This summer has been brutal in parts of France and Spain due to raging fires.
Near Bordeaux, France is experiencing its worst wildfires in decades. Despite the efforts of hundreds of firefighters working day and night, changing winds have kept changing the direction of the fires, making them hard to contain. Fields and forests have burned, villages have been evacuated, businesses have closed, and traffic has been diverted to keep people away from the danger.
Bordeaux’s mayor says the city itself is not being evacuated. That’s a good sign, but that doesn’t mean everything is all better. Tens of thousands of displaced people are staying in temporary shelters, such as schools and sports centers, while tourists are being urged to stay away until the fires can be contained.
Spain is also fighting to contain its blazes. One fire near Madrid was described by Spain’s Interior Ministry as “the most aggressive that Spain has ever seen.” The fires drove people to flee, abandoning their homes and even their pets (some of whom have been found and fed by rescuers.) Spain's prime minister described the situation as a “climate emergency” — six times more land burned during the hot, dry summer than during the previous year.
In Climate Change and the Impact of Wildfires, learn how climate change has made the possibility of wildfires more likely and more widespread. Now wildfires are happening around the world, including in colder countries. Wildfires in the western United States have become particularly devastating and dangerous for the people who live there. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Climate Change - The Facts, a documentary that delves into the science of climate change and its far-reaching consequences.
In Wildfires: A Growing Threat, host Radzi Chinyanganya highlights the devastating impact of wildfires around the globe, with a focus on Australia. The segment provides an in-depth look at the causes, local impact, and the global spread of wildfires, highlighting how changes in weather patterns, human activity, and environmental factors are exacerbating this crisis. The episode also covers how the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) contributes to the conditions that make wildfires more likely in regions like Australia. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My World, a program created for teenagers eager to learn more about the important stories shaping our world.
The article "How science and technology help prevent and predict wildfires" from BBC's Science Focus explores how researchers are using cutting-edge technology to monitor and analyze controlled forest fires. Through computer models, drones, and laser scanning, scientists gather valuable data to improve wildfire predictions and create safer, more effective fire prevention strategies.
In Climate Change Wildfires and a Change in Weather, a father and son share their harrowing experience of barely escaping a wildfire in Montana. The video highlights the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, such as heat waves, rainstorms, flooding, and storms, driven by climate change. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Climate Change - The Facts, a documentary that delves into the science of climate change and its far-reaching consequences.
In The Gopher Tortoise, Hero of the Apalachicola Forest, the dry and sandy conditions of the Florida Panhandle make it susceptible to lightning strikes and forest fires. Fortunately, there is one remarkable creature that has helped hundreds of other species survive the flames. This video is excerpted from BBC's Natural World: Florida - America's Animal Paradise, a series displaying Florida’s diverse wildlife and its resilience against increasing environmental threats.
In How Controlled Burns Can Prevent Fire, conservationists use prescribed fires to prevent the spread of wildfires and to maintain a healthy forest. This video is excerpted from BBC's Natural World: Florida - America's Animal Paradise, a series displaying Florida’s diverse wildlife and its resilience against increasing environmental threats.
In All About the California Conservation Corps, host Simon Reeve heads deep into the forests of California to discover the work of the California Conservation Corps. In the Sierra Nevada Mountains, he discovers the urgent need to cut down millions of dead trees — killed by drought, climate change and bark beetles — before they fuel wildfires. Alongside his guide, he hears how this work has not only helped to save forests but also changed lives. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Americas With Simon Reeve, in which Simon Reeve explores the landscapes, cultures, and wildlife of North and South America.
In Paradise's Battle Against Wildfire, host Simon Reeve visits Paradise, California, a town ravaged by one of the deadliest wildfires in history. He meets Lori who shares her heartbreaking experience of fleeing her home with just two minutes to spare. Simon reveals how California’s droughts, rising temperatures, and dead trees are creating the perfect storm for wildfires, leaving communities like Paradise in ruins. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Americas With Simon Reeve, in which Simon Reeve explores the landscapes, cultures, and wildlife of North and South America.
In Hotshots and Their Strategy Behind Controlled Burns, host Simon Reeve joins the elite Hotshots, the top firefighters in the U.S., as they battle flames with flames in a controlled burn environment. These fiery projects clear deadwood and brush, protect forests from catastrophic wildfires, and help new life sprout in the ashes. But with experts warning of terrifying "firenadoes" in California’s future, the stakes have never been higher for these fire-taming heroes! This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Americas With Simon Reeve, in which Simon Reeve explores the landscapes, cultures, and wildlife of North and South America.
