Wildfires have become more frequent and more destructive in recent years, increasingly threatening communities on the edges of — and sometimes within — our cities. What was once considered a distant risk is now a reality for millions of people living in urban areas.

In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share their experiences with wildfires and the ways those encounters impacted them.

Part 1: When wildfires erupt in Los Angeles, Tracy Drain’s work on the Europa Clipper mission is suddenly at risk.

Part 2: As a child, Victoria Dinov lives through a historic wildfire that stays with her long after the ashes settle.

Tracy Drain is a systems engineer who has helped to develop, test and operate a variety of robotic spacecraft over the past 25 years. A life-long learner, she loves encouraging people to nurture their curiosity and explore the wonders that surround us. She serves on the planning committee for the National Academy of Science’s Science and Entertainment Exchange and the advisory board for the University of Kentucky Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering department. As a National Geographic Explorer, she takes audiences on a tour of our universe in her National Geographic Live show "Cosmic Adventures." In her spare time, she enjoys reading, taking long walks, watching random shows (primarily sci-fi, documentaries and Korean dramas) and studying languages - Spanish and… Korean! (If you see her on the street, please don’t hesitate to teach her a joke in either of these languages.) Tracy works at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory where she is currently the Chief Engineer for the Europa Clipper mission.

Victoria Dinov is a graduate student at Stanford studying energy science and engineering. She is passionate about providing data-driven research promoting the expansion of clean energy technologies. Her experiences with climate change in her hometown of San Diego inspired her to pursue a career focused on promoting clean energy for a healthier future for all.

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