A story about California's dry spring weather in the Sacramento Bee today cited two UC Cooperative Extension experts: natural resources advisor Glenn Nader of Sutter, Yuba and Butte counties; and rice advisor Chris Greer of Sutter and Yuba counties.
The article, written by Chris Bowman, said spring 2008 was the driest in California history and has produced the most flammable landscape fire forecasters have ever seen this time of year in the Sacramento Valley and Sierra foothills.
"The rest of fire season does not bode well," Nader is quoted.
"We have a long summer and fall to get through, and we just hope for less wind and cooler weather."
In addition to the fire hazards, the weather has created serious difficulties for area farmers. The absence of rain in April and May has resulted in a 40 percent to 50 percent decline in livestock forage on unirrigated pasture on the east side of the Valley and up to a 70 percent drop on the west side, Nader said, according to the story.
Rice farmers are also suffering. Bowman reported that Greer said he recently observed patches of plants in paddies drained temporarily for routine herbicide spraying. The dry wind killed them off.