[28] In November 2018, strong winds aggravated conditions in another round of large, destructive fires that occurred across the state.

A combination of increased fuel loading and atmospheric conditions influenced by global warming led to a series of destructive fires.

[34] Tree mortality is linked to a period during the 2010s of "anomalously warm droughts" [35] that were severe and long-lasting enough to stand out even amongst California's existing history of wildfires and exceptionally dry conditions.

One study expresses a lack of sufficient data to confidently determine the rate of coniferous tree decay in the Sierra Nevada.

[38] Nonetheless, it is a gradual process, and the remaining dead tree matter is an optimal fuel source for future wild fires.

[39] Research published August 2018 predicted an increase in the number of wildfires in California as a consequence of climate change.

[40] However, from a historical perspective, it has been estimated that prior to 1850, about 4.5 million acres (17,000 km2) burned yearly, in fires that lasted for months.

[45] Air quality in Northern and Central California remained poor until mid-September 2018, when fire activity was drastically diminished.

While the Carr Fire burned in rural areas of Shasta County for the first few days, it crossed the Sacramento River and entered the city limits of Redding, California on the evening of July 26.

[6][7][123] On July 29, a firefighter with the National Park Service was killed after a dead tree fell and struck him, while he was fighting the Ferguson Fire.

[8] On August 4, a Pacific Gas and Electric Company employee was killed in a vehicle incident while working to restore services to areas impacted by the Carr Fire.

The number dead had been listed at 87, lowered to 85 by early December when it was discovered one victim was put in several bags.

However, the contract stated that the usage related throttling would not apply in certain emergency situations, such as wildfire containment operations.