Publication: Associated Press

UCLA Expert: Daniel Swain: Assistant Researcher and Climatologist, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability

Park Williams: Associate Professor and Climate Hydrologist, Department of Geography

Synopsis: Swain and Williams discuss the factors that led to the severity of California’s drought.

UCLA News: “Three factors — ENSO, climate change and randomness — are biggest when it comes to the drought, which is itself a huge trigger for massive wildfires,” said Swain.

“Without climate change, La Niña and bad luck could have made the drought the worst in 300 years but with climate change it’s the worst in at least 1,200 years,” added Williams.

Read more at Associated Press.