This is Irid Glass, the host of This American Life.

So much is changing so rapidly right now with President Trump in office.

It feels good to pause for a moment sometimes and look around at what's what.

Just try and do that.

We've been finding these incredible stories about right now that are funny and have feeling,

and you get to see people everywhere making sense of this new America that we find ourselves in.

This American Life, wherever you get your podcast.

Smokey Beer has always had one important message.

Be sure you're never responsible for this terrible destruction.

So remember, only you can prevent forest fires. 80 years ago, Smokie was mostly talking about

campfire safety. Forest fires have always been a normal part of our landscape and a tool

used by human civilizations for millennia.

But as climate change makes our landscapes hotter and drier, wildfires are getting bigger and more destructive.

Fires consumed 8.9 million acres across the U.S. last year.

The L.A. County fires this January are the most costly so far, with some estimates putting

the total close to $250 billion in damages. How can we better adapt to living with these massive fires,

and how should we think about fighting and preventing them? We get into it after the break.

I'm Jen Moy. You're listening to the 1A podcast. Stay with us. We've got a lot to get to.

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and visit wise.com. T's and Cs apply. These days, there's a lot of news. It can be hard to keep up

...