Wildfire season is already off to a dangerous start

Wildfire season is already off to an early and dangerous start across the U.S., with more than 1.6 million acres burned — far above the 10-year average. Experts warn the months ahead could bring more large, destructive fires. At the same time, the Trump administration is planning a major overhaul of the U.S. Forest Service, including closing research facilities and regional offices. So what does that mean as wildfire risk grows? USA TODAY’s Dana Taylor speaks with Clark University Geology Professor John Rogan about what’s fueling this year’s fires, how scientists track wildfire behavior, and why cutting research could make it harder to predict and respond to future disasters.

Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to [e-mail].

Episode transcript available here.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.