Around six years prior, Jack Cohen, a wildfire specialist from Missoula, Montana, visited the Pacific Palisades to instruct firefighters and homeowners on safeguarding their residences against wildfires.

After three days of education, which included a community tour, Cohen felt optimistic, though that optimism waned when it became apparent that the teachings would not be entirely adopted. This week’s calamity has left him profoundly disheartened.

From his residence in suburban Phoenix, fire historian Stephen Pyne observes the unfolding tale of devastation this week in Los Angeles.

“The wildfires may be akin to a Category 5 hurricane,” remarked Professor Emeritus Pyne from Arizona State University.

The onslaught resulted in 11 fatalities, over 12,000 buildings damaged or obliterated, and 150,000 residents under evacuation advisories, marking the worst incident in U.S. history, according to UCLA climatologist Daniel Swain. There is speculation about the potential for a wildfire catastrophe inflicting considerable harm.

Both Mr. Cohen and Mr. Pyne, esteemed by fire departments nationwide, have observed that their straightforward counsel is frequently overlooked or disregarded. These two men, acutely aware of loss and anguish, indicated their drive stems from the belief that the scale of devastation witnessed this week in Los Angeles and Altadena is unpredictable.

“We have no option but to continue addressing this challenge because it’s a situation we can rectify if we commit to it,” mentioned Cohen.

The experts conversed with the Times in 2017 when wildfires were devastating Northern California and reconvened this week as the disaster progressed. They have consistently asserted that to avert fires, we must transform our comprehension and interaction with fire.

While Pyne emphasizes our cultural connection to fire, Cohen examines fire from a scientific viewpoint. Both convey that we wield more control over fire calamities than we are aware of, and both commence by reinterpreting the issue.

Disregard the “wilderness-urban boundary”

During catastrophic wildfires, specialists commonly attribute blame to vulnerable regions at the so-called wildland-urban interface, which are the outskirts of cities and suburbs where lush vegetation in rugged terrain increases flammability.

However, the fire disasters we observe today resemble urban fires more than they do wildland fires, according to Cohen. Altering this perception could pave the way for more effective prevention tactics.

“There’s a constant presumption that large fires result in widespread community devastation, whereas in truth, wildfires are primarily driven by embers that ignite communities,” he stated.

Experts contend that the extensive damage resulted from wind-driven embers igniting two to three miles away from the fire’s origin. A map of the Eaton Fire displays apparently random ignitions across Altadena.

“When examining the devastation of the Pacific Palisades and Altadena, notice what remained unburned: the untouched tree canopy adjacent to the devastated homes,” he explains. “While the sequence of destruction is often perceived as a naturally spreading flame front, a surge of super-heated gas, that’s not the actual sequence of events.”

“In densely populated areas, separate burning homes can ignite neighboring structures. Ignition from a distance or across the street is often the result of an ember rain from ablaze buildings.”

This core misinterpretation contributed to a similar misapprehension regarding prevention. The focus has shifted from preventing wildfires to stopping ignition points within the community by utilizing “home hardening” approaches such as suitable landscaping and fire-resistant siding, alongside encouraging neighbors to cooperate on tasks like brush clearance.

“If we perceive this as wildfire, we are liable to consider wildfire as the main issue and wildfire control as the remedy,” stated Cohen. “Nonetheless, there is no proof that wildfire control is a dependable method in extreme wildfire situations when regional catastrophes happen.”

do not overlook chicago

Following the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 – which obliterated 17,000 structures and rendered over 100,000 individuals homeless – urban planners and local authorities turned their attention to fire safety engineering as a means to ensure city safety.

“The objective was not to apprehend the arsonist or the legendary cow that knocked over the lanterns in Chicago,” said Cohen. “Experts began examining the role our buildings played in contributing to the issue.”

Consequently, Pine remarked, “cities began to fortify themselves against these dreadful blazes, achieving success. The last major fire in the United States may have been San Francisco following the 1906 earthquake.”

