When Is Wildfire Season?
Wildfire season is the range between what is typically the season’s first large fire to the season’s last. Wildfires are most prevalent in summer. In the early 1950s, wildfire season was typically five months long. As time has gone on and climate change has intensified, our current wildfire season has grown to seven months.
Wildfires are caused when conditions are hot and dry. Regionally speaking, spring and winter are known to be damper and rainier or snowier in the Midwest, which is why there are minimal wildfires during this season compared to other regions. If we look at Northern California, their wetter seasons tend to be fall and winter, which is why you can find more wildfires there in the summer and spring.
When Are Wildfires Most Likely to Occur?
The peak month of wildfire season is August, when areas become increasingly dry, hot and more susceptible to a wildfire. The states with the highest number of wildfires are California, Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, Florida, Arizona and Oklahoma.
How to Prepare for a Wildfire
Wildfires can start at the drop of a match and move swiftly. Because wildfires burn quickly, it’s important to prepare for potential wildfires before peak season.
Prepare your home for a wildfire by:
- Removing combustible items away from windows and walls
- Putting away all lawn furniture and wooden items
- Disposing of dried leaves, branches and wood in your yard
- Preparing an emergency kit
- Keeping lawn sprinklers and irrigation systems handy
- Having an escape and emergency plan
Why Wildfire Season Is Expanding and Becoming More Dangerous
Over time, wildfires have become more prevalent. The changing climate makes droughts more frequent, generates more wind (which whips and spreads the flames), and leaves areas more susceptible to wildfires, or the more dangerous and larger scale megafires.
The growth of normal wildfires into megafires is one of the main reasons why wildfires have become more dangerous. Megafires become so large they develop their own weather systems, which create clouds and can impact wind, making it more difficult for firefighters to put the fire out or get close enough to fight it.
How Are Megafires Created?
Megafires normally cover more than 100,000 acres and most commonly start in areas with extreme drought. They are created and made more dangerous when you have the perfect combination of:
- Extreme drought
- High temperatures
- Low humidity
- High winds
Trust Rainbow Restoration for Fire Damage Restoration Services
If you’ve had a close encounter with a wildfire, choose Rainbow Restoration. We offer fire, smoke and full-service reconstruction services designed to help you recover, fast. Call us at (855) 724-6269 or request an appointment online to start your recovery, today.