Firefighters warn of dangerous, dry fire season this year

CHINO, Calif. (KABC) -- Firefighters kicked off wildfire awareness week on Friday as they are preparing to deal with this year's dry fire season.

Fire officials warn that conditions in California are very dry, despite the rains that fell over the winter.

The rain has managed to create a grass crop that is drying out, and firefighters say that can act as a flashy fuel that can help carry a fire.

On top of the dry vegetation, fire officials estimate that over 29 million trees are dead due to the drought and bark beetles.

Firefighters, along with the U.S. Forest Service, say they've been clearing high-risk areas of dead trees. They want to remind visitors that if they are heading to the forest, they should remain vigilant about fire safety.

This means that if you're going to light a camp fire, do it in the designated areas and make sure to properly put them out.

Learn more by watching Leticia Juarez's report on Eyewitness News at 11 a.m. above.