Professor of Fire Science Guillermo Rein of Imperial College London unveils the shocking discovery of "fire waves"—a new phenomenon where urban green spaces can erupt in hundreds of wildfires. He explains the science behind the 2022 London fire wave, how a metric called Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD) can predict this risk, and why other traditionally "wet" cities like Seattle and New York could be next.
In this episode, you'll learn about:
The London Fire Wave: The story of the London Fire Brigade's busiest day since World War II.
Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD): The key meteorological indicator that can predict an urban fire wave after 10 days of high readings.
A Warning for Green Cities: Why traditionally humid cities are now at risk for a new type of wildfire disaster.
The Science of Smoldering: Why the world's largest fires (in peatlands) often have no flames and get little attention.
A Scientist's Duty to Communicate: Why it's critical for scientists to develop the "muscle" of communication to translate complex research for the public.
The Long Road from Science to Impact: How a scientific discovery can take years of persistence to become policy or new technology.
Our Primal Fascination: A philosophical dive into why humans are so mesmerized by flames.
