Disclaimer: I know nothing really about the specifics below, simply relaying a conversation I had

Years ago, I used to make biz trips to San Diego for work. During one of those trips I had dinner with work colleagues, and one of their spouses came who was a fireman. I asked him about the "wildfire situation" (this was like 2010) and he said.

#1 seemed logical, but I thought #2 was just being hyperbolic. But I always think about it, because he said it in a very causal way as if it was common knowledge.