Dried out coyote gourds in front of a drought and fire-charred willow tree near Beaumont, California, USA.
On October 29, 2006, the combination of tinder-dry vegetation from months of drought, and hot dry winds blowing in from the deserts called Santa Ana winds, created the perfect firestorm. The arson-caused Esperanza Fire burned over 61 square miles (160 km) and killed five federal firefighters.
