In the past decade, California has experienced fourteen of the most destructive fires on record. And there are a lot of factors that contribute to these mega-fires we've experienced: heat, dry vegetation, wind. But there always has to be a spark.

After a series of destructive wildfires in 2017 and 18 – including the Camp Fire that destroyed the town of Paradise, California – Governor Gavin Newsom created the “California Wildfire & Forest Resilience Task Force” to address the growing threat of fire.

For the last several years, that group has been focused on land management, hardening neighborhoods and perhaps the most elusive - preventing humans from accidentally starting a fire on a bad day.

In this episode of Rebuilding L.A., host Kate Cagle talks to some of the members of this task force to learn what the state is doing differently to mitigate our first risk. You can see their draft proposal below -- you can also weigh in and share your thoughts on the link provided.

GUESTS:

Patrick Wright, Director of the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force.

Michael O’Connell, president and CEO of Irvine Ranch Conservancy .

Jeff Heys. Shared Stewardship Coordinator with the U.S. Forest Service.

Draft Wildfire and Landscape Resilience Action Plan: https://actionplan2026.wildfiretaskforce.org/

How you can weigh in on the proposal: https://airtable.com/appvMJm0wvHBu2yHG/pagoOh9dwKxPIPeur/form

Climate change isn’t getting nearly as much credit for last January’s destructive fires as it once did. Evidence of failed electrical equipment, alleged arson, and government missteps has dominated the conversation. But when you talk to the scientists and the researchers, the risks posed by climate change are still very much in the mix. But human activity plays a role, too.

UCLA professor and climate scientist, Alex Hall, joins host Kate Cagle to talk about how we can better prepare ourselves for the next mega-fire, including a proposal to create a classification system -- and a standardized response -- for Santa Ana wind storms, similar to the one we use for hurricanes in the U.S.

GUEST: Alex Hall, Director, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, UCLA

Study: Climate Change A Factor In Unprecedented LA Fires: https://sustainablela.ucla.edu/2025lawildfires Expert Perspective: Wildland Fuels Management Would Not Have Saved Us from the January 2025 LA FiresCalifornia Ecosystem Futures: The Future of California Drought, Fire, and Forest Dieback: https://www.ioes.ucla.edu/project/future-california-drought-fire-forest-dieback/

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently approved California's request to extend housing assistance to survivors of the Eaton and Palisades fires. But more than 18 months after those January 2025 fires, survivors are still waiting on an additional $16 billion in federal disaster relief from the federal government, which was revised down earlier this year from nearly $34 billion.  California leaders say this is unprecedented — the federal government has always sent money to communities recovering from disasters — and that the lack of this funding is directly impacting the rebuild. So where is it?

Congresswoman Judy Chu is hopeful, based on recent conversations between state and federal officials, that this issue could be resolved within the next few months. In this episode, Rep. Chu joins host Kate Cagle to discuss this as well as other support she and the state are working on to help survivors recover and rebuild, including a proposed $100 million rebuilding fund which, if enacted in the state budget, could be announced later this summer.

GUEST: U.S. Representative Judy Chu, CA-28

Rep. Chu Commends Passage of Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2025: https://chu.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-chu-commends-passage-federal-disaster-tax-relief-act-2025 U.S. House of Representatives Passes Bill to Shield Eaton Fire Settlements From Federal Taxes: https://www.altadena-now.com/main/government/u-s-house-of-representatives-passes-bill-to-shield-eaton-fire-settlements-from-federal-taxes/ Governor Newsom announces revised budget that eliminates California’s deficit, maintains investment for fire survivors: https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/05/14/may-revise/