As a growing fire engulfed approximately 84 acres of land in Thermal, the Riverside County Fire Department continued to battle the flames on Monday, amid warnings about drought conditions heightening fire danger in the state.
"Firefighters are on scene of a vegetation fire approximately 20 acres burning in heavy fuels," the Fire Department posted in its initial tweet early Sunday morning.
Since the fire started at 11:15 p.m. on Saturday, June 4, it quadrupled in size over a few days before the Fire Department reported the fire was contained approximately 25%.
As a result of the fire, nearly 20 residences were left without power, and a road closure impacted 62nd Avenue between Monroe and Jackson streets, the Fire Department said on Twitter.
Responding to the scene, along with the firefighters, were 28 engines, two water tenders, one dozer and two chief officers. In addition, nearby fire departments assisted.
On Sunday, June 5, the Los Angeles' branch for the National Weather Service notified the public on Twitter of an increased fire risk for interior areas of California, issued for Tuesday, June 7, through Sunday, June 12. Heightening the danger is a period of windy, dry and hot weather for the interior part of the state for the impacted dates. Temperatures will range from 90-102 degrees Fahrenheit, with wind gusts from 25-45 mph and a maximum humidity of 20%.
"California continues to experience longer wildfire seasons as a direct result of climate change," Cal Fire said on its incidents page as an outlook for wildfires in 2022. "Extended dryness originating from January is expected to continue into the spring with little precipitation, leaving most of the state in moderate to extreme drought conditions prior to summer."
In its advisory, Cal Fire warned that warm weather and dry conditions would drop moisture levels below normal thereby intensifying the likelihood of wildland fires.
According to The Weather Channel, the period from January through April of 2022 was the driest start to the year in recorded history (since 1895) for California, making it the third straight year of drought conditions for the state. As California enters into its dry season, typically from May through October, the effects of the drought could potentially be disastrous.