December Doesn't Mean Fire Season Is Over In California

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Cal Fire officials in Northern California sent four additional aircrafts down south to help in the firefight, but said others are staying put in case the fire danger flares up here.

"Traditionally we would not see fire activity this extreme in the month of December," said Daniel Berlant, Assistant Deputy Director with Cal Fire.

As fires rage out of control across Southern California, Cal Fire officials warn we too are at risk.

"Don't let the cooler temperatures fool you. Don't let the recent rains fool you. When you get winds like this, it doesn't take much for that fire to grow rapidly," he said.

Experts expect little to no rain in the Sacramento region, which increases the fire danger.

"That does play a factor in drawing conditions back out," Berlant said.

Over the last couple of years, he said fires have been growing and burning longer into the later months of the year.

"We're living in a time right now with climate change, longer fire seasons, all of this playing a role when fires do break out, to burn much more acreage," he said.

That's why they decided to keep aircrafts and equipment spread across the state year around and send for reinforcements when needed.

"We knew Santa Anas were predicted, so that's why we moved a lot of fire equipment from other parts of the state down into Southern California," Berlant said.

The key he said is to prevent fires from ever starting. The smallest spark from your winter clean up could quickly turn into devastation.

Fire officials confirm nearly 5,000 firefighters have been sent to Southern California to help stop the five fires currently burning.