WASHINGTON _ Bad news for the West: Even after firefighters have already battled 101 large blazes this year, the remainder of wildfire season is expected to be hotter and drier than normal, virtually assuring there will be more destruction ahead, scientists for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday.
NOAA's forecast comes as monitoring stations in Northern California show that grasses, brush and other fire "fuels" are reaching record-dry levels, following a July that was the state's hottest month on record. There's also a chance that strong "Diablo winds" _ like those that fanned the deadly fires last fall in Sonoma and other counties _ could return in coming months.
"During August we typically don't see those events, but they can return in the September and October time frame," said Tim Brown, director of NOAA's Western Region Climate Center in Reno, Nev.
