The fires are not out. Most of the blazes are close to containment but authorities do not expect the final flames to be put out until Friday. So, for another week everyone suffers because of the actions of a few. (OC Register map of what has burned and where.)
Most of the fires were started by accidents or nature. A few of the fires, including the one closest to me, were started intentionally. For the fires set intentionally the big question is: Why would someone do this? (The picture below was taken by a friend who nearly lost their home.)
The local paper has various guest columns and interviews with experts trying to find an answer. Most point to mental illness (pyromania, need for attention), work generation (firefighting is a paying job, construction has slowed, and landscape maintenance increase after fires), and just plain criminal behavior (to destroy, to steal from, or to cover a crime). Even though these seem clear in some regards, we still do not understand the motivation because we cannot see why so much damage has to be caused for so little return or reward.
In some ways, it is good that we do not understand...(continued on the full entry)
Is there someone who is looking to burn down your business? I don't mean competitors. Those people you know. It is their job to work against you. You hope that they play fair but you also try to plan for the times when they do not. Certainly there are criminals who would like to steal what you have. There are some who may want to literally burn down your business just to see the fire. There are also those who could benefit from your misfortune; people you might need to hire or not let go if bad things happened.
Aside from competitors, who would benefit the most from a "fire" in your business?
Sparks from welding equipment, downed powerlines, or other wind-blown causes started the accidental fires. These fires often spread and cause damage because people do not take proper precautions or preparations. Time spent clearing brush, thinning dead trees, and learning to use fire-extinguishing devices could have changed many of the details of these fires.
I already talked about preparation so I will not go over that again. I do think that the need to respond quickly, accurately, and with a clear head cannot be overstated. One of the key indicators of your leadership level is your ability to remain calm in the face of disaster. People will watch you to see how to react. How you handle adversity is at times more important than what the adversity was.
What do you do to remain calm when everyone else is panicking?
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