WORLDVIEW: Lessons for SA from the California fires

California has been the scene of horrifically damaging wildfires for the last few years – fires that have been made worse by climate change, which has led to lower humidity, drier forests, and hotter winds.

The fires have also been exacerbated by problems with the state's electricity infrastructure. Its biggest power utility, PG&E, has been the cause of many fires as its power lines have ignited blazes, which have then spread rapidly due to climate conditions. They've responded with widespread power blackouts to prevent fires, but these blackouts have themselves had brutal consequences for Californian families.

Besides being horrible, dangerous, and very expensive, California's experience with wildfires holds some very important lessons for the rest of the world. The fires have exposed how underprepared even the richest parts of the world are for the challenges posed by climate change.

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