Western fires could be delayed after months of rain and snow, but high risk remains
The Western United States is likely to see a delayed start to the summer wildfire season after months of rain, snow and cold weather. But the wet winter, which has dramatically eased drought conditions, doesn’t guarantee a low-risk fire year. Destructive fires could still spark in the late summer and autumn, fueled by all the grasses that bloomed because of the downpours and will be ready to burn later in the season. The latest wildfire outlooks, released this week from the National Interagency Fire Center, show the West with low to normal wildfire risk for at least the first part of the summer. Near-record to record snowpack in several Western states will keep high elevation forests moist for much of the summer, making them less prone to bigger fires.
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