High likelihood of wildfire in Solano area this summer, forecasters say
(File photo by Matthew Keys/Solano NewsNet)
By: Solano NewsNet staff
Drought and other conditions will increase the likelihood of a large wildfire in the Solano County area later this summer, according to a forecast published by a federal wildfire agency.
The prediction models, reviewed by Solano NewsNet this week, says an “above normal” potential for a significant wildfire exists for much of Northern California between May and July.
Analysts with the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) say below-normal precipitation have worsened our local drought, which is a contributing factor to the higher fire dangers the region will face this summer.
Though some storms crossed through the region, the amount of rain wasn’t enough to offset potential fire dangers. The ongoing drought means vegetation will dry up quicker than usual, which will create “shrub fuels” that will be “increasingly more flammable.”
(Images courtesy Northern California Geographic Coordination Center)
Locally, May and June will be problematic months based on fire forecast models published by the Northern California Geographic Coordination Center, with those months seeing above-normal wildfire potentials compared to usual. In an above-normal month, a region may experience three or more serious vegetation fires.
In Solano County, fire officials are already working to mitigate some of this risk. This week, state and local firefighters are carrying out a prescribed burn along Highway 128 near Winters, an area that has been prone to serious wildfires over the last decade.
Plans are also being made to carry out prescribed burns in other parts of the county to mitigate wildfire risks, especially in places that have seen significant vegetation fires or that have been identified as high-risk areas.
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