BEGINS WEDNESDAY FOR NEARLY 20 MILLION IN WEST

Some of California's larger wildfires are burning in areas under Excessive Heat Warnings, including in Kern County where the 1,000-acre Road Fire is burning.

The high was forecast to hit 106 on Wednesday in Bakersfield

The heat is likely to stay. This summer, NOAA's Climate Prediction Center is forecasting well-above-average temperatures for many in the Lower 48. 

Across the U.S., wildfires have consumed 1.8 million acres, an increase compared to the 10-year average for this time of year.

How did atmospheric river rains help wildfire growth?

Between fall 2023 and spring 2024, California was soaked by rains from 51 different rounds of atmospheric rivers, more than twice the average. It may sound like it should have the opposite effect, but while this moisture improved California's drought conditions, it also helped fuel the wildfire growth the state is seeing now.

RIDICULOUS PHOTOS SHOW AFTERMATH OF 12 FEET OF SNOW IN CALIFORNIA'S SIERRA NEVADA

"The very wet winter that we had out west aided in vegetation and growth. But when you start to dry it out with this high heat and dry air, it can really make for a bad situation on the ground," FOX Weather Meteorologist Marissa Torres said.

Now, there are many layers of brush and grass. With above-average temperatures this spring and summer, the new growth quickly dried out, becoming fuel for fires.