California Wildfires

At a CalMatters virtual event, people in Paradise and fire experts recalled the terror that gripped the town and discussed rebuilding and resiliency in California.

   Lea este artículo en español. In August, as lightning strikes ignited fires around his Napa County home, Ian MacMillan escaped the flames with his wife, three kids and mother-in-law. A month later, when another wildfire roared through Northern California’s wine country, they had to flee their home again. “It sounded like a war zone,” MacMillan, […]

Of California’s nearly 150 public colleges and universities, 18 are within areas Cal Fire deems at high risk from wildfires. In addition to evacuation plans, colleges have different fire mitigation tactics they can employ to minimize risk.

The systems that warn people about evacuations have dangerous drawbacks. Millions of Californians are relying on alerts that may never arrive. In some counties, only 1% of adults are signed up.

The damage to water systems can linger for years. The cost in just one small town: as much as $150 million.

The North Coast’s rainforests are hotter, drier and less foggy. That means more dangerous fires that can scar iconic redwoods.

The record-breaking fire season could have lasting effects on the economy of California’s mountain communities.