The destruction left behind by the Los Angeles wildfires is unfathomable. It’s like a horror film, but worse, because this is no Hollywood movie. It’s real and devastating : Nearly 40,000 acres have burned, at least 27 people are dead and more than 12,000 structures have been destroyed.
City and state leaders like Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom have come under heavy criticism since the fires erupted early this month. Much of that criticism is deserved.
Drought, high winds and climate change undoubtedly contributed to the intensity of the blazes, but there’s growing evidence that the city was poorly prepared to combat the wildfires, which are a common threat in California…