Yup. And a lot of it is the fault of environmentalist group who successfully stopped a lot of logging. Therefore the forests are chock full of flammable materials. Also, I suspect terrorism and/or arson. No lightning strikes reported. Al Qaeda at least threatened to burn down these forests.
Them envirometal groups gots a lotta Russkies in ‘em. Jes sayin’.
I agree with you on forest management, but this is mostly grasslands. Record rainfall last
Winter, no rain since June. This time of the year when the weather is changing and there are very windy days are the deadliest season
Most of the fires were caused by electrical lines being knocked down by falling trees and branches, and even power poles snapping due to extremely high winds Sunday night. They had gusts in the 80 MPH range, and some were even reporting microburst-type phenomenon.
There wasn't much to be logged on the hills where the fires started. The biggest problem was record rainfall (40 inches instead 20) last winter leading to a lot of brush growth. Then a hot dry summer. They could have taken out all the trees and it wouldn't have changed the equation.
Your broader point is valid though, without forest management, including brush, there will be massive fires from time to time.