What Happens When the Unexpected Happens

The beginning of October means a return of Fire Prevention Week. But we know wildfires are expected from time to time.

We all have come to realize that wildfire season in California isn’t one week or one month or even a few months. But that it’s all year long that fires can happen and do. Some are caused by humans, mostly by accident, but many others are caused by lightning or by the winds knocking down power lines. Being prepared for wildfires is just part of what you do when you live in California. It’s something we get used to. And learn to prepare for.

But we’ve also seen this week that other kinds of natural and man-made disasters that can affect our lives in California that can happen suddenly and are not expected. The massive oil spill along the Orange County coast has soiled beaches, killed fish and birds, and caused ecological damage.

And the week before that, an earthquake centered in Carson in the L-A area, while not a big one, was large enough to have affected oil refineries and helped spike our gas prices.

And of course, the drought conditions in the state are not getting better and there may be cutbacks in the amount of water we can use in the coming months.

Yes, California means some wildfires, earthquakes, oil spills, droughts and of course at times, some heat waves. But they are all things we do expect to happen from time because they do.

But one thing that happened over the last couple of months here in San Diego was something that few, if any, expected. Certainly not as serious as natural disasters, and it hasn’t affected everyone. But a disaster nonetheless in its own way.

At least for fans of the San Diego Padres...who never expected to see happen, what happened

(Photo Getty Images)