Remnants of Tropical Storm Hilary help reduced NorCal's fire danger
AUBURN – As Tropical Storm Hilary battered parts of Southern California, it gave crews the break they needed in fighting fires across the northern region of the state.
Near the Sierra Foothills, firefighters say it also prevented the spark of wildfires.
Massive cleanup is underway throughout parts of the Southland after the tropical storm created dangerous driving conditions and knocked out power.
Typically, Northern California is one big tinder box around this time of the year, but remnants of Tropical Storm Hilary brought much-needed rain to an area usually gearing up for the height of fire season. The area escaped the brunt of the storm's force and received rain instead.
"It was just welcomed," said Monica Finn, a resident of Christian Valley Park in Auburn.
"All my trees could use the water," Foresthill resident Dennis Boardman added.
As Cal Fire's Nevada-Yuba-Placer unit sees it, all vegetation could currently use some water.
"[Hilary] has increased the fuel moisture in the area which makes the fires less likely to burn," said Asst. Chief Bob Counts.
Further north, firefighters were getting Mother Nature's help in containing flames sparked by recent lightning.
Back in the foothills, crews were using the high humidity and fuel moisture brought on by the tropical storm to their favor by gearing up for the next round of fire with hotter and drier conditions on the way.
But just how quickly can fuel moisture decrease? It depends.
"The grasses could take less than an hour to dry out," Counts said.
For larger fuels like trees, it could take several days, he added.