I’m sure most of you have seen the fires going on in Southern California. Having lived there and currently having so many friends there, I feel somewhat connected to the situation. I just can’t, however, imagine looking out my window and seeing this….not really being able to discern what are the lights of civilization and what are fires of destruction.
I took a earth and atmospheric science class one semester at Purdue. I remember the professor who grew up Southern California talking about the Santa Ana winds and fire. He would talk about how Mexico wouldn’t burn nearly as bad as California because they regularly let Mexico burn to clear out the brush and vegetation. However, since California is a ripe breeding ground for fire he said that “…our yearly source of entertainment was heading down to the coast and watching everything burn.” The class snickered. “He he. Silly Californians.” It just isn’t so funny anymore and his words keep echoing in my head when I look at these pictures.
I just hope for the sake of all the residents that the winds mellow out for a bit, giving the firefighters some time to do their job….which after looking at some of the pictures, they don’t get paid nearly enough for doing.
Most of the people commenting on the photos and articles are very supportive of these people. (‘Our thoughts are with you.’ ‘Thank you to the brave firefighters.’ ‘We hope you could make it out okay.’) However, there are some comments that align more with my old professor. (‘This is simply Gaia’s revenge; a necessary rebalancing…They never should have been built in in the first place.’ ‘Back to scrub.’)
Now, granted my sympathies are quite small when people lose their home to a mudslide when despite the fact year after year there are massive mudslides in the same location, people still continue to build their house on this shaky ground and lose their homes to said mudslide. But, is it really fair to write off the entire region because of a natural propensity to wildfires? Is it the same thing as the mudslides? Should these residents learn that their property is not safe in these locations and move elsewhere?
Who knows…….. but for now, I will be in the first group of commenters…wishing them the best and hoping for their safety.
