re: Maybe it's a Californian thing....
Mother Nature can be a real bitch sometimes. There are natural disasters just about anywhere you go on Earth, and you have to learn to respect the local hazards. Be it hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, tornados, wildfires, winter storms, or whatever*, you have to be aware of what can happen.
I've heard that the old sailor's prayer was, "Oh, Lord, your sea is so large and my ship is so small."
*There's a joke that goes,
"Q: What does a tornado, earthquake, fire, flood, hurricane, and a wife all have in common?
A: Sooner or later, one of them is probably going to get your house."