The Truth About LA's Wildfires: What You Need to Know

Wildfire experts Jack Cohen and Stephen Pyne have been warning about the dangers of wildfires in Los Angeles for years. They're not happy about what's happening this week. The Woolsey Fire, which has destroyed hundreds of homes and forced thousands to evacuate, is a harsh reminder that we haven't been listening to their advice. Cohen and Pyne think we need to change how we think about these fires. They're not just wildfires anymore, but urban fires caused by embers carried by wind. To stop this cycle, we need to focus on preventing homes from catching fire in the first place. This means making our homes resistant to fire and working together as communities to clear brush.

Pyne reminds us that cities like Chicago learned this lesson over a hundred years ago. After a huge fire, they changed building codes to make structures fire-resistant. We need to do the same now. Cohen believes we can't rely on firefighters to save us from these massive fires. We need to be realistic about what they can do. Instead, we should focus on stopping fires before they start by making our homes and communities safer. Both experts agree that we can do something about this problem. We just need to change our approach and start taking action now.

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