Publication: L.A. Times

UCLA Expert: Park Williams: Associate Professor and Ladder Faculty, Department of Geography

Synopsis: The article describes how the McKinney fire became an unstoppable monster, causing extreme heat, death and destruction. Williams explained that fires tend to coincide with severe heat waves, which are taking place more frequently because of climate change.

UCLA News: “Because the globe is warming and because heat waves tend to be more severe when the land is dry, the dice are loaded toward severe heat waves,” Williams explained. “And when severe heat waves do occur over dry forest areas, then they can translate into gigantic, fast-moving wildfires.”

Read more at L.A. Times.