Ohio was on the verge of similar wildfires because of the drought this year too. There was a stretch of several weeks where the shoe was almost on the other foot. I think it was more luck, than anything, that we made it into winter largely unscathed.
I’ve been arguing for years that you cannot find world peace until everyone finds inner peace. There are many practices you can follow to quell that inner turmoil. I think most people aren’t even aware of how unbalanced and unsettled they are and instead blame external forces outside of their control. I feel like it has gotten worse in recent years. I have no idea how to steer others out of their inner chaos. Religion, mindfulness, music, pharmaceuticals, sex, the outdoors, sailing, stargazing, pottery wheels - there are many ways. Social media and TV do not usually help.