"In hurricanes, that's what they do."
Every natural disaster, it's ferocity, foot-print area affected, population density, business concentration, evacuation ability, state and location, police, fire and disaster coordination, public response, has it's own unique parameters and capabilities/restrictions.
"Why are people still conducting business when the place is on fire and ash blowing around?"
Most of the reasons above apply. Fire may cover a large area but it does not cover all the area. I've personally noted that alerts, mandatory evacuations, locking down of neighborhoods before re-entry, has been very effective in this stream of fires. That may be a luck of the draw in a few cases but I have observed complete cooperation between police, firefighters AND people paying heed and more so, being proactive in their planning and evacuation. Southern CA may have more experience at this and may also have also learned a great lesson from the Santa Rosa/ Napa fires.
Ash and smoke - Schools colleges and some businesses have closed at various times and re-opened. The Santa Ana winds are easterly, blowing smoke out to the Pacific for a thousand miles. Our normal breezes are westerly so some of that is going to return in the next few days. It's already causing breathing problems is counties north such as Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo. Masks are being handed out free in affected areas and safety precautions are constantly being sent out to stay inside and only recirculate air while driving. I'm two hours north and the smoke is just starting to arrive and heading further north of me. You do what you can like hurricane victims in waster high water for days on end. You just contend. No crocodiles though.
"Shouldn't they be keeping the roads clear and safe for those leaving and get people out of there?"
There have been at one point 300,000 evacuees which says that people are paying attention and following orders to evacuate when the fire turns toward them. Since there's no certainty of the direction of a fire, people stay on alert (hopefully) and leave as needed. The direction of evacuation can be many or several directions. The freeway closures and gridlocks have affected commuter traffic much more than evacuees who have mostly left the area before the fire hits the freeways. Police have closed freeways to commuters as needed.
"Maybe it looks worse on TV than what it is, and not a widespread as it seems? "
It' much worse if your home is in the line of fire. 'Widespread' is relative to where you live but also consider there are about half a dozen fires going on at the same time all over SoCal. That's pretty widespread.
"Not making sense to me why lenders and title companies are still closing homes when there is a possibility of the property burning down. Insurance companies are still issuing policies?"
The possibility of wildfire exists no matter what state, so insurance prices average out, though policies will go up and down based on perceived immediate fire danger. Are they closing loans on homes in a neighborhood that is on fire? I doubt it. Interesting that basic hazard insurance covers fires including wildfires. Flood and earthquake insurance costs more.
Conspiracy theories (which I don't buy into) are rapidly coming out now because there has been such a 'perfect storm' of events leading up to the fires, and the intense heat of the fire themselves.
Example:
When you typically see a house that has burned, there is still some structure, even wooden structure remaining. These homes are burnt to the ground, including toilets, bathtubs, rock walls, cinder block walls, glass windows, etc., gone, not fallen on the ground, gone. The temperature has to be metal-forge hot, yet trees and some plastic toys outside of the home are left standing. Figure that one out (not to add to conspiracy theories. Just odd). Putting water on a roof may sometimes help but it just takes an ember going under the eves or in a broken window and the house is toast.
Regardless of all that, the saddest thing I saw yesterday was a fire captain and his family who returned to their house to see it gone. He was putting out someone else's fire. Imagine how his wife felt.
Then of course you had this guy which is good for a smile:
http://www.wthr.com/article/watch-man-chases-rabbit-saves-it-from-california-fire
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