Controlled burns and fire management was actually something that went astray in Southern California. In other places in the US it was a more useful tool, but the chaparral that makes up the majority of plant material down here has evolved around fires at intervals of about 100 years. When prescribed burns came through they were done much more regularly, plus whatever wild fires happened. This led to invasive species (grasses and mustards in particular) which grow much quicker than chaparral taking over large swaths of the landscape. These less hardy plants die out and crisp up once summer comes into full effect, leading us into a cycle of fire.
The drought, unfortunately, is not over after one year of rain. Drought is an overall climate condition, and we experiencing a weather event. Even with all this rain 60% of California is in drought. The reservoirs will only hold so much, lake mead is still falling, and our depleted aquifers are not getting recharged sufficiently.
Unfortunately wishing and hoping isn’t going to help us much, management and action may. I hope all of us look at managing our water for our thirsty trees efficiently and work towards reducing our footprints. I know lots of people disagree/ disbelieve with environmental policy and confuse it with political issues, we all know someone who has left CA citing the government and prices. Honestly the only thing I see having me leave CA is the prolonged climate issues and water