nearly 15,000 firefightersare battling 28 major blazes across they have alclaimed at least 12 lives. but amid the destruction comes opportunity, ided by science, san jose state university has just inaugurated a new wildre research center. the largest on the nation. the scientists span a range of disciplines from meteorology, to ecology to a social science. they are pioneering new tools and techniques to better study, predict, and adapt to living with wildfires. joining me now by skype cl craients, the director of the wildfire interdisciplinary research center, and a professor of meteorology at san jose state unoiersity. alsong us from san jose is amanda stossel with. assistant professor of wildfire management at the center, llo to you both. >> hello. >> hi. >> craig, let's start with you, you look at the skies this week and thoughthings like we are on mars, it's the end of times. or even blade runner. whatid you think a fire meteorologist, who has a much more nuanced view of what's going on. when you look at those oranges skies, not just in terms of the weather but in termof our new