At this time last year, thousands of firefighters were scrambling to contain more than a thousand lightning-caused wildfires ravaging a million acres of California forests, swallowing up homes along the way.
While the fire season to date has been a cakewalk by comparison, a blaze near the Yolo-Colusa county line offers a glimpse of the season ahead, say firefighters.
By midday Tuesday, the 470 firefighters battling the 615-acre fire burning in steep Rumsey Canyon reached 40 percent containment. Officials believe a vehicle started the fire Monday afternoon. It is expected be fully contained today, they said.
Cooler than normal temperatures and later than normal rains made for a mild start to the fire season.
"That pattern has definitely shifted," said Daniel Berlant, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. "It really doesn't take long, when you have triple digit temperatures and dry humidity, to dry things out to critically dry levels."
After three days in triple digits, temperatures in the Sacramento area are expected to stay in the mid-90s for the next few days.
Berlant noted that while the region did see rain late in the season, January and February were unseasonably dry.
"We are still technically entering the third year of a drought," the Cal Fire spokesman said.
Sacramento firefighter Roberto Padilla encouraged residents to remain vigilant.
"Don't put your guard down, just because it's going to be 94 (degrees), not 104," said Padilla, of the Sacramento Fire Department.
Padilla said people are often a little more careless when the perceived fire danger isn't as high.
Capt. Rusty Dupray of the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District urged homeowners to be careful when knocking back brush near homes to create defensible space.
He said weed-cutting devices should be used early in the morning when the humidity is higher and air is cooler. He also said people should keep a water hose or bucket nearby.
As for whether this year will be a bad fire season, Dupray said it's too early to tell.
"We hear every year that it's going to be the worst season ever," he said. "You don't know until the season is over whether it was a bad fire season."
Call The Bee's Ed Fletcher, (916) 321-1269.
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