Through July 19, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported more than 3,400 vegetation fires that have burned more than 51,000 acres.
An average year would see about 2,500 fires and 30,000 acres burned, said Cal Fire Capt. Amy Head.
The fires have occurred across the state, including major brush fires in San Diego County and in wine country.
The first six months of the year were the hottest ever in California, the National Weather Service said Monday. It was nearly five degrees warmer than the 20th century average and more than a degree hotter than the previous record set in 1934.
And July isn’t shaping up to be any better, with a heat wave expected to send temperatures above 100 degrees in parts of Los Angeles County, especially on Thursday and Friday and through the weekend.
The difference is particularly obvious in places that normally feature green landscapes, said Head, who lives in Sonoma County.
