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Last week, a number of wildfires broke out in Los Angeles. Fanned by fiercer-than-usual Santa Ana winds, the crisis is shaping up to be the costliest disaster in California’s history. Wildfires are no longer just a seasonal crisis. They’ve become a multifaceted catastrophe that underscores the state’s long-standing struggles over water, housing, and climate resilience. 

At Vox, reporters across the newsroom have mobilized to help contextualize this disaster as it continues to develop. The following digest explores the long-term consequences of these fires, how to help those in need, as well as how this crisis is impacting some of Los Angeles’s most vulnerable residents.  

Whether it’s school closures that upend the stability that young people rely on or the fires threatening California’s already fragile water infrastructure, you can read more about all of these themes in this collection of stories by Vox's newsroom. I'm proud of the work we've done this week. As we continue to report on all of the challenges California faces as it works to rebuild a more resilient future, you can follow this space.

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An even bigger threat is looming behind California’s fires

The wildfires in Los Angeles pose a threat to the region’s water infrastructure; that’s a problem in a state with long-running water scarcity problems that are poised to get worse as the climate changes. How the state manages water in the coming years will be critical to its economy, its safety, and the health of its residents. —Umair Irfan, climate correspondent 

It’s a make-or-break moment for housing in California

This story examines how LA County's rebuilding efforts could affect homeownership and rental affordability across California, an already deeply unaffordable state. With insurance rates set to rise, this is a tipping point moment — and there's a real opportunity to push for rezoning so that family-sized housing can be built in more fire-resistant urban areas. —Rachel Cohen, policy correspondent 

What happens when the California fires go out? More gentrification.

Once the California wildfires finally go out, the communities they have destroyed might never come back, as climate disasters tend to fuel gentrification. How much these wildfires will deepen inequality or worsen our class divides largely depends on how the government responds. —Abdallah Fayyad, policy correspondent

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What happens to kids when their schools are destroyed? 

Anna North, who writes Vox’s Kids Today newsletter, tackled the problem of school closures following the California wildfires. It’s a vital look at the often forgotten impact of climate change disaster fallout on kids, who rely on a certain sense of stability that gets upended in the chaos. —Meredith Haggerty, senior culture editor

LISTEN: Today, Explained: The politics of fire

As Los Angeles continues to fight the wildfires that have decimated entire communities, many residents are asking what could have been done to prevent the widespread destruction. This episode looks at the political finger-pointing that began in the immediate aftermath, raises important questions about how and whether to rebuild after climate-fueled disasters, and sets the stage for political fire recovery battles to come. —Avishay Artsy, senior producer of Today, Explained and Travis Larchuck, lead audio producer

What homeowners and renters need to know after a wildfire

Thousands of structures have been damaged or destroyed in the wildfires, many of them homes. For these homeowners and renters, knowing what to do next can feel overwhelming and confusing, but this guide should help. —Allie Volpe, senior reporter covering help, wellness, and mental health 

California overhauled its insurance system. Then Los Angeles caught fire. 

California just implemented new and meaningful insurance reforms that are designed to stabilize the market by requiring insurers to offer coverage in especially high-risk areas. But, as our Climate Desk partners at Grist report, these changes also risk insurance becoming less affordable as insurers gain traction to raise prices. For everyone. —Paige Vega, climate editor

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Wildfires impact wildlife and pets, too. Here’s how you can help them.

We're still learning a lot about how fires impact and harm various species. The good news is that animal welfare groups are working around the clock to rescue and treat affected animals, and you can help them do that critical work. —Sam Delgado, Future Perfect fellow

Want to help fire victims? The best way to support Los Angeles in the short and long term.

The nature of disasters can make it overwhelming to figure out the best ways to help — that's where this guide comes in. It's a framework on effective ways to help wildfire victims, right now and in the future. —SD

Why does Trump hate this tiny fish so much?

Last week, soon-to-be-sworn-in President-elect Donald Trump was blaming California’s water crisis and firefighting woes on the protections for what he called an “essentially worthless fish.” While some fire hydrants did run dry amid the crucial moments after the fires broke out, Trump’s blame was misplaced. It was just the latest right-wing attack of the humble delta smelt, a small fish native to Northern California that has for years been used to push an anti-regulatory agenda. —Benji Jones, environmental correspondent

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Peace in Europe: The war in Ukraine has dragged on, taking as many as several hundred thousand lives. Joshua Keating explains what it might take for the killing to finally end.

Big bill moving: The Laken Riley Act — a major new immigration package — passed the House, and the Senate’s likely to take it up soon. Nicole Narea explains what’s actually in the bill. People are arguing about whether it’s good or bad; read Nicole’s piece so you can join in!

EV evolution: Electric vehicles continue to advance, and become cheaper, but they still aren’t Americans’ favorite way to get around. What might change that is the coming of the electric minivan, Adam Clark Estes argues.

A heavier death toll: A new analysis suggests the death toll of Israel’s war in Gaza may have been significantly undercounted; as many as 25,000 Palestinians might have been killed in the first nine months of the war that aren’t part of official figures. [New York Times]

Out of the silent planet: European researchers have fresh photos of Mercury that show the distant world in a brand-new light. [BBC]

Locked him up: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is behind bars, facing insurrection charges. He’ll likely soon learn whether his impeachment has been finalized on top of all that. [Washington Post]

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I shared a chilling piece from our colleagues at New York magazine featuring new allegations of abuse against writer Neil Gaiman earlier this week. In the wake of that reporting, Vox's Constance Grady contemplates how men held up as feminists can use that feting to do harm, and what it means for so-called feminist men to be revealed as anything but in the post-Me Too era.

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