It
had been a dry summer in California’s Redwood Valley Mendocino Lake
Complex. A confluence of climate and weather factors meant June through
September 2017 were, in fact, times of severe drought. The same weeds
and vegetation that saw more precipitation from January to April had
dried out. Lush greens turned to dry browns—the kind of kindling that
just needed a spark.
Bob Gates and his wife long knew that
wildfires were a formidable threat to the area, particularly in such dry
conditions. After all, Gates was a local volunteer firefighter. The
Gates’ property was in a risky area, being surrounded by vineyards to
the west and north.