It was one of the driest seasons on record in Southern California this year. The grass and weeds in the local mountains was certainly tinder dry. With the arrival of the hot Santa Ana winds, the area was ripe for a fire, and sure enough, Malibu is in flames. I remember years ago going down to the strand in Manhattan Beach, and looking across the dark South Bay at the orange glow across the water the last time this happened.

It's a beautiful area to live, but the wealthy residents should have to carry their own insurance. But I suspect that, just is the case on barrier islands and other flood and fire zones, they'll get help from the federal taxpayers, most of whom make much less than Malibu residents, and can't afford to live in such places, to rebuild once again.

[Update in the afternoon]

Wow, this sounds like it might be the worst Malibu fire in history. I'm hearing that Malibu Canyon is aflame, including the Presbyterian Church (if it's the one I'm thinking of, it has a beautiful view of the ocean below--I attended a college roommate's wedding there years ago), the Malibu Castle is engulfed in flames, and I'm sure that Hughes Research Lab (or whatever it's called these days after all the acquisitions) and Pepperdine are threatened.

San Diego also has two large fires.

A 2500+ acre fire near the border has already injured 4 firefighters and killed one person.

A 1000+ acre fire that is burning down the a path just north of the disastrous cedar fire.
This could be a very bad day. The Cedar fire was a
historically bad fire.

Yeah, for once Sydney is stealing your rain. =)

the Witch Creek fire in San Diego North County has turned into the biggest in California history with over 300,000 evacuated and more than 500 homes destroyed.
The Santa Anna winds decreased yesterday and things slowed down a little, but it isn't over yet.