The platform, called Wyldfyre, claims it will "harness the wisdom of crowds" to improve wildfire forecasting. Experts argue that the risks outweigh the rewards.

Forget for a moment that it’s morally disgusting to let people bet on wildfires; people have already spent $1.2 million doing it. The real question is when someone will commit…

As survivors flee wildfires, online gamblers are wagering how far the flames will spread—and how much destruction they’ll cause.