On top of that, human factors like poor urban planning, a lack of adequate preparation, the introduction of highly flammable invasive species and the materials we rely on for our homes and possessions, make us more vulnerable when really powerful fires take hold.
Fire weather: How extreme wildfires became the rule – not the exception Unusually intense fires have struck across the world almost every year for the last decade.
The apocalyptic scenes from Los Angeles, where major fires have killed at least 27 people and destroyed thousands of buildings in the last week, have left the city reeling.
Joe Biden, the US President, told reporters last week that “the scope, the scale and the erratic movements of these fires is truly unprecedented”.
Experts say this is because a phenomenon known as fire weather – a potent combination of high winds, high temperatures and low humidity – is occurring more often and more widely as the planet heats up.
