By Clara Harter – La Times Staff Writer
Excerpt:
- California has zero areas of abnormal dryness for the first time in 25 years after an exceptionally wet holiday season soaked the state.
- Currently, 14 of the state’s 17 major water reservoirs are at 70% capacity or higher and wildfire risk is minimal.
- Despite the welcome relief, climate change is expected to intensify weather swings from heavy rainfall to extreme dryness in a cycle that can fuel catastrophic wildfires.
After experiencing one of the wettest holiday seasons on record, still soggy California hit a major milestone this week — having zero areas of abnormal dryness for the first time in 25 years.
This data, collected by the U.S. Drought Monitor, is a welcome nugget of news for Golden State residents, who in the last 15 years alone have lived through two of the worst droughts on record, the worst wildfire seasons on record and the most destructive wildfires ever.
Right now, the wildfire risk across California is “about as close to zero as it ever gets,” and there is likely no need to worry about the state’s water supply for the rest of the year, said UC climate scientist Daniel Swain. Currently, 14 of the state’s 17 major water supply reservoirs are at 70% or more capacity, according to the California Department of Water Resources.
…
But the last time 0% of the California map had any level of abnormally dry or drought conditions was all the way back in December 2000.
In 2015, Governor Jerry Brown declared that California was in a permanent drought due to Global Warming. Since then, we have been told that virtually every year was the “hottest on record.”
Yet, but some “miracle,” CA is starting 2026 with not 1 inch of land in legit drought! pic.twitter.com/jqZfYPL5pp
— John Ziegler (@Zigmanfreud) January 1, 2026
