Arizona Wildfires: Biden Pays Tribute to Fallen Firefighters at Memorial Service

As Arizona fire rages, scientists warn of more unpredictable blazes (Los Angeles Times)

BOISE, Idaho — Early morning is a frenetic time at a wildfire command post. Biologists, meteorologists, foresters and firefighters hustle into tents and grab laptops to review overnight reports, prepping for the day's assault. Fire behavior analysts run computer models that spit out information crucial to putting out the blaze: how many acres a fire will probably burn, in which direction and with what intensity.

In recent years, the models have been rendered practically obsolete, unable to project how erratic Western fires have become, making tactical decisions more difficult for fire bosses and the fire lines less safe for crews in the field.