Nick Schuler, Cal Fire’s deputy director of communications and emergency incident awareness, said in September that fire season was not over and that a prolonged wind event could still fan a blaze.

It’s something experts warned of in the weeks after Hilary made landfall. Gonsalves, of the weather service, said the storm’s rainfall contributed to “green-up” in the area, or the growth of new grasses, which may have subsequently dried out and could be feeding the fire. The fire was burning in an area that only recently was saturated by Tropical Storm Hilary, a rare storm that tore through swaths of Southern California in August. California Highland fire burns 1,200 acres and multiple structures, spurs evacuations in Riverside CountyĪ wildfire broke out near the town of Aguanga in Riverside County on Monday, burning more than 1,200 acres and causing evacuations and road closures.