California is facing one of its worst fire seasons ever, thanks to extremely dry conditions caused by four years of drought. Firefighters have been tackling blazes across the parched state since the start of the summer.

The Rocky Fire, which ignited at the end of July, consumed nearly 70,000 acres of northern California. This fire was on the verge of being contained, but there are fears it could merge with another huge blaze that has sprung up. The Jerusalem fire is raging through dry brush north of Napa Valley wine country.

All of the blazes have been fed by thickets of vegetation left desiccated by four years of drought, and fire managers said they were bracing for hot, dry conditions to persist throughout the summer. IBTimesUK looks back at California's long, hot summer.