Heat, Rain Heighten Fire Danger : Weather: Spring rains created an overgrowth of foliage that firefighters fear will cause more brush fires than normal as temperatures continue to rise.

The danger of brush fires is expected to be high this summer because of hotter than normal temperatures and an abundance of brush that flourished in record spring rains, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry said Monday.

Leaves and high grass, spawned by spring rain, have baked in hotter than normal springtime temperatures and dried into potential tinder for brush fires, according to Fire Capt. Michael Paulette with the California Department of Forestry.

Total rainfall so far this season is 12.83 inches--about an inch more than this time last season, said Wilbur Shigehara of the National Weather Service. The showers increased growth of wild vegetation.

But, as the weather grows increasingly warmer and drier, the plants are transformed into brush-fire kindling, Paulette said. “We have had a tremendous grass crop this year, and it has been looking pretty bad with all the rain we have had,” Paulette said. “The fuels are definitely there, and this has the potential to be a very serious fire season.”

Last year’s high humidity-low temperature weather put a damper on brush fires by eliminating the hot, dry conditions that blazes spark in, Paulette said.

This year, however, as El Nino conditions create high humidity and boost springtime temperatures about 5 degrees above normal, scientists say it looks like the beginning of a hot summer--and a potentially dangerous fire season.

“If you have high levels of humidity, it keeps fire danger down, because of the high level moisture in the air. But, since temperatures are running so warm now, even the humidity can’t help to hold down the fire danger,” Shigehara said.

“Rainfall will be higher this summer as well and cause a lot of lightning, which will trigger natural fire activity. The bottom line is we should be prepared for a bad fire season.”

Shigehara said, however, that dry, fire-fueling Santa Ana winds are not expected this year because of El Nino.

“It is possible that we will get Santa Anas this year, but with an El Nino-type situation, chances are we won’t get it, because Santa Anas come from the mountains and plateaus, while El Nino comes from the south,” he said.

Firefighters are gearing up for a dangerous fire season by warning homeowners to cut grass and brush in a 40-foot perimeter around houses, keep debris off roofs and clearly mark addresses so they can be seen from the road in case of emergency.

“One problem when people move out to the more rural areas is that they don’t want to be found, and sometimes its difficult for firefighters to find their house,” Paulette said. “If homeowners have adequate clearance around the house, there is a good chance of saving it.” One of the first brush fires this season erupted Sunday in an area off Willow Road near Lakeside, engulfing 225 acres of brush before being contained Monday afternoon, Paulette said.

The fire was put out about 2 p.m. Monday. No injuries or structural damage were reported, Paulette said.