During my afternoon commute the other day, the normally free-flowing traffic on Santiago Canyon Road came to a stop. As I slowly rounded a curve, I saw the reason: a large, dry bush alongside the road was on fire. In addition to the line of cars creeping past the fire, several people had parked their cars on the shoulder of the road; they had gotten out to film the fire with their camera phones. During the minute or so it took for me to pass this scene, the fire had spread from the bush and was climbing the hillside in a jagged arc of flames. First of all, your double-parked cars were blocking access for emergency vehicles. Secondly, you were voluntarily standing in the middle of a wild fire. Sure, your video might get massive hits on YouTube. On the other hand, you might be the posthumous recipient of a 2012 Darwin Award. Next time, use your smart phone for something smart, such as dialing 911.
