The fires ripping through more than 800 acres of land spread throughout northern San Diego and Santa Barbara Counties provides a vivid reminder of just how vital water is to California and the consequences of our historic drought.

Lack of rain and retained supplies from previous years has made the state a tinderbox.

According to CAL FIRE, in the first five months of 2014, the state has already responded to more than 1,350 wildfires, burning fore than 4500 acres. NBC 4 News in Los Angeles reported that the AlertSanDiego system called at least 11,600 homes, businesses and cell phones to instruct people to evacuate. The fire began at 10:40 a.m. on May 13th “and moved quickly,” according to the station. The network is reporting at least five major fires burning in San Diego County, with multiple homes on fire in Carlsbad, California.

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