@redpillschool
IMHO - It's a result of a few things combined.
We already know that at least a percentage of the fires were (allegedly) deliberately set.
Although I haven't studied the topographical maps of the affected areas, it does seem the worst affected are built on hillsides, and fires do like to go uphill versus down. If there is a lot of fuel available on those hillsides, it will make it easier for the fire to progress.
The onshore winds helped push those fires along and will carry embers to other areas. The stronger the wind, the greater the effect.
Large fires can and do create their own weather conditions which make them even more difficult to control. Look at "The Beast" from 2016 in Fort McMurray, Alberta.
There was a comment here that LA received less rain last year which contributed to dry conditions.
Landscaping and building design choices can mitigate or spread fires. I don't know if cedar shake roofs are still popular in the area. They work well in wet climates like Seattle and Vancouver and become serious fire hazards in dry areas. Trees, grass and shrub choices and placement also factor in.
I do not know if the City of LA and surrounding areas have had fire mitigation studies done and whether any of the recommendations were followed. I can almost hear the cries of the taxpayers and environmentalists against them. I would not be shocked to find out that some of this is the result of planning changes/rules that were made decades ago and we are witnessing the long-term effects.
The changes in climate, AFIK, are more driven by natural phenomena than anything Humans could do.
Complacency plays a role. It wasn't too many Generations ago that fires were not suppressed and would simply go on until it ran out of fuel. Most of that would be ground level build-up from shrubs, leaves, twigs and branches and the fires served to clean it up and make the forests healthier in the long term. Now, we insist on putting them out, which results in more ground level fuel, unhealthy forests and all but explosive conditions.
We do like to build homes and live in forested areas and have significantly increased Urban housing density in general..
Will there be any lessons learned?
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