Despite its delay, wildfire weather is expected to arrive in the western US. Autumn will see an increased threat of wildfires and could catapult burned areas beyond the 10-year average, meteorologists said.
So far, the National Interagency Fire Center said that almost two-and-a-half million acres have burned due to wildfires this year, well behind the 3 million 10-year average, but the threat could substantially increase.
AccuWeather Meteorologist Evan Duffey said in a report that Central and Southern California are the most vulnerable to wildfire weather.
However, there has been a delay in fire season this year due to pockets of cool weather in the West, which lingered into late spring.
Duffey said “years of drought and increasing amounts of dead vegetation” could worsen conditions that would lead to an “especially bad” fire season this year.
Property owners can reduce the risk of wildfire damage by keeping brush to a minimum and clearing trees to at least a few dozen feet away from structures. It is also advisable to use ceramic or metal tile roofs, which offer more fire resistance, over asphalt shingles.
