Smoke envelops the San Gabriel Mountains as record heatwave conditions stoke the Ranch 2 Fire on August 15, 2020 near Azusa, California. The fire had covered at least 1,400 acres as it roars up steep mountainsides and into wilderness in the Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel National Monument.

The Climate emergency is exacerbating the conditions that make fires more catastrophic. Hotter and drier conditions are extending the wildfire season and contributing to larger fires.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, unhealthy air is a serious public health emergency. Deadly air pollutants are exacerbated by dangerous smoke from these fires that threaten children, elderly populations, pregnant women, unhoused people, outdoor workers, and those with compromised immune systems and preexisting conditions.