There are probably many reasons like people were not as educated then as they are now and because masks to filter out the ashes and embers were not common then and likely were very expensive. So, if you wanted to not get smoke inhalation you often had to breathe through your shirt or t-shirt and men especially (but also women too) were much more rugged and took many more risks as a matter of course then than now.
You could say that "Life was much cheaper"in the U.S. (and also around the world) than now by far too).
So, people often died from smoke inhalation from ignorance or just not covering their mouths or spent days in the hospital on oxygen trying to recover then than now.
So, wearing goggles (to keep burning embers and ash out of your eyes) and masks (so you don't die or spend many days in the hospital on oxygen) is a really good idea if you are down wind of any fire in Los Angeles right now.
Also, carpeting and furniture and all kinds of synthetic things like tires burning or plastics of any kinds burning are all cancer causing too. So, it's a good idea to either shut the house or car up that you are in so you don't jeapordize your health long term too when smoke might travel 50 or 100 miles and still get into your lungs or eyes during fires like this.
The best way to protect yourself is to get a hotel or motel or visit a friends or relatives up wind of the fires.
Being down wind of any of these fires can either be fatal or life threatening in a more long term way.
This is from someone who grew up with fires all the time from 1952 when I first moved to San Diego with my parents from Seattle.
It isn't the earthquakes that are usually the scariest things in California (It's the Fires)!
And the worst fires of all are powered by Santa Ana Winds which are completely merciless! (especially all over Southern California).
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