California is pretty much desert when you get right down to it. Much of the brush actually contains oil — such as creosote — because the dry conditions preclude them retaining water. So, when the environment is dry and the winds are blowing any little spark can set off a fire. I was born and raised in Southern California, and fires were an annual thing.
That is a point everybody needs to remember, fires then mudslides are annual seasonal events in SoCal.
They were always there but the people affected have moved in making themselves vulnerable to the annual natural cycles. Then they complain when the cameras are turned on that government didn't do enough.
We lost our property in the Cedar Fire (El Cajon - Harbison Canyon) along with others. It was stunning how many people didn't have insurance then bitched and complained, even sued to get other people's money to rebuild.
BTW, USAA took very good care of us during that time.
“California is pretty much desert when you get right down to it. Much of the brush actually contains oil — such as creosote — because the dry conditions preclude them retaining water. So, when the environment is dry and the winds are blowing any little spark can set off a fire. I was born and raised in Southern California, and fires were an annual thing.”
Somehow you gotta know the criminal California government is complicit with some pc laws against periodic clearing of brush, controlled burns, or any other rational fire prevention activities.