The last time it was this dry in January, there were barely more than 500 people in San Diego. The year was 1850, and only a quarter-inch of rain had fallen in six months. It made the region ripe for wildfire — but that wasn’t much of a concern. The city’s population was clustered along the coast, far from the backcountry, where most fires burned.

Santa Ana winds continue to ravage Southern California, posing critical fire concerns across the region. The extremely gusty winds have instigated new fires, known as the Hughes and Sepulveda fires, which have rapidly spread near Los Angeles.