However, as the metropolis expanded, those protective measures were lost. Building codes fell short in addressing the specific environmental needs, and infrastructure was developed without considering potential risks.

Pine, who has authored over 30 books concerning the cultural and social ramifications of wildland and rural fires globally, contends that many of the most destructive fires of the past three decades have been urban blazes.

It was assumed that urban fires had been eradicated, yet they have resurfaced. “It’s akin to witnessing the return of polio,” he states. “It keeps happening repeatedly.”

The Bel Air Fire of 1961, which claimed 484 homes, and the Mandeville Canyon Fire of 1978, which engulfed 230 homes, are frequently referenced as significant examples; however, the 1991 Oakland Hills and Berkeley Hills Fires began with a tunnel fire, resulting in the destruction of 2,843 homes in a contemporary urban fire context.

In recent times, fires erupted in Gatlinburg, Tennessee in 2016, the Colorado towns of Superior and Louisville in 2021, and Lahaina, Hawaii two years ago.

“This extends beyond being merely a phenomenon of California,” remarks Pine. “I believe

California will lead the way in a dramatic fashion, yet this is a nationwide concern. Moreover, it’s increasingly turning into a global matter.”

think outside the box

Southern California has consistently struggled with droughts and Santa Ana winds, which are the primary catalysts for today’s wildfires. While climate change is escalating in both frequency and intensity, societies reliant on fossil fuels are significantly contributing to the situation, as Pine asserts.

“Fossil fuel-dependent societies also alter landscapes, affecting how humans structure agriculture, urban expansion, and the positioning of roads and power lines,” he states.

Pine remarked that the prevailing belief is that “fires occur occasionally. They’re seasonal. It’s not an issue we need to approach in a strategic manner. This is genuinely a crisis, and we need to be prepared and react.”

“I believe we’ve moved past that,” he commented.

Pine noted that while most individuals are aware of fire, few recognize it as a constant occurrence. “We need to reconstruct our lives based on this reality,” he mentioned. “It’s not merely about having an emergency kit; it’s critical to acknowledge that this is the present world, and all this commotion is merely part of a broader situation.”

For Cohen, it’s crucial to redirect the discussion away from climate change. This gives us enhanced control over the fire landscape and ultimately diminishes our susceptibility to these calamities.

“We don’t need to resolve climate change to address local wildfire risks,” he states.

be practical

Cohen expressed that the most uncomfortable reality over the past four days was that firefighting efforts were quickly overwhelmed and succumbed to the extreme fire circumstances. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Malone admitted that there simply aren’t enough personnel to manage the crisis.

However, Cohen emphasized that the issue extends beyond mere staffing.

“We have a fire department, and we continually maintain that they will shield us when we cannot do that under severe wildfire conditions,” he noted. It’s high time we acknowledge the truth and start interrogating why we’ve been unable to avert this catastrophe. ”

Cohen refers to this as “a sense of entitlement to receive protection,” a sentiment that is bolstered by the fire service, even if it is unrealistic.

The National Fire Protection Association, a national non-profit organization that establishes standards for firefighting, mandates a minimum of three engines or 15 firefighters for a single-family fire; this is unfeasible in this instance. Palisades and Eaton Fire.

“We fail to recognize, analyze, and question how we are falling short,” Cohen asserts. “We believe we require more planes and helicopters that operate around the clock.”

The CL-415 Super Scooper and Firehawk helicopters are ineffective when wind gusts reach 60 miles per hour while attempting to drop water.

“We don’t necessarily require a trillion-dollar initiative or a fire czar to tackle the fire dilemma,” Pine stated. “What we need is a multitude of actions that will alter the environment favorably to prevent these flare-ups.”

For instance, local authorities and fire departments must deliver timely and continual alerts to property owners to eliminate dead vegetation and to adequately water dry brush within a ten-foot radius of their homes.

“We’ve always coexisted with fire, and it has been our most reliable companion,” Pine expressed. “And now, due to our negligence of that relationship, it has turned into our greatest adversary. ”