An air tanker drops fire retardant over the York fire in the Mojave National Preserve on Saturday. | R. Almendinger, National Park Service

air, food & waterclimate change

Daniel Swain for the Los Angeles Times — The Mojave Desert is burning in California’s biggest fire of year, torching Joshua trees

UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain discusses the 2023 wildfire season in California for the Los Angeles Times, explaining that this year’s climate provided a “more continuous fuel bed” and that “big fires in the desert are entirely consistent with the fire season outlook for 2023.”