Fire
A terrifying new Weather Channel video shows meteorologist Stephanie Abrams walking viewers through the stages of a wildfire, from the first, small spark to widespread, fast-moving inferno.
After a video showing the dangers of storm surges that could be produced by Hurricane Florence was broadcast last month, the channel has used the same technology to visualize wildfires. Surrounded by the computer-generated forest and wildlife, Abrams explains how 80 percent of fires start from human activity, with embers from a campfire or a tossed cigarette leading to widespread devastation.
“As the climate warms, the danger is only getting worse,” says Abrams. “Wildfire season has become a year-long threat, burning twice the area now than in 1970.”
The Weather Channel says these immersive mixed-reality videos can “improve the public’s understanding of weather phenomena and its impacts on their daily lives.” While the videos are undoubtedly scary, they can help viewers better understand the danger associated with these disasters compared to traditional methods.
