The Los Angeles County firestorms are now a week old.  While four of the seven fires have been contained, the largest, Pacific Palisades, is still only around 15% contained, and the most deadly in Eaton, with 17 of the 25 deaths, remains two-thirds uncontrolled.  Worse  Santa Ana winds of up to 70 MPH will return later today , with red flag warnings extending for the counties of San Luis Obispo to San Diego.  While other states (including Republican Texas) are pledging assistance to California, looks like the incoming pathologically vengeful  President Donald Trump  will continue to lie and criticize enemies in his second term, for he blamed Governor Gavin Newsom and President Joe Biden for the fire.  Of course they are Democrats, and California did not vote for him.  States like Hawaii will also be in big trouble in the four years to come, for Harris, percentage-wise, got more votes from Hawaii (61%) than California (59%). More about Trump regard...

Before Trump-time, a bit more about the Los Angeles County wildfire, which is approaching 30,000 acres.    How bad is that in the history of California?    Tiny, but, location, location, location!  This fire destroyed an expensive portion of  the state.  Damages have already exceeded anything in the past, so far estimated to exceed  $150 billion .  The 2018  Paradise fire was #1 in damages at only $12.5 billion .   Over 10,000 structures destroyed, placing the LA fire at #2.   The 10 so far killed could well reach and exceed the 2020 #5 North Complex fire with 15 deaths. The  2003 Lahaina  wildfire on Maui covered 3,453 acres, with  100 deaths ., exceeding the #1 85 killed in the 2018 Camp Fire in Butte County, California. Note below that most of the worst have occurred in this first quarter period of the 21st century. The five largest wildfires in California history August Complex fire (2020) in far no...