For the most I agree with your opinion that most of the time people wanting blame is part of this need for people to not believe there are random occurrences. However, in regards to these firesbI believe they could have been prevented or at least limited with controlled burns. The Western US is designed to burn, it’s part of the natural cycle there and Nature’s way of clearing brush. With controlled burns, these required burns take place piecemeal and under the watch of firefighters.
I have heard from persons in the know that there is a sequence to responses to a forest fire; you just can’t water bomb a small fire into submission asap. It has to grow and consume a lot of acres before aircraft are summoned.
I’ve also heard that the Forest Service is bogged into near-submission by red tape and union rules. The way their spokesperson talks, she was hired to do just that.....yabber.....yabber....yabber.
Word here is that the Air Force Academy acted on its own, creating fire breaks with their own bulldozers; bypassing the federal fire authority. I haven’t seen that yet, but raise a glass to them is they did.