Forecasters are predicting significant wildfire activity this summer across the southwestern U.S. and in Florida, Georgia plus some parts of California and Nevada.
Officials with the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise said Monday in their 2017 summer fire outlook that heavy winter snow and spring rains will probably delay the onset of this season’s worst wildfires.
The snow and rain is helping decrease the potential for wildfires in other parts of the country.
The risk of significant wildfires in northwestern states, Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Wyoming and most of Utah is expected to be normal or below normal from May through August.
Florida and southeastern Georgia are already facing an increase in wildfires because of persistent dry conditions.