Two examples of non-perturbative models of intermittency in drift-wave (DW) turbulence are presented. The first is a calculation of the probability distribution function (PDF) of ion heat flux due to structures in ion temperature gradient turbulence. The instanton calculus predicts the PDF to be a stretched exponential. The second is a derivation of a bi-variate Burgers equation for the evolution of the DW population density in the presence of radially extended streamer flows. The PDF of fluctuation intensity avalanches is determined. The relation of this to turbulence spreading, observed in simulations, is discussed.