Southern California was screwed b/c of population and no-forest management. 60 mile an hour winds blowing in from the high desert are the norm this time of year. When I was a kid, we would watch the mountains burn for weeks, some dry years for months.
Fire is the natural SOULTION for thinning trees, clearing out undergrowth. The problem is made worse because CA doesn't manage their forest properly. Decades of mismanagement and population growth made the fire WORSE.
Have a good laugh but more people died because CA doesn't manage their forest. In Oregon, the wildland firefighters spend off season clearing brush. If it was up to environmentalist, these fires would happen a lot more.