Natural History Wanderings

Cal Fire reports

The number of wildfires is up 9% this spring, but the acres burned have skyrocketed by 1,462% – from 5,747 acres to 89,784 acres over the same period (Jan 1 – Jun 19), which is well above normal for this time of year.
95% of wildfires in California are human-caused and are occurring in areas with grasses and light flashy fuels that have dried out. Additionally, winds are contributing to these fires moving quickly and consuming thousands of acres.
Californians can help by being wildfire-safe:
Don’t mow after 10 a.m.
Don’t allow vehicle tow chains to drag.
Don’t pull your vehicle into dry grass.
One less spark is one less wildfire.
Follow incidents in real-time at: https://www.fire.ca.gov/ and learn more about preventing wildfire at: https://readyforwildfire.org/