California destruction: Here’s why human-caused wildfires are hard to contain
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The answer lies in a mix of wind speed, changing climate, the legacy of past land-management practices, and current human activities that are reshaping the way fires behave and increasing the risk they pose.
Investigators are trying to determine what caused several wind-driven wildfires that have destroyed thousands of homes across the Los Angeles area in January 2025. Given the fires’ locations, and lack of lightning at the time, it’s likely that utility infrastructure, other equipment, or human activities were involved.