California’s recurring wildfire problem, explained

The state’s weather is becoming warmer and more volatile due to climate change. And there are more people and buildings.

The images and reports out of California this week are overwhelming: concurrent colossal wildfires laying waste to property and landscapes, freaky orange skies, massive smoke clouds, worsening air quality, more than 64,000 people forced to evacuate, and all of it compounding the risks of Covid-19.

If this feels like déjà vu, here’s why: Wildfires are growing more common and more severe in California. The most recent season of horror was...