Douglas: What sparked the conflagration in L.A.?

I am still processing what just happened in Los Angeles. Not a wildfire. More of a conflagration. Humidity under 10% — winds gusting to 80 mph — 0.16 inches of rain in the last eight months with tinder-dry vegetation? Possibly the biggest urban fire since the San Francisco blaze of 1851.

I’m visiting my 94-year-old dad, who was watching surreal footage. He said, “I had a client in Sherman Oaks who lived in town, in the valley. He could have had a nice home on a hill, but decided against it. He said if the floods and quakes don’t get you the fires will.”

I suspect that when the smoke clears we will be shocked by the extent of damage. Wets are wetter and dries are drier. Fire is a natural part of our ecosystem but a warmer, more volatile climate is flavoring all weather now.

Sign me up for 20s today, maybe a coating of snow tonight. Another 2 to 4 inches may fall Saturday night into Sunday with a thaw possible late next week.

Snow on the ground? With L.A. fires top of mind, for the love of Doppler, don’t whine about cold and snow, Paul.