Fire, wind, and water are natural processes in the natural world. Once believed to be the mysterious tools and forces of the supernatural, the power of these processes at work sparks wonder, curiosity, and innovation. When combined, they bring us trembling to our knees. 

The fast-moving wildfires in Los Angeles, California, have captivated our concern and empathy. The speed at which the fires grew and their destructive force on suburban homes and businesses of an iconic city make it real for the rest of us. Pictures of flames leaping through the air accelerated by hurricane-force wind speeds create a terrifying scene. Human intervention has no power to control these forces. Our only choice is to flee and leave everything behind. 

Human, machine, and resource limitations have been on full display in a society that has come to expect near-immediate problem-solving solutions. It still hasn’t stopped us, and some have died trying.

When the physical forces of nature threaten our livelihoods, neighbors rally, and the worth we ascribe to possessions, location, and vocation is refined in a life-changing event. The dramatic pictures and stories on our feeds help those of us thousands of miles away empathize with the pain, suffering, and loss of those we may never meet. 

After the fires are extinguished and the rubble is picked up, how will we cultivate positive change? From raging forest fires on the West Coast to monster hurricanes on the Gulf Coast, human-caused climate change will undeniably impact all of us. There may never be enough fire engines, water cannons, or manpower to contain nature’s natural systems that have no prejudice – and neither should our solutions.

Respect for the natural world and its forces will humble us. Empathy and holistic perspectives motivate our responsibility to preserve meaning and collective well-being. Sharing a planet means sharing our lives and the natural world in both our losses and our gains.