Most of the really bad smoke has cleared here, and Californians who have built structures primarily out of dried, seasoned (highly combustible) wood, and done so essentially deep in the middle of a forest on a narrow lane, have learned that one, that perhaps that wasn’t the wisest idea, and two, that they may well be their own fire station.

The fires were still burning when tony Malibu said they weren’t getting enough resources, and at least one guy displaced by the Santiago fire in Orange County was on TV complaining that, despite many years and fires in his location, this was the first time he’d never seen the fire department there to help and facetiously using the camera to say “hope you all enjoy watching this.” He had to eat his words a few days later when they let him back in and his house was still there, basically undamaged.

I have friends who live in some of the affected areas, and one in Malibu who has thousands of gallons of water in tanks, a fire pump and plenty of defensible space; the Rotts won’t attack but the locals know better than to try and evacuate him because he can take care of himself.

And that same mentality makes him a good customer where he does (a lot of) motoring business. He tends to run behind schedule…finishing up 2006 magazines now…but won’t blame the manufacturer or conspiracy theorists for not stocking parts anymore for his first gen truck, let alone his 1951—Republicans maybe, but not theorists. A great deal of the First Gen Cummins Dodge’s allure was its simplicity as Cummins, Bendix and Dana parts are widely offered, and less important stuff can always be MacGyvered together.

Despite being mechanically adept and experienced on everything from aircraft to Peterbilt, instructions are kept on file if not initially consulted, much the way I work. And if I break it because I didn’t install it properly I don’t make it the dealer’s problem, although I have been known to ask for a price break on the second one in a week. There are parts that sit in my garage for years before I put them on, and the fact that any warranty period starts counting when they were sold to me is good impetus to speed up my install progress.

There are plenty of things that can go bad in one day, parts and fires among them. And when they do, no one wants to accept accountability and we all end up paying for it.