James, BINGO about the conservation efforts causing this. When responsible logging was stopped, the underbrush got thicker and the forests are impassible, making it nearly impossible to fight fires.
Another issue is that PG&E, the electric company, has been accused of not been maintaining their lines as they should have (I’m sure in part due to the rugged terrain that makes fighting the firest difficult.)
Although these fires seem to be hitting more populated areas, the ones that we had firsthand experience with were truly in the wilderness when they began – mostly national forest areas but when the fires spread, they hit more populated areas and agricultural areas. But in recent years, it seems that nowhere in that state is safe anymore. We had a lot of dear friends there but I’m very glad we’re out.