The western coast of the United States, particularly California, is well known for wildfires. California experiences the greatest number of wildfires out of all of the states, and in 2019 alone, over 1.3 million acres were burned in 5,300 separate fires. Wildfire occurrence and the annual amount of acres burned has been increasing since 1950.

Fire season in California typically occurs from August to November. Fire is a natural occurrence in many California ecosystems, including brushlands and forests. It helps clear out the leaf litter on forest floors and dry vegetation in brushlands, adding more nutrients to the soil and fostering new life.

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