Mother Nature recently reminded California, as she often
does, of how cruel she can be. In December 2017, the state experienced its
largest wildfire in history.[1] The wildfire, known as the Thomas Fire, burned
more than 281,000 acres in Southern California and destroyed more than 1,000
structures.[2] A month later, California experienced its heaviest rainfall in
nearly a year.[3] Experts posit that the heavy rains, coupled with the absence
of vegetation from the fires, triggered catastrophic mudflows that killed 21
people and caused significant property damage to homes and infrastructure.[4]
