Researchers find direct correlation between wildfires and heatwaves

A study from the journal Science Advances confirms what many of us believed: that more heat waves mean more fires.

"Not surprisingly, we find that when we have a prolonged period of warm temperatures, we see an uptick in fire activity. It's not just in one location across the west, it's pretty widespread," UC Merced professor John Abtazgolou said. 

The study also found that humidity levels dropped during warm nights, allowing fires to burn for longer.   

"Warm temperatures during the day, warm temperatures at night, allow fires to burn for a longer burn period," Abtazgolou said.

Los Angeles County firefighters have focused on adapting to the changing weather conditions by adjusting staffing, tactics and working with a more powerful arsenal of equipment. But, there's only so much firefighters can do. 

Experts expect the hotter, drier summers to continue, and that means that there is no end in sight to the challenges for firefighters. 

"You just have day after day after day of that heat," Abtazgolou said. "There's a lot of inertia that once a fire gets going, you have some challenges when it comes to suppression."

The new reality means it's a lot more expensive to insure a home, with some like Andrea Robinson losing their insurance. 

"I went and called everyone trying to find somebody," Robinson said. "I would have to pay the California FAIR plan and that's what they're giving us. It's terrible."