"Feds Brace For Another Hot, Expensive Wildfire Season"

"WASHINGTON -- The nation's top foresters on Tuesday warned of another hot, dry and costly wildfire season in 2016 with global climate change, droughts and more people living in the woods leading to more acres and more homes burned in more states.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell forecasted which parts of the nation are expected to see the most critical fires and laid out their plans to fight them -- with California listed as the most ripe for major disasters.

The region's five-year drought has killed 40 million trees in California, fire experts noted, which are now the perfect fuel for big fires to burn."

John Myers reports for the Grand Forks Herald May 17, 2016.

SEE ALSO:

"Severe Wildfire Season Is The New Normal, Officials Say" (USA TODAY)

"Fire Fighters Watching Canadian Blaze, Worried About Summer Conditions In U.S." (NPR)

"Wildfire-Fighters Warned 2016 Could Be Bad In California" (AP)

"Wildfires Getting Worse With Climate Change" (Lincoln Journal Star)

USDA Release