Disasters: Siege Season

When the thirsty Santa Ana wind began howling out of the Mojave Des ert last week, sucking dry the trees and chaparral, Southern California was only a spark away from a disastrous fire.

Heavy spring rains had made the area lush with foliage, then a hot, rainless summer had turned the greenery to tinder. Arsonists and accidents provided the torch.

From the Mexican border to north of Los Angeles, throughout an arid strip 200 miles long, a series of fires raged for three days. Fueled by humidity as low as 1%, temperatures in the 90s and wind shrieking at 70 m.p.h.,...

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