PBS Presents WEATHERED: INSIDE THE LA FIRESTORM Experts Reveal What Caused the Historic Fires and How to Protect Communities
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JP Shields
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ARLINGTON, VA; March 10, 2025 – PBS announces WEATHERED: INSIDE THE LA FIRESTORM, a new one-hour special presented by PBS SoCal, debuting Wednesday, March 19, at 10:00 p.m. on PBS, the PBS app, and YouTube (check local listings). In this special, host and science communicator Maiya May investigates the root cause of the recent LA wildfires and uncovers how communities can better prepare for future disasters.
To explain the breakdown of conditions that led to this extreme weather event, WEATHERED: INSIDE THE LA FIRESTORM interviews survivors, scientists, first responders, and public officials, including former U.S. Fire Administrator Dr. Lori Moore-Merril, former LA County Fire Chief Derek Alkonis, retired U.S. Forest Service Fire Scientist Jack Cohen, Ph.D., and LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marro.
Throughout the special, Maiya also helps audiences understand the history and science behind urban firestorms in the U.S. From record-breaking heat and prolonged drought to the challenges of firefighting in extreme winds; she learns how a perfect storm of conditions turned these LA fires into a historic catastrophe. How do we protect homes, lives, and communities in an emerging era of large wildfires? What role does the community have in mitigating future disasters? Maiya gets to the bottom of these questions and also takes audiences to the Institute for Business and Home Safety Lab in South Carolina, where researchers simulate urban fire conditions to find ways to make communities more resilient.
“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,” said Maiya May, host of WEATHERED: INSIDE THE LA FIRESTORM. “In the wake of the tragic LA 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."
WEATHERED: INSIDE THE LA FIRESTORM was developed in response to the recent devastation in Los Angeles. The popular PBS Digital Studios YouTube series WEATHERED has amassed more than 30 million views on PBS Terra since 2020, and the long-form spinoff WEATHERED: EARTH’S EXTREMES immerses audiences in some of the most powerful and transformative weather on earth. The series aims to help audiences understand the big-picture shifts in weather patterns while empowering them to plan, prepare, and offset the impact of these events.
“WEATHERED: INSIDE THE LA FIRESTORM taps into one of public media’s greatest strengths: our PBS member stations embedded in communities across the country,” said Adam Dylewski, Senior Director of Multiplatform Programming at PBS. “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.”
“With Los Angeles forever transformed by these unprecedented fires, this program celebrates the resiliency of our community,” said Tamara Gould, PBS SoCal Chief Content Officer. “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 will be available to stream starting Wednesday, March 19, on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS app, available on iOS, Android, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast, and VIZIO. The series will also be available on PBS YouTube channels, including PBS Terra and PBS stations (check local listings).
In collaboration with LAist, a non-profit, member-supported source for stories authentic to LA, PBS and PBS SoCal will be hosting an in-person LA premiere event for WEATHERED: INSIDE THE LA FIRESTORM on Wednesday, March 12 at 7 p.m. PT at The Crawford (474 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, CA 91105) with a reception on the patio starting at 6 p.m. PT. The screening is FREE and open to the public and followed by a panel discussion moderated by LAist’s reporting team and featuring host Maiya May, filmmaker Trip Jennings, L.A. County Fire Brigade founder Keegan Gibbs, and Altadena resident and MasBuild Inc. president Lynnelle Bryant. For more information and to get FREE tickets for the in-person screening, please visit: https://laist.com/events/pbs031225.
WEATHERED: INSIDE THE LA FIRESTORM is produced for PBS by Balance Media. Series producer and director is Trip Jennings. Executives in charge for PBS are Adam Dylewski, Diana El-Osta, and Maribel Lopez.
About Host Maiya May
Maiya May is a storyteller determined to build a legacy rooted in her love for nature. Inspired by David Attenborough, she creates thought-provoking, nature-related content that strengthens our knowledge, appreciation, and connection to the natural world. She’s also passionate about encouraging more people of color to connect and explore the natural world. As a skilled producer and presenter of live on-air visual weather segments, Maiya May previously developed weather content for WSB-TV(ABC) in Atlanta, the University of Missouri, and four small-scale documentary projects exploring climate. She studied geography and atmospheric science at the University of Missouri-Columbia and previously interned for KOMU-TV (Columbia, Mo.), Fox 5 Atlanta (WAGA-TV), and The Weather Channel. Maiya May grew up in Lithonia, Ga., where she graduated from Arabia Mountain High School Academy of Engineering, Medicine, and Environmental Studies.
About PBS Digital Studios
PBS Digital Studios produces original programming for YouTube and other digital platforms designed to engage, enlighten, and entertain online audiences. The PBS Digital Studios network has more than 30 million subscribers on YouTube, generating an average of 50 million views a month, and has acquired more than five billion lifetime views. Currently, PBS Digital Studios has over a dozen active series, including the Webby Award-winning BE SMART and CRASH COURSE, as well as popular series like TWO CENTS, EONS and PBS SPACE TIME.
About Balance Media
Balance Media is an award-winning, full-spectrum video production company in the heart of the Pacific Northwest. For more information on Balance Media, visit https://www.balancemedia.tv/.
About PBS SoCal
PBS SoCaluses the power of public media for good, strengthening the civic fabric of Southern California and providing our community with an essential connection to a wider world. As a local, donor/member-supported non-profit organization, PBS SoCal is available to stream on the PBS app and the PBS Kids App and reaches nearly 19M viewers across 7 Broadcast channels — including 2 primary channels, PBS SoCal and PBS SoCal Plus and 5 digital subchannels. With a commitment to make content available anytime and anywhere for free, PBS SoCal offers programming that reflects the diversity of Southern California and showcases the full schedule of beloved and trusted PBS content spanning Education, News, Environment and Arts & Culture. PBS SoCal also sparks the sharing of ideas at in-person cultural events and community conversations as well as prepares children for kindergarten and beyond by bringing bilingual, hands-on learning experiences to the community for free.
About PBS
PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 36 million adults on linear primetime television, more than 16 million users on PBS-owned streaming platforms, 53 million viewers on YouTube, and 60 million people view PBS content on social media, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature, and public affairs and to take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’s broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS LearningMedia for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. As the number one educational media brand, PBS KIDS helps children 2-8 build critical skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality content on TV — including a PBS KIDS channel — and streaming free on pbskids.org and the PBS KIDSVideo app, games on the PBS KIDS Games app, and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at PBS.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, Facebook, Instagram, or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Communications on X.
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Editorial Note: For images and additional up-to-date information on WEATHERED “Inside the LA Firestorm” and other PBS programs, visit PBS PressRoom at pbs.org/pressroom.