Capital Public Radio produced an outstanding "History of California Wildfires" in graphic form.  Their interactive map shows the perimeters of all wildfires in California from 1950 to the present.  The data comes from the recordings made by Cal Fire and the U. S. Geological Survey.  When you click on the link above, you can compare the incidence and severity of wildfires over the years.

If you have neighbors who feel that wildfire danger has not changed much, you might refer them to this map for an accurate historical perspective.