"Amid one the West’s worst droughts in centuries, more than 5,600 wildfires scorched more than 600,000 acres last year in California alone. It could happen again.

With drought showing signs of worsening across the West and Upper Midwest, the Forest Service anticipates that it may spend up to $1.6 billion fighting wildfires in 2015, in a fire season that is expected to be worse than normal.

“We anticipate another active fire year, underscoring the need to reform our wildfire funding,” U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell said Tuesday in testimony before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources."

Bobby Magill reports for Climate Central May 5, 2015. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"Forest Service Chief Predicts Above Normal U.S. Wildfire Season" (Reuters) [3]