A five-month KQED investigation of what happened the first night of the fires found systemic problems with California’s emergency response procedures.
America’s Ring of Fire
How wildfires are changing
In 6 aerial images: How California wine country was primed for disaster
The conditions for the unfolding catastrophe in the area were set long ago, both in wine country and throughout California.
Dry conditions, wind feed deadly Central Plains fires
Wildfires are churning through the grasslands of the Central Plains, prompting mass evacuations in Oklahoma and threatening hundreds of homes in the Texas panhandle.
Millions more dead trees in Sierra Nevada increase future fire risk
Millions of trees have died from drought and infestations, leaving the Sierra Nevada at higher risk for wildfires.
Remembering the Oakland Hills Firestorm: How weather fueled the flames
Twenty-five years ago, a fire in the Oakland Hills demonstrated the serious risks in areas where homes intersect with nature. We talked to the lead meteorologist on duty the night of the blaze.
Chasing smoke: How Reveal reported on wildfires
Three reporters spent a week on the road in a cramped SUV, bound for places that had been touched by devastating fires to see firsthand how firefighters and their communities battle blazes.
What Mr. T and Smokey Bear have in common: 10 facts about wildfires
From Nixon to “firenadoes,” wildfires have touched many parts of American culture.
Wildfire season is getting longer, but varies by region
Wildfires are not just a Western states problem, and they are active at different times across the country.
America’s ring of fire
Wildfires are getting bigger, more expensive to fight and closer than ever to where people live. The consequences can be deadly. The next episode of Reveal examines how wildfires got so dangerous – and how some areas are fighting back.
When spark meets sprawl: Building in wildlands increases fire risk
Wildfires, long considered a problem exclusive to the West, now threaten many other parts of the country as extreme weather becomes more commonplace and more people live in areas at risk for wildfire.