As devastating wildfires continue to burn in the Los Angeles area, Columbia Climate School experts are doing their best to determine how these fires became so catastrophic and what’s needed for recovery.
In an interview with NPR, Mingfang Ting, a professor of climate at the Columbia Climate School, speaks about the key characteristics of the Santa Ana Winds and the impact they are having on the L.A. wildfires.
Daniel Westervelt, an atmospheric scientist at Columbia Climate School’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, tells CNET about the ways to protect your health when the air quality is poor and how to stay prepared year-round.
Jatan Buch, a postdoctoral research scientist at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory who studies wildfires, explains to The Hill how a warming climate can fuel major fires and the factors exacerbating the flames.
In Heatmap, Lisa Dale, director of the M.A. in Climate and Society and a lecturer in climate at the Columbia Climate School, says the wildfire code in California is the “most robust” in the country, applying to nearly any new construction in designated areas.
Jason E Smerdon, professor of climate at the Columbia Climate School, discusses the effects of multiyear droughts with the Washington Post. There are still many uncertainties in the data around long-term droughts and relatively limited information about soil moisture, he explains.
Jonathan Sury, a public health researcher at the Columbia Climate School’s National Center for Disaster Preparedness, speaks with the New York Times about the lasting psychological scars wildfires and natural disasters can leave. Living in a damaged home can sometimes be more challenging than one that is totally lost, he says.
Alex de Sherbinin, director and senior research scientist at Columbia Climate School’s Center for Integrated Earth System Information, talks to CNN about the possibility of climate refugees after the L.A. wildfires. Some traumatized individuals may choose to relocate further out to somewhere they deem safer, he says.
In a video interview with CBS News, Jeffrey Schlegelmilch, director of Columbia Climate School’s National Center for Disaster Preparedness, discusses how the situation in California has evolved—from the start until now.
In the Los Angeles Times, Schlegelmilch talks about the difficult road to recovery—and the need to ensure equality, especially for the most vulnerable populations, who will not have access to resources or lawyers to help them through the process.
Speaking with Architectural Digest, Schlegelmilch offers practical advice on how those affected by the wildfires can stay organized, deal with insurance companies and avoid scams. There will be good days and bad days, he notes. “It’s going to take a long time, involve a lot of paperwork, move in fits and starts and be exhausting,” says Schlegelmilch.
The total cost of a disaster includes both direct and indirect losses, Schlegelmilch tells Business Insider. Current estimates say the damage could equate to at least $250 billion. Schlegelmilch spoke with the NBC Today Show about the difficulty realities of starting over and the need to now rebuild in safer ways.
Media coverage is ongoing and will continue to be updated.
