"Hot, dry and windy weather leads to big fires," said a climate expert. ByDan Peck and Bill Hutchinson A water tanker drops water while firefighters walk below, as the Sandy Fire approaches, May 19, 2026, in Simi Valley, Calif. Caroline Brehman/AP Photo In a normal year, David Acuña, a battalion chief for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), said firefighters would just be gearing up for another wildfire season. But these are not normal times, he said.