Members of the St. Helena Fire Department have battled devastating fires in Northern California. Last Thursday, they rolled into Los Angeles at 2 a.m. to assist in the southern part of the state.

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.

In other parts of California burned by past wildfires, communities are still dealing with the fallout years later.