Lauren Sommer
Stories
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Some Los Angeles homes made it through the firestorm. Here's how
Houses are still standing in the burn zone in Los Angeles, ones that made it through the fires. Experts on the ground are finding those homeowners made some key preparations.
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This scientist studies climate change. Then the Los Angeles fire destroyed his home
Climate scientist Ben Hamlington works on understanding the impacts of climate change. Losing his house in the Eaton Fire has given that work new meaning.
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Here's how climate change fueled the Los Angeles fires
Extreme conditions helped fuel the fast-moving fires that destroyed thousands of homes. Scientists are working to figure out how climate change played a role in the disaster.
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More houses are being built in wildfire-prone areas. Los Angeles has a plan to stop
Before the wildfire that destroyed thousands of homes, Altadena was already debating a tense question: should new housing be built in places that could burn?
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Rats! Climate change is helping increase their populations in cities
Winters are getting warmer and shorter as the climate changes. That's helping rat populations grow in several U.S. cities.
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Why clearing the brush around Los Angeles won't reduce the wildfire danger
After thousands of homes were destroyed, many are looking for ways to make Los Angeles safer from wildfires. But clearing dense shrubs on the hillsides could actually make the fire danger worse.
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This rare, intelligent species of crow is taking flight in Hawaii again
An endangered crow, found only in Hawaii, is flying free again. The alala has survived only in captivity after almost going extinct. Now, a small group has been returned to the forest of Maui. But its survival is not guaranteed – showing how hard it is to re-introduce species at the brink of extinction.
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Trump administration layoffs hit NOAA, agency that forecasts weather, hurricanes
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration houses key groups like the National Weather Service. Experts warn the consequences of employee cuts could be drastic.
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Trump wants states to handle disasters. States aren't prepared
President Trump says he's thinking of getting rid of the country's disaster response agency, FEMA. States say they can't replicate what FEMA does on their own.
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Why some Los Angeles homes are being built to resist wildfires — and some aren't
The wildfires in LA were so large, they burned areas that weren't considered at risk. That means as residents start the process of rebuilding, thousands of them won't be required to use fire-resistant building materials. Experts say those materials dramatically reduce the chance a house will burn. But now, Los Angeles officials are changing the rules to require more homeowners to use these materials - a rare example of tightening the rules post-disaster, instead of loosening them.
