WEBVTT

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- This is the largest wildfire
in California history.

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With more people moving
to fire-prone areas

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and climate change making
landscapes warmer and drier,

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blazes like this one are becoming

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more frequent and destructive.

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That means firefighters will have to work

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harder than ever to put them out

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and protect lives and property.

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But how exactly do they do that?

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Contrary to what some people might think,

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it's not just about
spraying them with water

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that would otherwise be
“diverted to the Pacific.”

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There's a lot of ways
to fight a wildfire,

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but they generally fall
into two categories:

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direct attack and indirect attack.

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The first 24 hours of a
wildfire are critical

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and require direct attack.

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That can mean firefighters on the ground,

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smothering the flames with water,

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digging a fire line, or
even calling in air support

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with water.

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Elite firefighting
teams of 20 or so people,

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known as Hotshots will often hike in

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to battle these flames.

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And if they're really
remote, smoke jumpers

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will parachute in to the
location of the fires.

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Most of these firefighting efforts

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are decidedly low-tech.

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We're talking about tools
like an axe-hoe hybrid

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called a Pulaski, used to dig a fireline

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and chop up any downed
wood that's in the way.

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Chainsaws are about as fancy as it gets.

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But if the fire continues to
spread, despite these efforts,

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an indirect attack becomes necessary.

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(dramatic music)

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This means firefighters
will dig longer firelines

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that act like a container.

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They might also fight the wildfire

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by setting their own fire.

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The idea is that burning vegetation

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in the wildfire's path,
in a controlled manner,

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is safer than letting an inferno rage.

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You've probably seen
dramatic footage of planes

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dropping red flame retardant.

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That's another way to cut flames off

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from the fuel they need to keep going.

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And firefighters on the
ground may also spray

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water or foam on structures
to keep the flames

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from engulfing them.

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Fighting constant fires
is a massive team effort.

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(gentle music)

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Fire camps are staffed
by logistical experts

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who ensure firefighters
have all the tools they need.

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Meteorologists keep an eye on the weather

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to help identify any changes that

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could affect fire behavior.

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Technology is starting
to play a bigger role

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in assisting firefighters.

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Drones help determine where
firelines should be built.

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Infrared cameras can identify hot-spots

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for more accurate clean up.

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And new weather satellites can even track

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lightning to predict where fires are

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most likely to occur, making it easier

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for firefighters to respond in time.

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Fire season is stretching
longer and running hotter.

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Warmer nights, in
particular, mean fires don't

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always simmer down like they used to.

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Firefighters are going
to need all the tools

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at their disposal to fight
the blazes of the future.

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(slow music)