California Fires

Alta Journal covers the wildfires that affect the West through investigative reporting, personal essays, and feature articles.

Taming the Flames

California firefighters are gaining vital knowledge from indigenous tribes who have long used controlled burns to manage forests.

By Laird Harrison

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A Hopeful Apocalypse Story

The Kincade and Getty blazes represent something awful and dystopic — but now is the moment for a fresh start.

Fighting Fire from Above

Longer fire seasons, bigger blazes, and urban encroachment into the wilderness pose new challenges for those charged with fighting flam…

Sonoma’s Burning Problem

Journalists Patrick Michels and Eric Sagara of Reveal/The Center for Investigative Reporting take us onto their research for their “Son…