All of us in Southern California have either been affected ourselves or know someone — know many, many people — who have been.

Homes burned down, businesses set afire, schools ablaze. At least two dozen of our neighbors have been killed in the firestorms that roared through Altadena, Pasadena, Pacific Palisades and Malibu.This is one of the greatest disasters, personally and economically, to hit our nation in its history.

Those of us who have lived in the Southland a long time have certainly witnessed many wildfires down the decades. They come with the territory and especially, traditionally, they come to neighborhoods built with wilderness areas in the suburban backyards.

What is different about especially the destruction of so many thousands of homes in the Palisades and Altadena is that houses and businesses miles from the mountains were destroyed because of flying embers carried by the vicious Santa Ana winds last Wednesday night.’

Were those the worst Santa Anas you can recall?

Experts say the fires were certainly worsened by the lack of rain in our region — almost none since last May. The drought has come after two very wet winters, so that there is plenty of vegetation in the San Gabriels and the Santa Monica Mountains to burn.

But whatever the cause of the unusually high winds and the lack of rain, the finger-pointing and political rancor has certainly begun.

Some say Gov. Gavin Newsom should resign. Some say Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass should not have gone off on a diplomatic trip to Africa when the red-flag warnings of high winds were announced. The L.A. fire chief and the mayor are in a spat about Fire Department funding.

Suddenly, everyone seems to be an expert on reservoir levels, water-pumping facilities and electric utilities. Is this just a function of our nation’s current deep political divides? Can we get beyond claiming that either the fires are all the fault of climate change or all the fault of elected officials? What is the future of our Southern California after this disaster?

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