Wild nature at its worst...assisted by man in a number of ways.
Yes, climate change is real, weather patterns that have been relatively stable for a hundred years are altering. But that is not the full story.
The natural ecology of that part of the west coast is for lightning to cause brush fires, so every few years the undergrowth is burnt, in some cases certain tree seeds cannot germinate without a "toasting". So regular controlled burns are essential if the forest is to be properly managed.
Setting up communities in and amongst trees was, I feel, asking for trouble. This is made worse by the "ecomentalists" stopping the Forest Service from carrying out controlled burns, because it kills small animals and makes a mess of the woodland.
So, when a fire does start there is so much combustable material that it is soon out of control.
I feel for everyone who has had their life destroyed by these fires, but the solution is not simply to re-build. The people responsible for local building regulations have to look at the wider picture and think about to make the re-built community fire resistant. This may include different building materials, felling trees within a certain distance of houses, and regular clearance of the underbrush so that the fires stop a good distance away.
