Wildfire forecast: Here's when California could see increased risk this year

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Wildfire season is shaping up to be another active one across the country.

According to AccuWeather, between 5.5 million to 8 million acres could burn nationwide. In California alone, the forecast calls for 500,000 to 700,000 acres burned.

The long-range wildfire forecast is calling for wildfires to start as early as late spring into early summer.

"Late May, early June, places like the foothills and ag regions could be the first to start seeing some brush or grass fires developing," AccuWeather long-range forecaster Paul Pastelok said. "And as you get into mid-June to late July, I think that time period is when you start to see more of an uptick across the state as far as fires go."

By late summer, Northern California could face large, fast-growing fires fueled by long-term dryness. Southern California may see an increased risk when offshore winds peak in the fall.

Pastelok warns of potentially large fires. He also discussed whether recent rain helped.

"Generally, things are so dry, that we can't just get moisture to be squeezed out of the atmosphere to be on the positive side when those storms come in," he said. "Unfortunately, the lightning is the bigger danger, and the wind gusts that are created by the thunderstorms that's also a danger."

It's not just the flames, smoke could also become a major concern. Forecasters say haze from fires may stretch from central Canada into parts of the U.S.