20 more years of fire danger in SoCal?

STATE COLLEGE, Pa., May 8 (UPI) -- Dry conditions that have fed recent wildfires in Southern California are likely to continue for at least the next two decades, a meteorologist said Friday.

Joe Bastardi, with AccuWeather.com, said cooling in the Pacific Ocean has led to a change in weather patterns. He predicted more rain this winter because of a developing El Nino but said that would only be temporary.

Firefighters are currently battling the Jesusita fire in Santa Barbara County, which has destroyed scores of homes and spread over thousands of acres. Brief rains late this winter actually contributed to the fire danger by causing more vegetation to grow, adding to the fuel, Bastardi said.

The combination of drought and dense population is also likely to lead to water shortages, he predicted.

Santa Barbara County also had a major wildfire in 2008, along with fires in Big Sur and northern California.