Off-Ramp listeners, introducing The Big Disaster: The Big Burn from LAist Studios. As the world enters a new age of wildfires, science reporter Jacob Margolis dives deep into personal stories that illuminate the history of how we got here, why we keep screwing things up, and what we can do to survive and maybe even thrive while the world around us burns. 

Listen to this episode and catch all the others here. 

Preppi is giving a free emergency kit with any purchase over $100. Go to preppi.com/thebigburn for more information.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/bigburn and get on your way to being your best self.

This piece from the vast Off-Ramp archive is from the very first Off-Ramp - August 5, 2006 - and it's still one of my favorites because it answers a very simple question. What's it like to ride a motorcycle in LA?

The obvious person to answer that question was Susan Carpenter, then the motorcycle columnist for the LA Times (now at Spectrum News 1), who put a little microphone into her helmet and then took off down the streets, roads, and freeways of LA.

Support for this podcast comes from Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live; and bythe Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

Off-Ramp theme music by Fesliyan Studios.

80-year old portrait artist Don Bachardy saw Angelina Jolie naked, Kevin Ferguson saw something disturbing in "Batman Returns," Jerry Siegel's daughter sees him in his Superman typewriter.

In 1968, KPCC editor Paul Glickman's mom wrote to Charles Schulz, asking him to integrate Peanuts. Franklin was born. Plus: a tribute to Chandler, Pierce College Farm Center, and the harpsichord.

Jim Tully, rescued from obscurity; Canadian v American Thanksgiving; Getty Research Institutes World War 1 exhibit; the big (art) heroes behind "Big Hero 6"

Let's all sing "Happy Birthday" to the Disney Organ, 10 years old; water witchery is debunked, but still popular; Merv Griffin interviews now memorialized on 12 DVDs.

A variety of vets weigh in on Veterans Day; Caitlin Doughty gives her cat The Meow a "good death;" DrinkLA saves you time, money, tastebuds; SCOTUS frees Sherlock Holmes

Hello Kitty turns 40; Skirball exhibit celebrates the enemies of the Nazis who changed Hollywood; Patt Morrison tells us about the devastating drought of the 1800s.

Remembering: Breakthrough TV with Norman Lear, Oscar de la Renta with a fashion design student, our loved ones with Caitlin Doughty and "the good death," James Brown and the TAMI concert

The Flesh Eaters reunite to tell the story of their album "A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die," Kevin Ferguson has lunch with Tommy Lasorda at his favorite restaurant, we meet the sole survivor of a disaster you probably haven't heard about.