June 26, 2025 • 32 mins
80 years ago, Smokey the Bear was mostly talking about campfire safety. Now? Things are a little different.
Forest fires have always been a normal part of our landscape – and a tool used by human civilizations for millennia.
But as climate change makes our landscapes hotter and drier, wildfires are getting bigger and more destructive. Fire consumed 8.9 million acres across the U.S. last year. The LA County fires this January are the costliest so far, with some estimates putting the total close to $250 billion in damages.
We discuss how we can better adapt to living with massive fires and how we should think about fighting – and preventing – them.
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Forest fires have always been a normal part of our landscape – and a tool used by human civilizations for millennia.
But as climate change makes our landscapes hotter and drier, wildfires are getting bigger and more destructive. Fire consumed 8.9 million acres across the U.S. last year. The LA County fires this January are the costliest so far, with some estimates putting the total close to $250 billion in damages.
We discuss how we can better adapt to living with massive fires and how we should think about fighting – and preventing – them.
Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
NPR Privacy Policy
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