Vegetation like cypress, juniper and oleanders can be especially flammable, he added.
“I know they are up against the homes and they look nice, but it only takes a day or two for them to dry up,” he said. “And oleanders burn quickly and they admit a poisonous gas.”
It’s a refrain that has become more common in recent years with continued below-average rainfall totals.
Since last July, Los Angeles has received 9.08 inches of precipitation, well below the 15.15-inch average, according to the National Weather Service.
“It’s not a happy story,” said Bill Patzert, climatologist with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Despite a gloomy June, the area saw just 0.15 inches of precipitation, he said.
The only glimmer of hope comes from a slow, small warming in the Pacific Ocean, he said.
“There is an El Niño brewing down near the equator,” Patzert said.
The El Niño weather phenomenon is the warming of the ocean water that normally causes increased rainfall over land. The amount of rainfall is determined by the size of El Niño.
“This is a low-end to moderate El Niño,” said David Gomberg, meteorologist from the National Weather Service.
Whatever the size, any effect of an El Niño pattern wouldn’t be felt until this winter, Patzert said.
“Until then there are a lot of hot days and an entire Santa Ana [wind season] to get through,” he said.
With the Fourth of July this weekend, Murrieta advised residents to be aware of their surroundings and use common sense during Independence Day parties.
“Don’t throw a cigar into the bushes, and if you have candles be careful not to knock them over,” he said. “And fireworks are not allowed in our area. Just be diligent.”
