SW CASC PI's Highlighted for Climate Expertise in LA Fire News Coverage

As wildfires ravage Los Angeles County, leaving devastation in their wake, many news sources are turning to SW CASC Principal Investigators for sound science and expertise. These catastrophic fires have forced mass evacuations, destroyed homes, and raised many questions about the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires in the U.S.

Erica Fleishman, director of the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute at Oregon State University, was featured in a recent U.S. News & World Report article, where she explained the conditions fueling these fires: "There hasn't been any appreciable precipitation in Southern California since last spring, so you have vegetation that's extremely dry." Fleishman further emphasized how this dry vegetation combined with high winds and low humidity combined to create a perfect storm for the infernos.

In a similar vein, a Los Angeles Times article highlighted the role of climate change in exacerbating California's wildfire crisis. Speaking with and using a UCLA analysis co-authored by SW CASC PI Park Williams the piece discussed how rising temperatures and prolonged droughts have led to drier vegetation and fire conditions: "The conditions that made such catastrophic fires possible are like three switches that all happened to be flipped on at the same time [...] Those switches are very high fuel loads, extraordinarily dry fuels and an extraordinarily strong Santa Ana wind event."

Further, the UCLA article co-authored by Williams examines the unprecedented nature of the January 2025 wildfires from a climate perspective. The article noted that the combination of two consecutive wet years followed by a very warm summer led to a buildup of vegetation, which, when dried out, became highly flammable fuel. Williams and his colleagues highlighted that while the fires would have been extreme without climate change, warming temperatures likely intensified the conditions, contributing to the severity of the wildfires.

As many people are affected by these tragic events, the work of these SW CASC PIs and all involved ensures that sound, evidence-based insights can guide conversations about wildfire risks and resilience .