Wildfires: Rising Risks & New Solutions

What happens when a wildfire creates its own weather? Can artificial intelligence detect a fire before it spreads? And could autonomous drones someday help firefighters protect entire communities? Meteorologist and wildfire chaser Jaclyn Whittal has spent years covering extreme weather, from hurricanes and tornadoes to devastating wildfires. But after moving to British Columbia, the wildfire threat became personal. She's experienced evacuation alerts, watched the sky turn red with smoke, and swept burning embers off her own back porch. In this episode of Atmosphere, Jaclyn joins meteorologist Emily Gracey to explore the science behind wildfires, their connection to our changing climate, and some remarkable new technologies being developed to fight them. We talk about fire-generated thunderstorms, fire tornadoes, "zombie fires" that survive the winter, AI-powered detection systems, firefighting drones, and new ways to protect homes and communities. And perhaps most importantly, why preparing for the next wildfire season needs to start long before the first flames appear. Sponsored by Weather100. Explore 100 years of weather history at https://www.weather100.com and use code EMILY20 for 20% off. Atmosphere on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atmospherepodcast/ Jaclyn on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jwhittalclimate/ Subscribe for more conversations about weather, climate, science, and the people behind the research.