"Mega-drought" in West means threat of extreme fire season ahead

By almost any measure the drought in the Western states this year is about as bad as it gets — perhaps the worst in modern history. A severe lack of rainfall over the past two years, combined with a steadily heating climate, has turned California into a tinderbox, setting the stage for what will likely be a catastrophic fire season ahead.

This comes on the heels of the worst fire season in recorded history in the West, setting a new bar for what seemed possible. In 2020, more than 8 million acres burned, with California and Colorado experiencing their largest fires ever.  That's why it's startling to see the comparison between last year's relatively modest drought and this year's record-setting drought. Drought conditions this time last year are a blip on the radar compared to where we are right now.