Oh come on Dave W, of course there have always been fires in California, but surely you don’t think that there number, size, and damage haven’t increased greatly since the 80’s?
To predict wildfires in California is no more difficult than predicting the sun will rise.
The reason? the long dry summers, low humidity and high winds. Those three things are something California has in abundance every year, which is why that state always have fires every year. I'm not certain why this is news to you. California fires have been on the front page of my newspaper practically every year since I have been born, which was 58 years ago.