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Here in San Diego, our average yearly rainfall is something like 13". Total. Most years it does not rain between say April 1st and October...dew and Fog, but no raindrops.
We're several inches behind this year, and LA is worse, things are already crispy and ready to go and the hot weather really hasn't started yet. The dry climate breeds woody scrub with a high resin content, basically made to burn. The illegals are very careful in their tent cities in the canyons, they grew up with the fire threat. It's the city folk, or bored suburban teenagers, or firebugs. Throw in hot Santa Anna desert winds at 30 mph and 10% RH and wait for the fun.
Fire breaks are required in our area, and stucco construction with concrete tile roofs. The bad fires 3 1/2 years ago got within a mile, and this is not a high risk area. I've got pics from the end of the street, 30' high walls of flame, dry eucalyptus trees exploding in flames. It was exactly then that I realized the blizzards I grew up with were a nuisance, but not life or property threatening.
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