Complexity of Wind-driven Wildfires

Experts weigh in on the complexity of wind-driven wildfires – policies need to include fire behavior modeling and structure resiliency standards. The 2025 Los Angeles fires demonstrated how changing weather patterns, hurricane winds, ember cast, and structure-to-structure fires drove the firestorms from the wildlands deep into urbanized areas. Read the LA Times science-based interviews with wildfire and building resiliency experts, Stephen Pyne and Jack Cohen, and with David Sapsis, CALFire’s fire modeling expert.

Los Angeles Times - Two experts agree: What Most People Think about Fire is Wrong – 02-14-25 by Thomas Curwen, Staff Writer

Interview with wildfire and building resiliency experts, Stephen Pyne and Jack Cohen, respected for both their historical perspectives and science-based expertise.

Los Angeles Times - Cal Fire's predictions didn't foresee the Altadena inferno. Now it’s changing its fire-hazard maps by Noah Haggerty, Ben Poston and Sean Greene

Interview with David Sapsis, PhD, expert on fire modeling, who now leads Cal Fire’s hazard mapping efforts.