About this episode
California set a new record high this week for the most acres burned in a single wildfire season. In an average season, 300,000 acres burn. This year more than 2 million acres have been scorched — and the season isn't over yet. Some communities have taken actions to prevent fires from spreading, but as NPR's Nathan Rott and Lauren Sommer report, those efforts may not be enough. Fire itself isn't the only threat to people. NPR's daily science podcast Short Wave looked into the science of wildfire smoke and how far-reaching it can be. Listen on Apple or Spotify . Reporter Erika Mahoney from member station KAZU has more on dual threats facing farmworkers: wildfire smoke and COVID-19 . As these fires have been burning, other regions across the country have also faced extreme weather. Hurricane forecasters are watching multiple storm systems in the Atlantic that could develop into tropical storms in what has already been an extremely busy hurricane season. NPR's Rebecca Hersher , Nathan Rott, and Lauren Sommer on the growing threat of extreme weather due to climate change . Find and support your local public radio station. Email us at considerthis@npr.org Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy