As always, there is not single cause for complex events, and all of the following are true and contributed to the fire disasters in LA this week.

* Californians build houses in very fire prone places
* Dry, hot and strong winds increase fire starts in these places and spread fires rapidly and dangerously
* Climate change is increasing the frequency of these events and intensifying them
* Homeowners and conservation groups have conspired to undermine fire prevention/mitigation strategies
* Despite the clear risk, a lot of houses in fire zones are not built or maintained to withstand fires and halt their spread
* Many government agencies at the local and state level  in charge of fire prevention and suppression failed to properly prepare for events like this, and bear real responsibility for the extent of the destruction

We will never completely prevent large files in California, but we can and must address ALL of these problems if we are serious about minimizing future devastation.