Firefighters continue to battle a wildfire burning near Kearny, but this fire season has actually been one of the least severe in recent memory, according to a federal official.
A rainy May not only filled reservoirs, but dampened forests and prevented lightning strikes from growing into large scale blazes.
As a result, more than enough firefighting resources are available.
Mary Zabinski with the Southwest Coordination Center said this is one of the mildest seasons she has seen in more than a decade.
“We had a cooler, wetter, later spring, which led to a delayed onset in fire activity," said Zabinski.
"We seem to have a recent pick up in fire activity, but it’s been fairly minimal, so we have been flush with resources,” she said.
That includes 10 air tankers, 16 to 19 hot shot crews, more than 100 engines and 2,700 firefighters working for local departments across the state.
Fire season in the Southwest typically lasts from late May to early July.
