Last year, we in Berkeley experienced hot fall winds in November.
Today’s story, Fires Threaten Dozens of Homes in Calif., says that strong Santa Ana winds are driving fires in Ventura County.
This year’s wildfire season in the U.S. was the most severe – and expensive – on record. As of Dec. 1, fires had burned more than 9.5 million acres, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The U.S. Forest Service has said it spent $1.5 billion fighting those fires – about $100 million over budget.
Climate change projected fire weather sensitivity: California Santa Ana wind occurrence in the Geophysical Research Letters, says,
This initial analysis shows consistent shifts in SAO events from earlier (September–October) to later (November–December) in the season, suggesting that SAOs may significantly increase the extent of California coastal areas burned by wildfires, loss of life, and property.
