Inside a wealthy L.A. man’s effort to help pilots fight wildfires from a remote mountain base

“The longer the delay, the more opportunity the fire has to get larger.” The base has been vital over the years for dousing fires in Calabasas, Monte Nido, Pacific Palisades, eastern Malibu and Topanga — areas frequently on high alert, given the narrow evacuation routes. The rugged canyons within a five-mile radius of the site are home to ...