[medit-plants] the current fires in California

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Yesterday, I participated in the international Zoom meeting the Mediterranean Garden Society (run by the Italy Branch), presenting Carol Borenstein of Southern California.

Prior to her interesting and well illustrated talk, 'assembled' members from around the world discussed the devastating fires in the Los Angeles [LA] area.  LA has a particular geography the can create the phenomenon of 'Santa Ana winds' blowing from dry inland areas towards the coast.  These are well known to have a high potential fire danger, causing even a small fire to quickly build into a huge conflagration (what we are witnessing now).

We live in the SF Bay Area and while we sometimes talk about the 'Santa Ana wind' effect locally, it is nothing close to that experienced in So Calif.

Our heart goes out to many friends in our southland - hard to imagine their fear and loss during this crisis.  Wildfires are well known in mediterranean climates, but such huge events of recent years even test our landscapes adaptation to seasonal fires!