Mother Nature's fireworks set off dozens of wildfires

OAKLAND, Calif. - There are multiple fires in at least a half dozen of California's northernmost counties. It comes a time when the traditional worst, driest and hottest part of peak fire season is at hand. 

The wall of lightning created a wall of worry. 

"Forty-five new fires on federal land, nine new fires on state land," said UC Berkeley Professor Scott Stephens, an internationally recognized expert in forest and wildfire science. "You don't really get much average lightning-fire ignitions. You usually get very little, or you get a bunch."

Forest fire science actually suggests less. 

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"This year I think with all the rain and good snow we had, I think there's a relatively low chance that we might get huge lightning fires; not to say it's zero. Because of that moisture level, we're in a much better position than we were last year," said Stephens.

According to Stephens, grasslands and Oak woodlands are most at risk because rain grew them to twice normal volumes. 

"We are really going into a period now where we are really at the mercy of the weather and that is the heat, the wind and any potential lightning that comes through. The fuels are the driest, we traditionally see the offshore wind events this time of year," said Cal Fire Deputy Fire Chief Jonathan Cox.

"Climate change has something to do with this but not quite as much as you may think, at least for now. In the future, it will make a much bigger difference. Climate change is making a bad situation worse, but it's not even 50% of the problem; not even close," said Stephens.

However, Cal Fire says the heat, fuel dryness and winds are at their peak this time of year extending through next month and often into late fall.