logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2016
40m 42s

Fire: How Climate Change is Altering our...

Bbc World Service
About this episode

As fire risks change due to climate change, how should we deal with fire to protect human health and property without compromising the integrity of our environment? Bridget Kendall asks the geologist Andrew Scott, the fire ecologist Jennifer Balch and the biologist David Bowman.

(Photo: A fire tornado in California, USA. Credit: Getty Images)

Up next
Oct 2025
Robots and reality
Are we entering an era when robots will finally liberate people, and particularly women, from the drudgery of housework? There is certainly a buzz around domestic robots right now and every month seems to bring us a new autonomous machine that can fold your clothes or stack your ... Show More
49m 27s
Sep 2025
Weddings: Romance and ritual
One of the first recorded examples of a marriage ceremony is dated more than 4000 years ago in Mesopotamia. And it seems that through the ages, weddings have never lost their appeal. The global wedding industry is today worth billions of dollars, and it is one that keeps on growi ... Show More
48m 31s
Aug 2025
The unfolding history of the magazine
When magazines first emerged, they were the preserve of an elite who could afford to pay for them. But as time went on, the cost of paper fell, printing technology became more streamlined, literacy improved and would-be publishers spotted an opportunity to connect with audiences ... Show More
48m 36s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2020
Climate change, bushfires, phantom phone vibrations
How scientists know what the temperature was in the years before records began? What role does cattle have on the impact of climate change? And how have the current bushfires affected carbon levels? 
38m 55s
Apr 2024
How to live with fire | Oral McGuire
Uncontrolled fire threatens nature — but the right kind of fire can maintain the health and balance of the land, says fire management expert Oral McGuire. As a leader in the Nyungar community of southwestern Australia and a former firefighter, he connects traditional wisdom with ... Show More
10m 42s
Jul 2023
The growing megafire crisis -- and how to contain it | George T. Whitesides
Megafires, or fires that burn more than 100,000 acres, are becoming more frequent worldwide, wreaking havoc on landscapes and communities -- and fire experts say the problem is only going to get worse. George T. Whitesides is focused on fighting these devastating natural disaster ... Show More
11m 10s
Aug 2021
Our Fire Conversation Needs to Change
Several wildfires are burning in Northern California — again. Fire is now a regular part of our lives, and we need to address it with the nuance and complexity it deserves.  But in order to do that, we need to rethink how we talk about and report on fire in the first place. Today ... Show More
18m 54s