I lived most of my life in San Diego county. I moved my family to Idaho in Dec 2000 and finished my work in San Diego in April 2002. There has been lots of new building since that time, but I'm still pretty familiar with the areas being burned. Most of it was open space when I was a teenage kid exploring it on a dirt bike. It is sad to see it burn. Sadly, it is not unexpected. The fires come every year with the Santa Ana winds. The floods and mudslides are next on the disaster calendar. It is the "normal" weather cycle for southern California.
It is hard to see my friends and family being threatened by the fires. When I lived in the area, I was able to assist with ARES, RACES and Animal Rescue Reserve. Now it is just passive observation from 900 miles north.