NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?
SUMMARY
Prolonged drought and powerful Santa Ana winds set up extreme conditions that have fueled the devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area. Those conditions were compounded by climate change. According to NOAA and NASA, the ten warmest years on record have all occurred in the past decade. Geoff Bennett and Gavin Schmidt of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies discussed the implications.
View the transcript of the story.
News alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
KEY TERMS
Pliocene = a warmer period on earth that began over 5 million years ago.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- Who is interviewed for this story, and what is his background?
- When did the world experience the hottest year on record?
- What has been unusual about weather in climate in Southern California in recent months?
- How have dry conditions and winds contributed to the spread of fires in Los Angeles?
- Why does Gavin Schmidt compare warming temperatures to the Pliocene era?
FOCUS QUESTIONS
In this segment, Gavin Schmidt says, "There are local adaptations that we can that we can do to prevent the worst things. We can build better, in the same way that we build better for earthquakes. We can build better for fire-prone environments."
What do you think are some ways cities can build better to help reduce the risk of wildfires? What would you build or engineer to prevent fire if money was no object?
Media literacy: How could you find out more about the connection between climate change and natural disasters? Why do you think media outlets are hesitant to ever say that climate change "causes" natural disasters?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
A. In this segment, NASA scientist Gavin Schmidt says that warmer temperatures and drought have led to more moisture evaporating from the ground around LA, which has made the fire spread more quickly and powerfully. Challenge yourself to imagine and then sketch an invention which will help prevent moisture from evaporating from ground surfaces in places like Los Angeles. You might want to consider:
- How can moisture be trapped at the ground level without disturbing the environment?
- Can local communities work together to make your plan possible?
- Is new technology needed to make your plan possible?
Don't worry if the solution is easy to implement. This exercise is about imagining creative solutions to help address the effects of climate change.
(Teachers: For more ways to challenge your students to invent solutions to major challenges related to climate change, see this series of invention lessons.)
B. What role have politicians played in the LA fires in terms of steps that needed to be taken regarding fire prevention and land management? What bills have California lawmakers proposed regarding protecting the environment and climate change? What bills have politicians proposed regarding insurance companies and protecting consumers? How should you start your research? What questions will you ask? Tip: Be sure to check your sources and incorporate lateral reading, a.k.a. reading more than one source!
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