Fires can make drinking water, pipes and tanks unsafe. An environmental engineer explains why that’s so and what to do

Wildfires are tearing through Los Angeles, forcing thousands to flee to safety and destroying modest homes and vast mansions. As the fires rage on, powerful images tell stories of fear, desperation and solidarity in the sprawling California city.

Days after fires began tearing through homes in the Los Angeles area, families are returning to smoldering neighborhoods as firefighters continue their battle against the deadly wildfires.