Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP has identified Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Ventura as the California counties most susceptible to wildfires in 2026, based on recent hazard mapping and federal risk data. … According to the firm, environmental conditions such as prolonged drought, high temperatures, low humidity and strong winds including Santa Ana and Diablo winds dry out vegetation and accelerate fire spread. It flags additional factors such as dry lightning strikes, dead vegetation, invasive plant species, extensive tree mortality from pests and the build-up of fuel where natural fire cycles have been suppressed.