PBS and PBS SoCal are using one of their existing properties to educate audiences about the Los Angeles Wildfires that devastated Southern California in January, with the new 1-hour special “Weathered: Inside the LA Firestorm.”
L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony Marro, former U.S. Fire Administrator Dr. Lori Moore-Merril, former L.A. County Fire Chief Derek Alkonis and retired U.S. Forest Service Fire Scientist Jack Cohen, Ph.D., will all partake in interviews with host Maiya May in an effort to both explain the recent natural disaster and help prevent future ones.
“’Weathered’ started as a series that aimed to educate the public on our most common natural disasters, how they’re changing, and what we can do to prepare,” May said in a statement. “In the wake of the tragic L.A. fires, I’m proud that this show can continue to be a vital resource, providing clarity about the events leading up to the fire and actionable steps that we can all take to prevent disasters like this one in the future. I’m grateful to the scientists, fire officials, survivors and everyday heroes for giving their time and sharing their stories. I hope audiences come away with crucial insight into how humanity can thrive in our ever-changing world.”
“With Los Angeles forever transformed by these unprecedented fires, this program celebrates the resiliency of our community,” PBS SoCal CCO Tamara Gould added. “It is times like this, that remind those of us in public media that our commitment to serve Southern California’s people is at the heart of everything we do. From sharing critical resources to providing vital information in order to meet the urgent needs of our viewers, we are here to serve our community, no matter the circumstances.”
“’Weathered: Inside the LA Firestorm’ taps into one of public media’s greatest strengths: our PBS member stations embedded in communities across the country,” PBS Multiplatform Programming senior director Adam Dylewski agreed. “We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with PBS SoCal on this timely special and to provide audiences with authentic stories about the personal impact of extreme weather. We hope that it serves as a resource for those directly impacted by the fires, as well as for anyone interested in learning how disasters like this one can be prevented in the future.”
According to CalFire, the Palisades, Eaton and other surrounding urban wildfires burned 57,660 acres, destroyed 16,249 structures and killed at least 29 people. Additionally, AccuWeather estimates the blazes caused more than $250 billion in damages and other economic loss.
“Weathered” has aired on the PBS Digital Studios page since 2020. The new special was produced by Balance Media with series producer and director Trip Jennings. Diana El-Osta, Maribel Lopez and Dylewski are the executives in charge for PBS.
“Weathered: Inside the LA Firestorm” premieres March 19 on PBS.
