Alot of the eastern edge of the rockies meet this criteria. Take a look at the string of hotspots between Denver and the southern border. Those are mostly in desert climates where it isnt terribly unusual to go without rain. As you would expect, fires are a major problem there as well.

https://ecle.biz/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/avg_sd_2005-2014...

You are right.

The population density is probably lower though.

I really hope the fires don’t get too bad. I was unaware of the drought conditions.

I remember at the end of 2016 in the southeast where I am, we were in the midst of a severe, multi-year drought. Wildfires started popping up everywhere, causing lots of damage/ deaths.

It was very strange, the atmosphere was ‘foggy’ from the smoke for weeks. Praying for rain!

Heh. Your idea of a "severe, multi-year drought" is California's idea of "string of unusually wet years".

It is all a question of perspective.

(And what we call drought, well...)

Not to mention weather so hot it caused the first state-wide emergency rolling blackouts in 19 years.

It was not any hotter than it gets most years. What has changed is probably that California's ability to govern itself has declined to such an extent that it cannot consistently keep the electricity flowing.

> As of 4:30 p.m., at least five cities had logged record highs, according to the weather service. Among the hottest of those spots was San Jose, which saw a high of 101, breaking last year’s mark of 98.

> Temperatures soared to 98 degrees in Oakland, breaking last year’s mark of 90; 96 degrees in Salinas, breaking the 1984 mark of 84; 96 degrees in Richmond, breaking last year’s mark of 90 degrees; and 95 degrees in downtown San Francisco, breaking the 1995 mark of 86.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/08/14/bay-area-heat-wave-ar...

Isn't that the weather pattern of northern Australia? The Dry, then lightning storms, then eventually lots of rain and floodings.