| Many Californians are confronting a series of confounding decisions—among them, whether they should fight or flee.  Photograph by Kevin Cooley / Redux “For millions of Californians, a new way of life is taking hold,” Ingfei Chen writes, in a moving reported piece about the unique challenge of preparing for wildfires. “In the moment of cataclysm, there’s little that a homeowner can do to protect a house from a hurricane, flood, earthquake, or tornado. But it’s sometimes possible to stay and fend off a wildfire.” The question of fighting or fleeing—something that, in the past, may have been a once-in-a-lifetime decision—has now become routine. Those who stay to fight endure great risk, especially if they wait until the final, most dangerous moments to evacuate. And even for those who choose to leave early, in some rural areas, “there is no guarantee that help will come.” Chen explores the frightening new reality of climate change in California and around the world, talks to experts and regular people who are trying to improve fire readiness, and tells the story of one family’s important decision. “They watched the distant fire from their porch and contemplated a dilemma,” she writes. “Stay or go?” —Jessie Li, newsletter editor The New Yorker Festival: Tickets go on sale this week for our signature event, taking place October 7th through 9th in New York City. See the lineup » | 
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