I spent 6 months last year living in LA near the areas that are now burning. It's really tragic. I still have a storage unit full of stuff there, but it's in a part of the city that's safe from the fires at least. Other people will loose so much.
One of the best things about LA is how much nature there is right in the city. You can drive through forested mountains down to the ocean shore without ever leaving the city. I had a favorite spot in Hollywood Hills that has amazing panoramic views, and hardly anybody else was ever around. Unfortunately that connection with nature brings hazards like these fires, and global warming will be a big issue as well.
Having to leave LA is actually one of the major factors that makes me want to ctb. It's expensive, but I was able to afford it until I blew everything during my manic episode. The climate was so much better for me, and I found the culture much friendlier than anywhere else I lived. I was making friends left and right, and I never experienced so much love in my life. Now I'm back in the Seattle area where it's cold, unfriendly, and depressing. I just can't can't live with the gloom here, it's been slowly killing me for decades already.
