Drought-stricken California is preparing for its worst wildfire season ever, the state's governor said on Sunday.
Governor Jerry Brown told ABC's This Week that the nearly dozen wildfires that this week caused more than $20m in damage mark only the beginning. The state has 5,000 firefighters and has appropriated $600m to battling blazes, but that may not be enough.
"We're getting ready for the worst," Brown said. "Now, we don't want to anticipate before we know, but we need a full complement of firefighting capacity."
He added that thousands of additional firefighters may be needed in the future, saying California is on the "front lines" of climate change that is making its weather hotter.
"And in the years to come, we're going to have to make very expensive investments and adjust. And the people are going to have to be careful of how they live, how they build their homes and what kind of vegetation is allowed to grow around them.”
Unusually high temperatures, low humidity and gusty winds set conditions last week for the string of wildfires that broke out in San Diego County.