Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the year that the East Troublesome Fire burned.

In January, cinematographer Connor Nelson traveled into the heart of the Palisades and Eaton wildfires, which destroyed areas of Los Angeles county.

Nelson grew up in Grand County and documented the East Troublesome Fire in 2020. Since then, he has moved to LA. Although he’s had experience filming wildfires, the Palisades and Eaton fires exposed him to levels of devastation “that I’ve never seen in a fire before” he told Sky-Hi News.

Nelson is the cinematographer for a PBS SoCal special on the fires, premiering Wednesday, March 19. The one-hour film, “Weathered: Inside The LA Firestorm,” will show across all PBS platforms.

What the LA fires can teach us

Nelson spent weeks on the ground during the LA wildfires, filming as the flames tore through densely populated neighborhoods. At several points, he felt like he might be in danger.

“It came so fast. It just was absolutely insanity how fast it spread,” Nelson said about his experience, where he witnessed loss of life as well as homes and businesses.

The Palisades and Eaton fires sparked Jan. 7, and Nelson described how the high winds pushed embers through neighborhoods, contributing to the flames’ spread. 

“You had these giant snowing embers, the craziest thing you’ve ever seen,” he recounted. “Imagine a blizzard, but that’s on fire.”

The embers stacked up on easily combustible surfaces, like wooden porches. The home would then catch fire, and flames would jump to the next home.

Nelson added that misinformation about the wildfires swirled as people sought an explanation for why they were so destructive and what could have been done to prevent them.

The film delves into the science behind the huge fires as well as how people can fortify their homes to protect against a future disaster.

Nelson explained that a key message of the film is the importance of preparedness. It’s not if but when another megafire will happen — whether in California or Colorado. Wildfires are a part of nature, especially in rural areas like Grand County.

“We only call it disaster when our homes are burning or people are dying, right? So if our homes aren’t burning and people aren’t dying, is it really a disaster?” Nelson said. “No, it’s just a fire that’s cleaning up the ecosystem.”

While fires can’t be eliminated by humans, the film presents the idea of home hardening, or how to make homes more fire resistant.

“It’s well-documented in science for a long time, and it keeps being proved time and time again that home hardening is the most effective way for structures to survive,” Nelson said.

The film takes viewers from the center of the LA wildfires to the Institute for Business and Home Safety Lab in South Carolina, where home resiliency is tested in simulated fire conditions. 

“I’m grateful to the scientists, fire officials, survivors and everyday heroes for giving their time and sharing their stories,” film host Maiya May stated in a news release. “I hope audiences come away with crucial insight into how humanity can thrive in our ever-changing world.”

Viewers can tune into their PBS station at 9 p.m. mountain time to watch the film. It will premiere on PBS.org, the PBS app and streaming devices. The film will also be on the PBS Terra YouTube channel for free March 19 and will be available to watch on that platform after the premiere.