Cal Fire: Live fuel moisture at or near historic lows when sampled

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION) An Environmental Scientist and Forester have finished Cal Fire CZU's mid-June live fuel moisture sampling in Santa Cruz and San Mateo Counties, and they've found that levels remain at or near historic lows at all sites.

The agency reports that live fuel moistures are about 4 to 6 weeks ahead of where they were last year, so it is currently as dry in the area as it was between about July 15 and Aug. 1 of last year.

The moisture level is also similar to what was seen in mid-June 2014, which Cal Fire said was the peak year of the 2011 to 2017 drought.

Cal Fire expects to see more of a decrease when they do sampling on July 1.