This summer has been brutal in parts of France and Spain due to raging fires.
Near Bordeaux, France is experiencing its worst wildfires in decades. Despite the efforts of hundreds of firefighters working day and night, changing winds have kept changing the direction of the fires, making them hard to contain. Fields and forests have burned, villages have been evacuated, businesses have closed, and traffic has been diverted to keep people away from the danger.
Bordeaux’s mayor says the city itself is not being evacuated. That’s a good sign, but that doesn’t mean everything is all better. Tens of thousands of displaced people are staying in temporary shelters, such as schools and sports centers, while tourists are being urged to stay away until the fires can be contained.
Spain is also fighting to contain its blazes. One fire near Madrid was described by Spain’s Interior Ministry as “the most aggressive that Spain has ever seen.” The fires drove people to flee, abandoning their homes and even their pets (some of whom have been found and fed by rescuers.) Spain's prime minister described the situation as a “climate emergency” — six times more land burned during the hot, dry summer than during the previous year.
In Climate Change and the Impact of Wildfires, learn how climate change has made the possibility of wildfires more likely and more widespread. Now wildfires are happening around the world, including in colder countries. Wildfires in the western United States have become particularly devastating and dangerous for the people who live there. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Climate Change - The Facts, a documentary that delves into the science of climate change and its far-reaching consequences.
In Wildfires: A Growing Threat, host Radzi Chinyanganya highlights the devastating impact of wildfires around the globe, with a focus on Australia. The segment provides an in-depth look at the causes, local impact, and the global spread of wildfires, highlighting how changes in weather patterns, human activity, and environmental factors are exacerbating this crisis. The episode also covers how the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) contributes to the conditions that make wildfires more likely in regions like Australia. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My World, a program created for teenagers eager to learn more about the important stories shaping our world.
The article "How science and technology help prevent and predict wildfires" from BBC's Science Focus explores how researchers are using cutting-edge technology to monitor and analyze controlled forest fires. Through computer models, drones, and laser scanning, scientists gather valuable data to improve wildfire predictions and create safer, more effective fire prevention strategies.
In Climate Change Wildfires and a Change in Weather, a father and son share their harrowing experience of barely escaping a wildfire in Montana. The video highlights the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, such as heat waves, rainstorms, flooding, and storms, driven by climate change. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Climate Change - The Facts, a documentary that delves into the science of climate change and its far-reaching consequences.
In The Gopher Tortoise, Hero of the Apalachicola Forest, the dry and sandy conditions of the Florida Panhandle make it susceptible to lightning strikes and forest fires. Fortunately, there is one remarkable creature that has helped hundreds of other species survive the flames. This video is excerpted from BBC's Natural World: Florida - America's Animal Paradise, a series displaying Florida’s diverse wildlife and its resilience against increasing environmental threats.
In How Controlled Burns Can Prevent Fire, conservationists use prescribed fires to prevent the spread of wildfires and to maintain a healthy forest. This video is excerpted from BBC's Natural World: Florida - America's Animal Paradise, a series displaying Florida’s diverse wildlife and its resilience against increasing environmental threats.
In All About the California Conservation Corps, host Simon Reeve heads deep into the forests of California to discover the work of the California Conservation Corps. In the Sierra Nevada Mountains, he discovers the urgent need to cut down millions of dead trees — killed by drought, climate change and bark beetles — before they fuel wildfires. Alongside his guide, he hears how this work has not only helped to save forests but also changed lives. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Americas With Simon Reeve, in which Simon Reeve explores the landscapes, cultures, and wildlife of North and South America.
In Paradise's Battle Against Wildfire, host Simon Reeve visits Paradise, California, a town ravaged by one of the deadliest wildfires in history. He meets Lori who shares her heartbreaking experience of fleeing her home with just two minutes to spare. Simon reveals how California’s droughts, rising temperatures, and dead trees are creating the perfect storm for wildfires, leaving communities like Paradise in ruins. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Americas With Simon Reeve, in which Simon Reeve explores the landscapes, cultures, and wildlife of North and South America.
In Hotshots and Their Strategy Behind Controlled Burns, host Simon Reeve joins the elite Hotshots, the top firefighters in the U.S., as they battle flames with flames in a controlled burn environment. These fiery projects clear deadwood and brush, protect forests from catastrophic wildfires, and help new life sprout in the ashes. But with experts warning of terrifying "firenadoes" in California’s future, the stakes have never been higher for these fire-taming heroes! This video is excerpted from BBC’s The Americas With Simon Reeve, in which Simon Reeve explores the landscapes, cultures, and wildlife of North and South America.