High winds, high temperatures and low humidity have made for extreme—and unpredictable—fire conditions in Northern California. With at least 39 homes burned so far by the Rocky Fire near Napa, Cal Fire officials are telling residents to “stay vigilant and adhere to any changes in evacuations and road closures.” Could it happen here?
Tom Scott studies natural resources at the Center for Conservation Biology at UC Riverside. Jason Funk is Senior Climate Change Scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists.