| This year - with the fires in CA - it just seems to be MUCH bigger and worse than the typical yearly wildfires (not that those aren't as tragic to individuals effected). |
You ain't kidding. Southern California's annual wildfire season (late autumn-early winter) is the result of a nasty combination: (1) lots of dry vegetation and (2) hot, dry Santa Ana winds that whip in from the Great Basin, further drying everything out and fanning any flames. The Santa Anas we've been having since Saturday are
very strong, and last winter was the driest on record, so all the vegetation is tinder dry.
As 1250ships writes above, the most threatened zones are those near forests / scrublands. And like 1250ships, even though I'm removed from the fires, I can see orange smoke on the horizon. Los Angeles' Daily News ran a banner headline today, Hell on Earth, and that's what it seems like.
All morning I've been listening to the radio, and stories of people who've just lost everything. It's devastating. If you can spare a few dollars, now might be a good time to donate to the Red Cross or another worthy relief organization, and count your blessings.