Here in Southern California it's like an Anita Carter song, "Ring of Fire". About five miles east of us, in the foothills of Los Angeles, is a major fire. It's snowing ash on the house. About 10 miles of east, in the extension of the same foothills is another fire. Almost directly south of us, but not close, in the Palos Verde Penninsula, overlooking the ocean is a third fire. Finally about half way between Palms Springs and San Diego is a fourth fire. All of this coupled with temperatures hovering around 100+ degrees.

The fortunate thing is that there has very little wind so that each of the fires has not grown at alarming rates. Other than really bad air, the damage to humans is minimal. I'm not sure any structures have been damaged, save a few shacks far from populated areas. I'm not so sure the effect on wildlife has been so benign, but one can hope.