CISS Affiliate Demeritt Discusses How and Why the LA Wildfires Grew So Fast—and Lessons for the Future
As Los Angeles starts to recover from the catastrophic losses from their deadly wildfires—which so far have killed 25 people, displaced 100,000, and caused tens of billions of dollars in damages—many wonder what first sparked the fires.
While officials investigate possible causes, including arson, sparking power lines, and errant fireworks, an expert told NBC News that natural causes are more plausible than arson, due to heavy wind conditions. No matter the cause, scientists say that the weather and climate conditions when the fires started January 7 created a recipe for disaster for the swift spread of the flames. Continued strong winds have kept the country’s second-largest city by population at risk for further calamity.
BU Today spoke with David Demeritt, a College of Arts & Sciences professor of Earth and environment. Demeritt is a geographer whose research focuses on environmental policy, especially the management of flooding, wildfire, and other environmental risks….
To read more, visit BU Today where this article originally appeared on January 16, 2025.