California and Nevada are now both “100 percent in drought,” according to a federal monitoring system, with the dry conditions fueling concerns over water supply shortages and wildfires.
“With dire drought conditions, rapidly decreasing snowpack, and low reservoir levels, concern for wildfire season is growing,” the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) said in a recent update.
While the agency said both California and Nevada are fully drought-stricken, around three-quarters of each is experiencing the highest levels of drought conditions—”Extreme” or “Exceptional.”
The dry conditions have prompted Nevada authorities to outlaw around 31 percent of the grass in the Las Vegas area in a bid to conserve water. Legislation signed Friday by Gov. Steve Sisolak made Nevada the first in the nation to enact a permanent ban on certain categories of grass.
The ban, which goes into effect in 2027, targets what the Southern Nevada Water Authority calls “non-functional turf.” It applies to grass that virtually no one uses at office parks, in street medians, and at entrances to housing developments. It excludes single-family homes, parks, and golf courses.
The low water is driving concerns over wildfires. Northern California’s Butte County suffered the deadliest wildfire in a century in 2018 when 85 people died. Last year, another 16 people died in a wildfire.
Walking along Butte County’s Bidwell Canyon trail last week, 63-year-old Lisa Larson shared her concerns at the sight of withered grass and trees.
“It makes me feel a little unsettled because the drier it gets, the more fires we are going to have,” she said.
But drought impacts on fire potential are not straightforward, according to Chuck Maxwell, predictive services manager at Southwest Coordination Center, the logistical and decision support center for wildland firefighting in the Southwest.
BY TOM OZIMEK
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