We've talked about hurricane season, and you may have heard of tornado season.

But did you know that California has a fire season?

Or right now, out of control wildfires are raging across California.

You can see how much smoke is out there.

The scale of these fires is almost unimaginable unless you're there.

What does that mean?

And how does it impact the people who live there?

Today we'll find out more about California's wildfires.

I'm Bethany Vandelle.

It's September 30th, and this is the 10 News.

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

People who live in California often wake up to something called a red flag warning this time of you.

That means watch out. Hot weather and dry conditions create an increased chance of fire danger. Okay, that's bad.

Red flag warnings are one of the many terms that Californians and others across the Western United States have become familiar with over the past few years.

That's because it's wildfire season, the time period from summer into the fall when dry and hot conditions lead

to large wildfires. Wildfires are not a new thing in California. They're a natural part of

the environmental cycle. Fires play an important part in this cycle, clearing out the ground and

creating a fresh start for some plants. In fact, up until the U.S. government

outlawed the practice in 1850, Native American tribes used controlled fires to open up pastures

and provide nutrients for animals and crops. In the last two years, California has had two of the worst fire seasons ever recorded.

Climate change has led to hotter, drier summers which dry out the land and vegetation.

That, combined with less rain in the state, means forests throughout the west are more likely to burn.

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