In January, firefighters spent nearly a month battling more than a dozen wildfires across Los Angeles. Despite their best efforts, the two largest—the Eaton and Palisades fires—now rank as the second- and third-most destructive in California history, together burning 38,000 acres, torching 16,000 structures, and killing 31 people. A large part of what makes this […]
Two Years After Maui Burned, Researchers Reveal the Wildfire’s True Death Toll
In August 2023, downed power lines on Maui, Hawaii, sparked a wildfire that quickly exploded into multiple, fast-moving blazes fanned by high winds. Over several days, the fires reduced much of the town of Lāhainā to ashes, displacing thousands and killing more than 100 people. New research published Thursday, August 22, in the journal Frontiers […]
Illegal Price-Gouging Runs Rampant After Disasters. The LA Fires Proved It
Last January, a series of massive wildfires broke out across the Los Angeles area, fueled by high winds and dry temperatures. The fires raged for weeks, incinerating entire neighborhoods in the wealthy Pacific Palisades and in middle-class Altadena. They killed at least 30 people and destroyed at least 10,000 homes. As the embers cooled, thousands […]
The Pacific Dodged a Monster Tsunami After One of the Biggest Quakes Ever. Here’s Why
The earthquake near the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia on July 30, 2025, generated tsunami waves that have reached Hawaii and coastal areas of the U.S. mainland. The earthquake’s magnitude of 8.8 is significant, potentially making it one of the largest quakes ever recorded. Countries around much of the Pacific, including in […]