wildfires
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You Asked: Is There a Community Prepared To Withstand a Wildfire?
A Palisades resident lost her home. Now she wants to know what model she and her neighbors should follow as they rebuild to be more climate resilient.
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Accounting for Compounding Climate Events in Emergency Management
Climate researchers Marco Tedesco and David Sathuluri reflect on how a single week of heat, smoke and flooding exposed the vulnerability of NYC.
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Pacific Ocean Pattern Helps Explain Diverging Wildfire Trends in U.S. and Australia
Two of the world’s most fire-prone regions have followed strikingly different wildfire trajectories despite both experiencing a warming climate.
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What NYC Got Right During the Wildfire Smoke Emergency, According to an Expert
Atmospheric chemist V. Faye McNeill explains our new, smoky normal—and how to stay safe.
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Wildfire Smoke Returns: What to Know About This Week’s Air Quality
Air pollution expert Dan Westervelt discusses this summer’s wildfires and resulting air quality in New York City and beyond.
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Get Ready for Smokier Air: Record 2023 Wildfire Smoke Marks Long-Term Shift in North American Air Quality
A new analysis of air quality data from the past 70 years shows a broader, continent-wide trend toward smokier skies.
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It’s Been One Year Since Wildfires Devastated Los Angeles. What Have We Learned?
In the wake of the fires, our disaster expert says that “we have the lessons we need to do better and recover better, but there is a stubbornness to learning and applying them.”
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Women in Science: Climate and Wildfire Researcher Caroline Juang
In honor of International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we profile Caroline Juang, who studies how climate change is impacting wildfires out west.
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A Disaster Expert Explains Why the L.A. Fires Have Been So Catastrophic
Jeffrey Schlegelmilch, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness, discusses why these fires have been so devastating and what can be done about wildfires going forward.

COP31, the 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference, aims to advance dialogue, strengthen consensus, and accelerate climate action on a global scale. From November 9–20, 2026 in Antalya, Türkiye, heads of state, ministers, scientists, business leaders, and civil society will gather to advance efforts in emission targets, climate finance, and adaptation and resilience. Once again, our experts, students, and global thought leaders from Columbia Climate School and across Columbia University are contributing to key events, sharing insights, and helping shape the dialogue toward ambitious, science-based solutions. Learn More
