California’s Wildfire Season Yet to Peak and 2 Million Acres Have Already Burned

The peak of wildfire season is about to begin in California and before it starts the state has already set a record with 2 million acres burned so far this year. The previous record was set just two years ago. Two of the three largest fires in state history are burning in the San Francisco Bay Area. More than 14,000 firefighters are battling those fires and about two dozen others around California. The situation in Northern California is expected to deteriorate where high and dry winds are expected to kick up starting on Wednesday 9-9. To that end, California Governor Gavin Newsome (D) has declared a statewide emergency due to the widespread fires and extreme weather conditions and secured a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration to bolster the state’s emergency response to the Northern California wildfires. The state has also secured a Fire Management Assistance Grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to support the state’s response to fires burning in Santa Clara, Stanislaus, Santa Cruz, San Mateo, Napa, Nevada, Lake, Solano, Yolo and Monterey counties. In August, the governor had declared a statewide emergency situation over ongoing wildfires and weather that authorities warned was driving and spreading the blazes.