Evacuees sought refuge and medical care at a Red Cross-run evacuation shelter at the Westwood Recreation Center in Los Angeles. Ivette Sedano sprayed water on her home, which was destroyed in the Eaton fire. In the hilly areas east and north of downtown off Sunset Boulevard, many homes were almost completely destroyed by the Palisades fire.

Los Angeles is reeling from the most destructive wildfires in its history, and firefighters are struggling to contain the devastating blaze.

For years, renowned fire experts Jack Cohen and Stephen Pyne have tried to shift the conversation on fire prevention strategies. This week’s destruction, they say, could have been minimized.