Crews Gear Up for Dry Forests

By Bobby Caina Calvan, The Sacramento Bee, Calif.

Jun. 4–An extremely dry winter and spring could mean a potentially explosive fire season across the state’s wildlands, according to officials at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the U.S. Forest Service.

“The fire season is expected to be worse than average,” said Matt Mathes, the Forest Service’s spokesman for California. He warned of a “wicked” fire season.

A winter cold snap freeze-dried vegetation, leaving plains and hillsides strewn with acres of fuel.

The National Weather Service has issued red-flag warnings across the state’s interior, heightening worries that lightning could ignite parched hillsides and forestland.

The foothills east of Sacramento are especially dry for this time of year, said Daniel Berlant, a spokesman for Cal Fire. The lack of rainfall, he said, means vegetation had little moisture to soak up.

Fire crews are gearing up, Berlant and Mathes said.

Officials hope people will do their part to reduce the risk of fires by clearing vegetation around homes and sweeping rooftops of leaves. Campers and other outdoor enthusiasts are reminded to mind their sparks — and follow all rules.

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Copyright (c) 2007, The Sacramento Bee, Calif.

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