As of Wednesday morning, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) reported five active incidents within its jurisdiction.
Wildfire season got a comparatively late start this year, after a flood-filled winter and subsequently cool spring helped delay any massive burns.
But now that the blazes have begun, they are tearing through overgrown slopes in tandem with a furious heat wave that is scalding the Golden State and much of the continental United States.
Residents of inland areas of California are facing the highest temperatures and should expect increasingly hot conditions this weekend, the Los Angeles branch of the National Weather Service (NWS) warned on Wednesday.
“Dangerously hot weather is likely between Friday and Sunday across the interior portions of the area,” the forecast added.
Interior mountains and deserts should expect temperatures from 100 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit from Friday to Sunday, while coastal valleys will likely see a slightly more comfortable 95-105 degree range.
In neighboring Arizona, the capital Phoenix set a heat record for U.S. cities, with temperatures climbing to 117 degrees Fahrenheit by the afternoon, The Associated Press reported.
But in California, with such excessive heat also comes “elevated to brief critical fire weather conditions,” according to the NWS.
This infernal combination is already gaining momentum across the state, particularly in Southern California’s Riverside County, where the Rabbit Fire — now 55 percent contained — has burned 8,283 acres since it began on Friday.
Nearby, the Gavilan Fire has burned 338 acres since it started on Saturday and is now 70 percent contained.
The Juniper Fire in Central California’s Fresno County, meanwhile, has burned 15 acres since it began on Tuesday and is 55 percent contained.
In Northern California, the Stony Fire and Lodoga Fire, which have burned 89 and 22 acres, respectively, since they began over the past few days, are 90 percent and 100 percent contained.
A time-lapse video captured by the University of California San Diego’s ALERTCalifornia system — and published by the Los Angeles Times — shows the Rabbit Fire barreling through Moreno Valley with hellish force over several hours on Saturday.
The footage depicts both towering orange flames and bulging clouds of grayish smoke, as a yellowish haze settles over the firefighting vehicles.
“Cal Fire crews have been working around the clock to contain the Rabbit Fire since it ignited in Riverside County on Friday,” an ABC7 broadcast reported on Tuesday.
Among those crews are inmates from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, whom Correctional Lt. Brian Sloat described as “the unseen heroes of the firefighter actions in the state.”
There are approximately 1,800 inmates working with local, state and federal agencies to respond to incidents like the Rabbit Fire across California, according to ABC7.
With temperatures only expected to rise through the weekend, Cal Fire took to Twitter with a precautionary tweet on Tuesday — reminding Californians that “lawn mowers, weed eaters, chainsaws, tractors, and grinders can spark wildfires.”
“One Less Spark = One Less Wildfire,” the agency added.
