SACRAMENTO, Calif. — This year so far, the number of California Wildfires and the quantity of area burnt in dry California considerably exceeds totals from the terrible wildfire year of 2020.
Drought has gripped the whole state, with much of it being categorized as extreme or exceptional. The terrain is covered with very parched vegetation after a dry winter and early heat waves.
A helicopter fighting the Lava Fire near Mount Shasta went down in a nearby lake on Wednesday afternoon. The pilot, however, was able to swim and escape, according to the US Forest Service. There were no passengers on board. The accident’s cause is still being investigated.