To live in California means to know wildfires. Wildfires in recent years have not only become more common, but the chances of them burning faster, brighter and hotter have also increased. The growing intensity of wildfires has led firefighters to determine that the state has a year-round fire season.While it is true that wildfires can start at any time of the year under the right conditions, summer and fall are typically when more fires can pop up.To help keep track of fires when there are several burning at the same time KCRA 3 has created this article to document fires of interest once they start. Bookmark this page for the latest information.How our interactive fire map worksOn this page, you will find an interactive map where you can see where all the fires are at a glance, along with some quick information about the location, acres burned and containment.We have also labeled fires on our map based on different criteria and conditions.Active firesThese fires are either new or continue to pose a challenge for firefighters. These fires are also likely a threat to safety, which is when law enforcement agencies typically issue evacuations. Flames and large plumes of smoke are visible and can cause impacts on air quality.The number of acres burned would also change the most dramatically at this time.Weakening firesThe fire's activity may start to decline, and crews may have started to shift their focus on mop-up and increasing containment lines. Plumes of smoke may still be visible, but they would be noticeably weaker than when the fire was most threatening. Flames may also be harder to spot from an aerial view.Officials may have started to lift evacuations at this time.Acreage may still change at this time, but the number of acres burned would either change slightly or stop changing altogether.Inactive firesCrews have been working on mop-up and reaching 100% containment for a while. Flames and smoke are no longer visible with the exception of lingering hotspots only visible from the ground.Acreage has also not changed for a while, and officials have long since lifted any evacuations. We are using this system to dispel the common misconception that containment is a measure of how much of a fire is extinguished. Containment actually measures a perimeter firefighters build to help prevent flames from spreading farther. If crews get a good handle on stopping a wildfire early on, that could mean that fires are mostly — if not, fully — extinguished long before 100% containment is reached.| RELATED | Wildfire terms to know Air Quality MapThis map below measures the Air Quality Index (AQI) in California. This can be a good reference to see how wildfire smoke is impacting air quality, and it can also be used to determine if you need to minimize your outdoor air exposure.