For the same reason Antarctica is considered a desert even though it’s below freezing a majority of the time.
[California is dry.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_California?wprov=sfla1)
Less-than-average rainfall per year increases the demand for water, which is needed in the event of wildfires, which occur fairly frequently and can be difficult or impossible to contain. Less rainfall leads to dry forests, which are extremely flammable.
Landlocked states typically get more rain than California.
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