LOS ANGELES - Southern California is preparing for what officials fear could be its worst wildfire season on record. <br>
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Authorities say the 3.5 million acres patrolled by state firefighters are drier than at any time since 1976. <br>
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Since Saturday, fires have destroyed thousands of acres of brush. In Orange County, investigators think a fire that threatened hundreds of expensive houses may have been deliberately set. Homeowners used garden hoses to back up fire crews. <br>
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Several counties have pushed up the official opening of fire season by a month so they can start hiring firefighters early. <br>
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Residents are doing their part by clearing areas around their homes to make them defensible for firefighters. <br>
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The driest areas of Southern California have gotten less than four inches of rain since last July. A California forestry spokeswoman says some woods are as dry as if they'd been baked in a kiln.
