Human bodies aren’t prepared for the toxic chemicals in smoke, and the effects can be harmful in the short term and long term.

Human bodies aren’t prepared for the toxic chemicals in smoke, and the effects can be harmful in the short term and longterm.

The Los Angeles fires may be the most costly natural disaster in US history. An expert on safety, risk reduction and complex systems calls for a blue-ribbon commission to analyze their causes.

The causes of the wind-driven fires that burned thousands of homes in the Los Angeles area are under investigation, but there were no lightning strikes reported at the time.

The causes of the wind-driven fires that burned thousands of homes in the Los Angeles area are under investigation, but there were no lightning strikes reported at the time.

The causes of the wind-driven fires that burned thousands of homes in the Los Angeles area are under investigation, but there were no lightning strikes reported at the time.

In emergencies, dumping ocean water on fires may be the best option. But seawater can have long-term effects on equipment and ecosystems, as a novel coastal experiment shows.

Fires can make drinking water, and the water pipes and tanks themselves, unsafe. A researcher who has worked with communities after several wildfires explains why, and what to do.

The heath-related impacts of climate change will reach US$1 trillion a year by 2050.

The state is seeing a sharp water divide this year, with lots of rain in the north while the south has stayed dry. A hydrologist explains what’s happening.