Something more can be done in addition to environmental action to help prevent wildfires. 

First published in Psychology Today.

The inferno of tragic fires in California has destroyed thousands of homes, incinerated hundreds of thousands of acres, and killed many people this year.  In the latest, the entire town of Paradise was reduced to smoldering ash.  Highlighting the vulnerability of anyone and anything to the destructive power of wildfire, among the homes lost in this week’s California fires include those of celebrities, Miley Cyrus, Neil Young, and Gerard Butler.   The current blazes are still raging out of control, and it is too soon to know the causes and full extent of the destruction, but some of these California fires were ignited intentionally.  A 51-year old man has been charged with starting the Southern California Holy Fire.  A 32-year old man has been linked to 5 California fires.   What sort of person is compelled by pyromania to kill, terrorize, destroy lives and property, and devastate the beauty of nature with fire?