California California Wildfires

A person speaks at a podium labeled “World’s Largest Aerial Firefighting Fleet” in front of a CAL FIRE aircraft. They wear a dark jacket with a CAL FIRE patch and stand in front of a group of uniformed personnel. The setting appears to be an aircraft hangar or similar indoor facility.

Politics

How Gavin Newsom is balancing the fight against Trump with Los Angeles fire relief

Gov. Gavin Newsom reset his relationship with President Donald Trump after the Los Angeles fires, but he has yet to secure the disaster aid he wants. Now new political pressures are pushing California’s governor back into confrontation with Trump.

By

Alexei Koseff

• April 24, 2025

A firefighter wearing yellow protective gear and a helmet walks through a smoky forest, surrounded by tall trees and scattered branches. The scene is hazy with smoke.

California Wildfires

California sets aside $170 million to thin vegetation, forests to help prevent wildfires

Six conservancies throughout the state will oversee work largely in Southern California and the Sierra Nevada.

By

Alejandro Lazo

• April 14, 2025

Two electrical towers are seen on top of a small brown mountain with wires running through them on other side.

Economy

Could utility gear set your neighborhood on fire? California risk maps are 8 years old

California's Public Advocate has been pressing for new utility fire maps since 2023. Utilities are on board — but regulators turned them down.

By

Malena Carollo

• April 10, 2025

An aerial view shows a winding mountain road lined with vehicles, stretching through a landscape of burned and partially regrown forest. Scattered evergreen trees stand among barren, charred trunks, remnants of a past wildfire. A smaller dirt road branches off from the main highway, curving through the rugged terrain. The contrast between the burned trees and areas of surviving greenery highlights the ongoing recovery of the landscape.

California Wildfires

‘It will not be survivable’: Lake Tahoe region could be a deathtrap during major wildfires

Evacuating the Tahoe basin in summer could take 14 hours, and 99% of properties are at risk — yet new resorts are being built in high-danger fire areas.

By

Julie Cart

• March 19, 2025

A massive wildfire engulfs dry vegetation, with towering flames consuming trees and brush. Firefighters and emergency personnel are seen on a narrow road, standing near fire trucks and white utility vehicles as they assess the situation. Thick smoke fills the sky, casting an orange glow over the scene. The intensity of the fire contrasts with the scorched earth and smoldering remains in the foreground.

Digital Democracy

An audit found California was unprepared to help vulnerable people in a fire. Five years later, lawmakers finally talk about it

Local governments failed to communicate properly but the Governor's Office of Emergency Services also failed to help counties plan ahead.

By

Sameea Kamal

• March 7, 2025

A landscape of scorched hills shows remnants of a wildfire, with dry, barren slopes dotted with blackened vegetation. Power lines and transmission towers stretch across the terrain. In the foreground, a blurred warning sign with red lettering reads "DANGER" and cautions against open fires and smoking. The hazy fence adds a sense of distance, emphasizing the vast, rugged expanse of the burned landscape under a clear sky.

California Wildfires

As LA County sues Edison over deadly fire, is the state’s wildfire fund in jeopardy?

Fire investigators have not found Edison responsible for the Eaton fire — but mounting lawsuits heighten concerns about its potential liability for the deadliest and most destructive blaze since the state created a fund to prevent wildfires from bankrupting utilities.

By

Alejandro Lazo

and

Sergio Olmos

• March 7, 2025

A group of wrecked cars is seen sinking into the mud of a neighborhood street after a mudslide. A street sign is almost knocked down in the mud, and debris is all over the road. In the background, people in military uniforms are seen next to a white truck in front of a house in the neighborhood.

California Wildfires

‘Bandit’ tow companies target LA wildfire victims

As LA-area wildfires burned, some companies fraudulently towed vehicles to the Inland Empire and charged thousands of dollars for their return, consumers said.

By

Deborah Brennan

• March 5, 2025

Climate Change

Who should pay billions for climate disasters? California and others target Big Oil — will that work?

California and other states and counties are using a legal strategy that took down Big Tobacco, hoping to make fossil fuel companies pay for damage they have long denied. But many obstacles remain.

By

Alejandro Lazo

• March 3, 2025

A small light-gray building with an octagonal window and a slanted roof sits beside a curved concrete walkway. A security light is mounted near the building's corner. To the right, a large tree stump stands in the dirt near a black chain-link fence, which separates the area from a dense forest of tall evergreen trees. In the background, a parked vehicle is partially visible behind the trees. The scene is illuminated by soft natural light filtering through the forest canopy.

Digital Democracy

Californians approved $1.5 billion for wildfire prevention. How will the state spend it?

The governor has proposed spending climate bond money dedicated to wildfire mitigation in various ways. Some lawmakers think a focused strategy would be more effective.

By

Sameea Kamal

• February 28, 2025

A dense forest with tall trees is shrouded in smoke. Sunlight filters through the branches, casting shadows. In the background, a firefighter is visible near a fire truck, holding a hose. The surrounding air appears hazy, with smoke lingering among the trees.

Digital Democracy

Why bills to help prevent California fires fail

Each year, legislation aimed at better wildfire mitigation fails – often due to cost or conflict with environmental regulations.

By

Sameea Kamal

• February 27, 2025