Southern California's year of 'near-apocalytic fires'
LOS ANGELES_For weather experts, autumn in Southern California is "the great race."
The severity of the fall fire season is often determined by what arrives first - the fierce Santa Ana winds or the rains.
This year, however, it's been no contest. Autumn has seen excruciatingly little rain, intensely low humidity, record heat and powerful winds that sparked what is so far the second largest wildfire in modern California history.
"The result are these near-apocalyptic fires that we're seeing," climatologist Bill Patzert said.
Together, the weather conditions that fueled Southern California's December fire storms offer a window into a future that could include
