2014 Wildfire Predictions

The current drought conditions combined with the lack of burn from last year will likely increase the number of wildfires this year.

“2012…was close to a record-setting year in terms of total acreage,” said Dr. Tom Jeffery, senior hazard scientist with CoreLogic. “Last year was less than half of that amount of acreage, but as we saw with the Rim Fire last year, fewer fires but larger fires. That’s always a concern because larger fires are much more difficult to deal with than the smaller ones.”

Because of the lack of burn last year, there is more fuel for a wildfire to burn.

“What doesn’t burn, most of it doesn’t deteriorate in one year. Any of the dead vegetation or vegetation that’s existing, when that doesn’t burn on a periodic basis that means that there’s going to be more of it available the following year,” he said.