… Firefighters and wildfire experts say that perception matches reality. Wildfires have become more intense and more extreme, according to Bakersfield Battalion Chief AJ Clark, who pointed to major incidents in recent years. … But according to those who have spent decades studying this phenomenon, the drivers behind worsening wildfire seasons may surprise people who assume drought is the primary cause. “Plants are the source of the fire, the fuel,” UC Riverside wildfire expert Dr. Richard Minnich said. “So the more it rains, the more it burns in the climate around here. We think somehow that drought is a necessary thing. It’s not, not really at all.”

Other water and wildfire news:

• Arizona’s Family (Phoenix): How record-breaking heat, lack of snow in northern Arizona could impact fire season