Opinion: Welcome to California’s fiery future

Firestorms such as the Valley fire that exploded this weekend in Northern California communities -- one of which has been almost completely decimated -- and that is still raging, are nothing new to the Golden State.

Remember the deadly Station fire in 2009?

Fire is a regular season in California, burning thousands of acres of rolling hills, canyons and mountains -- and sometimes, though mercifully not as often, populated areas.

But this year’s fire season has been far from “normal.”

Ken Pimlott, director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said Monday during a news conference on the Valley fire and two other major fires still burning, that the state has recorded about 1,500 more fires than usual for this time of year. And it’s not over yet. “We don’t see an end to fire season in the months to come,” he said.

It’s not just about the lack of rain, though that certainly has made dry fuel drier. Think of it as a perfect firestorm trifecta -- drought, climate change and continued human sprawl.

“This is the future from now on. It’s going to get worse just by the nature of the way the climate is changing,” Gov. Jerry Brown told reporters.

That may not be much solace to the roughly 23,000 people displaced by the Valley and Butte fires -- or those whose homes have burned, or the family of the one known fatality. But it should serve as a warning to the rest of the state to prepare for a new normal fire season.

Twitter: @marielgarzalat