PREMIERES WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19 AT 9 PM 

In this special, host and science communicator Maiya May investigates the root cause of the recent Los Angeles wildfires and uncovers how communities can better prepare for future disasters. 

To explain the breakdown of conditions that led to this extreme weather event, WEATHERED: INSIDE THE LA FIRESTORM interviews survivors, scientists, first responders and public officials, including former U.S. Fire Administrator Dr. Lori Moore-Merril, former LA County Fire Chief Derek Alkonis, retired U.S. Forest Service Fire Scientist Jack Cohen, Ph.D., and LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marro.

Throughout the special, May also helps audiences understand the history and science behind urban firestorms in the U.S. From record-breaking heat and prolonged drought to the challenges of firefighting in extreme winds, she learns how a perfect storm of conditions turned these LA fires into a historic catastrophe. 

How do we protect homes, lives and communities in an emerging era of large wildfires? What role does the community have in mitigating future disasters? May gets to the bottom of these questions and also takes audiences to 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. 

Tune in to Alabama Public Television on Wednesday, March 19 at 9 PM to watch WEATHERED: INSIDE THE LA FIRESTORM.