Fire season starts

Cal Fire increased its staffing levels about three weeks ahead of schedule thanks to dry conditions across the state, according to Spokesman Daniel Berlant. "Things are about three to five weeks dryer than usual," he said. "This year has the potential to be another year with major and damaging wildfires." As a result, Cal Fire began hiring seasonal firefighters and increased the hours at its stations so that they are open 24 hours a day, Berlant said. There will be at least one fire engine and three firefighters at each station at all times, and as peak fire season approaches later this month, some stations will have a second engine and a total of four firefighters. Berlant said that Cal Fire is also reaching out to the public for help preventing fires."

Over 95 percent of wildfires are started by humans," primarily from machinery, he said. "They need to do their part to prevent wildfires and to prepare for them by creating a defensible space around their home." Further complicating matters, the National Weather Service forecasted thunderstorms with hail and gusting winds across northwest California. The storms are predicted to start Monday night and continue through Sunday. However, the Bay Area is not included in this weather pattern, and South County is expected to have partly sunny skies with highs in the upper 70s and low to mid 80s. There is a possibility of some passing showers later this week

Top of the class

The five seniors at the private mountaintop Mount Madonna School will graduate 9:30 a.m. June 11 in the assembly room of the upper campus, 491 Summit Road, Watsonville. The valedictorian of the class is Camille Schwartz of Morgan Hill, who will attend University of California, Berkeley, and plans to study biology and peace and conflict studies. The salutatorian is Gilroyan Patrick Elkerton, who will attend Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and plans to study chemical engineering. The other three graduates are Gilroyan Leah Nascimento, who will attend Santa Clara University, and Watsonville resident Patricia Sousa and Gilroyan Trevor Forry, who will both attend Cabrillo College. The eighth grade promotion ceremony for the school will also be in the assembly room at 1 p.m. June 10.