Vegetation naturally occurring across the landscape and vegetation planted in built environments from landscaping is stored energy for fire. This is depicted in global fire danger rating systems as fuels. Vegetation drying via soil moisture and atmospheric evaporative demand increases fire potential. While this drying establishes an underlying background condition, significant wildfire activity for a given season is dependent on other factors including the type of fuel (grasses versus timber), weather (the extent of heat waves and windy conditions), and topography (the classic fire behavior triangle). A wildfire season is nuanced in its relationship with drought. Did drought enable fine fuel (grass) availability or inhibit its growth? Was a snowpack drought mitigated by spring rains or a lack of summer heatwaves? Did plant evapotranspiration increase fuel flammability even though soil moisture was normal? This presentation explores drought and its relation to fire given our current understanding from research and practitioner knowledge.

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