Natalie Kittroff

So critical reserves unavailable at perhaps the most critical moment. How big of a deal do you think that is?

So critical reserves unavailable at perhaps the most critical moment. How big of a deal do you think that is?

Yeah, I mean, it seems like there is a fair question to ask about why it was offline for maintenance when the fire risk was so high.

Yeah, I mean, it seems like there is a fair question to ask about why it was offline for maintenance when the fire risk was so high.

Mike, we've talked about two real issues in terms of preparedness. One is the number of firefighting resources available, and the other is the amount of water available. Both came up short. There's now been a pretty robust debate about whether the city government did enough to get ready for these fires. What are the firefighters themselves saying?

Mike, we've talked about two real issues in terms of preparedness. One is the number of firefighting resources available, and the other is the amount of water available. Both came up short. There's now been a pretty robust debate about whether the city government did enough to get ready for these fires. What are the firefighters themselves saying?

So you have the fire chief saying this was a real issue, the funding, and you have the mayor saying this wouldn't have made a difference. What's the truth here?

So you have the fire chief saying this was a real issue, the funding, and you have the mayor saying this wouldn't have made a difference. What's the truth here?

Thank you, Mike.

Thank you, Mike.

could have used more water and more firefighters, but that even if it had those things, controlling these fires would have been really, really hard. You're a climate reporter for The Times. Help me understand what that means about our ability to respond to wildfires just across the U.S. ?

could have used more water and more firefighters, but that even if it had those things, controlling these fires would have been really, really hard. You're a climate reporter for The Times. Help me understand what that means about our ability to respond to wildfires just across the U.S. ?

Okay, tell me why California, at least in theory, is the state that should be most prepared for fires like this.

Okay, tell me why California, at least in theory, is the state that should be most prepared for fires like this.

Right. I mean, these are conditions that are just kind of baked into the place. It's been this way forever. We've talked about this on the show. These things make fires like this almost foreseeable. So how has California prepared given that?

Right. I mean, these are conditions that are just kind of baked into the place. It's been this way forever. We've talked about this on the show. These things make fires like this almost foreseeable. So how has California prepared given that?

Yeah, it sounds like California is particularly vulnerable, but it also has a bunch of things working in its favor. And yet all of those things obviously were not enough to contain these fires. So what does that tell you, Chris?

Yeah, it sounds like California is particularly vulnerable, but it also has a bunch of things working in its favor. And yet all of those things obviously were not enough to contain these fires. So what does that tell you, Chris?

It's kind of like you're asking, is the pace of climate change just faster than the pace of possible adaptation?

It's kind of like you're asking, is the pace of climate change just faster than the pace of possible adaptation?