Georgia wildfires come as much of America is ready to burn

""Over the last few years, different states have set new records for acres burned and acres of high severity fire and homes burned," says John Bailey, professor of silviculture and wildland fire at Oregon State University's College of Forestry and author of 'A Walk With Wildland Fire.'"

""An inordinate amount of fuel in the landscape, new homes in fire-prone areas that become fire fuel themselves, and longer and more severe fire seasons" are driving the broken records, according to Bailey."

""El Niños - driven by unusually warm Pacific Ocean temperatures - can reshape global weather patterns, push temperatures to record highs, and create conditions for the devastating wildfires and smoke that have increasingly come to define West Coast summers," report Axios' Kale Williams and Christine Clarridge."

The U.S. is experiencing significant drought, with severe conditions affecting the West, South, and Southeast, increasing wildfire risks. As of April 24, approximately 1.8 million acres have burned, nearly double the 10-year average. Factors contributing to this trend include excessive fuel in landscapes, new homes in fire-prone areas, and longer fire seasons. The National Interagency Fire Center warns of above-normal wildfire potential in several states. The severity of the wildfire season may be influenced by the potential formation of a super El Niño.

Read at Axios