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The state of California, specifically Los Angeles, is no stranger to mass fires, or the mudslides that often follow when the rains finally come.
There's a long running list of terrifying blazes that have not only destroyed the natural landscape and forests in Los Angeles and throughout Southern California, but many people's homes and businesses as well.
And the ongoing mass fires in Los Angeles and Ventura county are some of the worst in the state's history, displacing tons of citizens and providing some of the scariest scenery for commuters on the road. The entire landscape along the freeways seems to be engulfed in flames and the air filled with smoke and ash. Not to sound flippant, but if you think your commute is hell, try it with a literal inferno blazing through the shrubs just inches from the road shoulder.
But as scary as these fires are, some people are suggesting they're a necessary part of California's ecosystem.
Welcome to California's Chaparral biome! o/ Wildfires are actually a part of the natural rhythm of our state. Many of our animals are burrowers, and many of our plants don't germinate unless they've been burnt. It's scary, but an inescapable part of life here.
Now these flames might be important for nature to run its course and all that jazz, but it doesn't change the fact that people are really scared of them.
Check out these other videos commuters uploaded of the mayhem.
If you're in the affected areas right now, try your best to stay safe. There's not much that can be done to control so many large and simultaneous fires, but hopefully the damage to communities can be mitigated.
