Researchers from the San Jose State University Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center (which is the only wildfire research center in California) noticed that there is no new growth on shrubs in their test areas of the state. They say that’s because there’s been so litt le rain in those areas….and that means the wildfire risk is even greater than the last several years. When the fuel moisture is high because plants are lush and water-filled, wildfires don’t ignite and spread easily. When it’s low (because veget ation is dry, parched, even dead), wildfires start easily and spread rapidly.
