The Tuesday the Palisades wildfire started was a typical, beautiful, blue-sky day here in Los Angeles. In the morning, I took a walk to the gym with my son who was home from school for winter vacation. The winds were already blowing quite strongly, and we had to dodge a few palm fronds and other debris falling from trees as we made our way along the sidewalk. There was a general sense of uneasiness as we walked, but nothing could have portended what was to come.