California’s Wildfire Season Is Already Overactive

Southern California is seeing an early surge of large, wind-driven wildfires.

The Santa Rosa Island Fire has burned about 16,600 acres in Channel Islands National Park, threatening rare Torrey pines.

The Sandy Fire led to evacuations near Simi Valley, while the River Fire spread in Kern County.

Statewide burned acreage is well above the seasonal average, and extreme heat has cut snowpack sharply.