Elizabeth Weil, the author of today’s Sunday Read, writes that, in her marriage, there was a silent third spouse: California.“The state was dramatic and a handful,” Weil writes. “But she was gorgeous, and she brought into our lives, through the natural world, all the treasure and magic we’d need.”However, for Weil, there is internal conflict living in a state where wildfires have become the norm. She describes living through a discontinuity in which previously held logic fails to stand up to reality.Today, Weil analyzes the sources of California’s crisis — from the impact of colonization and the systemic erasure of Indigenous practices to the significant loss of fire-management practices and critical dryness caused by global warming.In California, as in much of the world, climate anxiety and climate futurism coalesce into trans-apocalyptic pessimism. But, in spite of the doom, Weil suggests the situation is not completely devoid of hope.To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.
The world is getting away from us, and it's too terrifying to let in. A response to this realization is storytelling that helps us process and apprehend the reality we need to catch up with.
Wildfire smoke in California, which has become more common over the years, has been proven to increase the risk of preterm birth by 20%. However, some Californians are still finding a way to appreciate the beauty of their state despite the pollution.
In this episode, journalist Ferris Jabr and historian of public land Char Miller join Alex Steffen to discuss the human history of national parks and our changing relationship with nature.
Fire behavior has become so extreme that communities are limited in their ability to suppress fires with ground forces alone, causing higher intensity and more destructive fires to spread into areas that haven't seen wildfires in over a century. One proposed solution to this problem is to buy the most high-risk lots with identified funds so that they will never be used for development.
California is investing $1.5 billion for forest management including strategies such as prescribed fire, mechanical thinning, pruning, and creating fuel breaks to mitigate future wildfire risk, yet many people are resistant to these efforts due to fear and potential loss. Managed wildfire refers to allowing wildfires to burn for the benefit of forest health.
The devastation of wildfires can be prevented by using ignition-resistant materials on buildings in high-risk fire zones. This article discusses the potential benefits of mandating fire-resistant materials for older homes in those areas.
A resident of Hayfork, California shares his perspectives on the ongoing wildfires that continue to threaten their community, and says that residents want to know their options to keep their lives safe while the work to reduce emissions and get PG&E infrastructure underground continues.
Climbers study the effects of the world on giant sequoias in Kings Canyon, where firefighters were recently forced to protect them with aluminum foil from nearby wildfires.