LA Fires Special to Air on PBS

PBS has lined up the one-hour special Weathered: Inside the LA Firestorm to air on March 19.

Hosted by Maiya May, the special investigates the root cause of the recent Los Angeles wildfires and uncovers how communities can better prepare for future disasters. It features interviews with survivors, scientists, first responders and public officials.

Among the public officials who take part are former U.S. Fire Administrator Dr. Lori Moore-Merril, former LA Country Fire Chief Derek Alkonis, retired U.S. Forest Service Fire Scientist Jack Cohen and LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marro.

Throughout the special, May details the history and science behind urban firestorms in the U.S., noting how record-breaking heat, prolonged drought and the challenges of firefighting in extreme winds turned the LA fires into a historic catastrophe.

May also visits the Institute for Business and Home Safety Lab in South Carolina, where researchers simulate urban fire conditions to find ways to make communities more resilient, to share advice on how to prepare for future disasters.

Weathered: Inside the LA Firestorm is presented by PBS SoCal and is produced by Balance Media. Trip Jennings is series producer and director.

The special will be available to stream on March 19 on all station-branded PBS platforms, including the PBS website and PBS app. It will also be available on PBS YouTube channels, including PBS Terra and PBS stations.

“Weathered started as a series that aimed to educate the public on our most common natural disasters, how they’re changing and what we can do to prepare,” May said. “In the wake of the tragic LA fires, I’m proud that this show can continue to be a vital resource, providing clarity about the events leading up to the fire and actionable steps that we can all take to prevent disasters like this one in the future. I’m grateful to the scientists, fire officials, survivors and everyday heroes for giving their time and sharing their stories. I hope audiences come away with crucial insight into how humanity can thrive in our ever-changing world.”

“Weathered: Inside the LA Firestorm taps into one of public media’s greatest strengths: our PBS member stations embedded in communities across the country,” commented Adam Dylewski, senior director of multiplatform programming at PBS. “We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with PBS SoCal on this timely special and to provide audiences with authentic stories about the personal impact of extreme weather. We hope that it serves as a resource for those directly impacted by the fires, as well as for anyone interested in learning how disasters like this one can be prevented in the future.”

Tamara Gould, chief content officer of PBS SoCal, added, “With Los Angeles forever transformed by these unprecedented fires, this program celebrates the resiliency of our community. It is times like this that remind those of us in public media that our commitment to serve Southern California’s people is at the heart of everything we do. From sharing critical resources to providing vital information in order to meet the urgent needs of our viewers, we are here to serve our community, no matter the circumstances.”