There is something in the air

October can be a weird month in So Cal. If the Santa Ana winds kick in, there is hot air, crazy gusts of wind and a crazy fire-starter or two who seize upon the 'red flag warning' for extremely dry and dangerous conditions for fire. It has sadly been without fail for the last several years that multiple fires start on or around the first day of the Santa Ana winds, and burn crazy out of control for sometimes up to a week.

We've got 3 fires of note last I checked that are blazing and threatening communities. The Marek fire is about 20 miles away and was noticeably visible in the neighborhood by about 2 pm yesterday - witness the view from the front yard as shown above! I feel very badly for the residents of these areas that are suddenly overcome with smoke and fire and can't help but be a LOT frustrated by the crazies who set these fires just to see them burn.

There is no witty observation on this issue, just a profound sense of sadness for anyone who would think that setting or even watching a fire burn is cool.