Honestly, if you're looking at the hills in California right now, things feel weirdly quiet for January. Usually, this is when we’re supposed to be breathing a sigh of relief, watching the rain wash away the dust of a brutal summer. But after the nightmare of the January 2025 Palisades and Eaton fires—which destroyed over 15,000 structures—nobody is really letting their guard down anymore. Current fires in cal are a moving target, and while the 2026 season is technically just starting, the ground is already telling a different story.
Right now, as of January 16, 2026, the state is in a "whiplash" phase. We’ve got this bizarre mix of cool, moist mornings and sudden, bone-dry offshore winds that make fire chiefs lose sleep.
What’s actually burning today?
If you check the CAL FIRE incident map this morning, you’ll see the Verjeles Fire in Butte County. It just popped up at 9:01 a.m. near the Verjeles area. It’s small—we’re talking under 10 acres so far—but the fact that a fire is even starting in Butte County in mid-January is enough to make anyone who lived through the Camp Fire feel a bit twitchy.
Further south, the Riverside County Fire Department has been busy, but mostly with medical calls and small brush fires that they’ve managed to pounce on before they could turn into "the big one." There’s also been some chatter about the Silver Fire near Bishop. It’s been flirting with the Nevada border and actually forced evacuations for about 800 homes earlier this week. It’s that dry winter air. When the humidity drops into the single digits, even a stray spark from a dragging trailer chain can turn a hillside orange in minutes.
The 2025 hangover and why it matters
You can’t talk about what’s happening today without mentioning the massive scars from last year. The 2025 season was a monster. Most people are still trying to figure out how to rebuild in Los Angeles County, where 98% of the city was fine, but the parts that weren't... well, they were devastated.
Check this out: even though over 16,000 homes were lost last January, only about four building permits have actually been issued in some of the hardest-hit zones. Why? Because the insurance market in California is basically in a hostage situation. Companies like State Farm and Allstate have been hiking rates by nearly 20% or just flat-out refusing to write new policies. If you live in a high-fire-risk zone right now, your biggest "fire" might actually be the bill sitting on your kitchen table.
Understanding the risk of current fires in cal
So, why are we seeing fires in January? It used to be that "fire season" was a summer and fall thing. Not anymore. Now, it’s a year-round reality.
The experts at UC Merced, like John Abatzoglou, have been pointing to this "trifecta" of conditions. First, we had two really wet years that grew a ton of grass. Then, we had a historically dry fall. When that happens, all that beautiful green grass turns into "fine fuels"—basically natural kindling that’s ready to go the second a Santa Ana wind hits.
The "Whiplash" Weather Pattern
We're currently seeing 2-3 offshore wind events per month. These are the winds that come off the desert, heat up as they drop in elevation, and suck every last drop of moisture out of the brush.
- Northern California: Fire potential is mostly "normal," meaning we expect one or fewer large fires a month.
- Southern California: It’s a bit more dicey. Until we get a massive, soaking rain event, the hills in Malibu, Riverside, and San Diego are basically standing dead vegetation.
- The Sierra: High-elevation forests that should be under six feet of snow are surprisingly vulnerable. We’ve already seen timber fires above 7,000 feet this year, which is just... wrong.
Is it safe to travel?
Basically, yes. Visit California has been working overtime to tell people that the state is open. Highway 1 just fully reopened this week near the Regent’s Slide area (Jan 14). Most of the "current fires in cal" are contained within 24 to 48 hours because CAL FIRE has ramped up their initial attack capabilities. They aren't messing around. They’re throwing everything—planes, dozers, hand crews—at every smoke plume they see.
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If you’re planning a trip to the Central Coast or LA, you’re probably fine. Just keep an eye on the Red Flag Warnings. If the National Weather Service puts one out, it means the wind is up and the humidity is down. That's not the day to have a campfire or use a weed whacker in dry grass.
How to stay ahead of the smoke
People always ask which map is the best. Honestly, the CAL FIRE Ready for Wildfire app is still the gold standard, but the Frontline Wildfire Defense map is great if you want to see satellite hotspots in real-time. Sometimes those satellites pick up things before the 911 calls even go out.
But keep in mind, those red dots on the satellite maps can be "false positives." Sometimes they’re just gas flares or even really hot rooftops. Don’t panic the second you see a dot near your house—check the official perimeters first.
What you should be doing right now
If you live in the WUI (Wildland-Urban Interface), you’ve got work to do. Don't wait until summer.
- Clear the "Zone Zero": This is the first five feet around your house. No mulch, no woody bushes, no firewood stacked against the siding. This is where most houses are lost—not from a wall of flame, but from embers landing in something combustible.
- Clean your gutters: It’s a pain, I know. But dry leaves in a gutter are basically a fuse leading straight into your attic.
- Check your insurance: Seriously. Read the fine print. Make sure you have "replacement cost" coverage, not just the market value of the home. With construction costs what they are in 2026, you’ll need every penny.
- Have a "Go Bag": Keep it in the car. Change of clothes, chargers, N95 masks (for the smoke), and copies of your important docs.
The reality of current fires in cal is that we are living in a new era of "fire frequency." It’s not necessarily that the fires are bigger every single time, but they are happening in places and at times we didn't expect ten years ago.
We’re seeing more "flash droughts" where the ground dries out in just a few weeks of heat. Even with the "weak La Niña" patterns we're seeing in the Pacific right now, the predictability is gone. The best we can do is stay informed, keep our defensible space clear, and pay attention to those local alerts. The Verjeles Fire might be small today, but it’s a reminder that in California, the smoke never really clears for long.
Actionable next steps
To protect your property and stay informed, you should download the CAL FIRE app and set up custom alerts for your specific zip code. Additionally, take thirty minutes this weekend to walk the perimeter of your home and remove any dead leaves or debris accumulated within five feet of your foundation—this "Zone Zero" maintenance is the most effective way to prevent ember ignition during a fast-moving grass fire.