Other states have hunting seasons or tourist seasons. We have those in California as well but we also have fire season. As the dry summer winds heat up the California landscape the moisture is driven from the ground vegitation first and eventually from the trees creating a very dangerous set of conditions. If you have ever spent a summer here you quickly get used to reading and hearing about the wildfires that spring up around the state.

Two years ago I got the chance to cover my first set of wildfires that occurred very close to San Jose. The first fire was the Summit fire that started when a land owner illegally burned some debris up on Summit Road along the border of Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties. (more…)