Cal Fire

WhatMatters

Good morning, California. It’s Tuesday, September 29. Thousands evacuating, three dead The worst fire season in California’s recorded history keeps getting worse. Following a weekend of high temperatures and dry winds that blasted through parts of Northern California at more than 50 miles per hour, record-breaking blazes intensified and new fires ignited — including the […]

By

Emily Hoeven

• September 29, 2020

Will Christianson and Jason Vincent clear away fallen brush from around the base of the Mother of the Forest redwood as hot spots from the CZU Complex fire continue burning in Big Basin Redwoods State Park on Aug., 28, 2020. Photo by Karl Mondon, Bay Area News Group

Environment

California’s ancient ‘asbestos’ forests no longer seem immune

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

By

Julie Cart

• September 28, 2020

Firefighters relentlessly combat the Creek Fire as they protect homes on Crystal Creek Lane, near Shaver Lake, by clearing debris and extinguishing flames with a hose to prevent the wildfire from escalating on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. Photo by David Rodriguez, The Salinas Californian

California Wildfires

When will California’s air quality improve?

By

Kate Cimini

• September 16, 2020

Smoke from the Dolan Fire billows skyward along Highway 1 less than a quarter mile south of the entrance to Julia Pfeiffer Burns. Aug. 22, 2020. Photo by Kate Cimini, The Salinas Californian

California Wildfires

Big Sur Dolan Fire slows, containment grows over weekend

By

Kate Cimini

• September 14, 2020

Gov. Gavin Newsom tours the North Complex Fire zone in Butte County on Friday, Sep 11, 2020, outside of Oroville. Newsom has declared a statewide emergency due to the widespread fires and extreme weather conditions, and secured a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration to bolster the state’s emergency response to the Northern California wildfires. Photo by Paul Kitagaki Jr., The Sacramento Bee

Environment

‘Debate is over,’ California’s governor says. ‘This is a climate damn emergency.’

As more than two dozen fires still rage, Newsom stands amid charred parkland, vowing to ratchet up the state’s ‘inadequate’ plan to cut carbon emissions.

By

Rachel Becker

• September 11, 2020

A scorched car in a clearing following the Bear Fire in Butte County on Sept. 9, 2020. The blaze, part of the lightning-sparked North Complex, expanded at a critical rate of spread as winds buffeted the region. Photo by Noah Berger, AP Photo

WhatMatters

Fires set record books ablaze

Six of the 20 largest fires in state history California’s 2020 wildfire season is rewriting the record books. Wildfires have burned more than 3.1 million acres this year — an area approaching the size of Connecticut and the largest amount in California’s recorded history. Six of the 20 largest wildfires in state history are currently […]

By

Emily Hoeven

• September 11, 2020

A melted newspaper box stands in a burned area of Meadow Lakes on Saturday Sept. 12, 2020. Photo by John Walker, The Fresno Bee

California Divide

Fresno-area TV stations lost power amid Creek Fire. Here’s how they stayed on air

By

Manuela Tobias

• September 9, 2020

California Wildfires

Dolan Fire jumps to over 90,000 acres; injured firefighters recovering

By

Kate Cimini

• September 9, 2020

The Creek Fire burns in the Sierra National Forest on Sept. 6, 2020, near Big Creek, Calif. Photo by Marcio Jose Sanchez, AP Photo

WhatMatters

‘We are in uncharted territory’: High winds spreading already-historic fires

Never has so much of California burned. And as powerful winds continue to blast the state, the likelihood of historic fires metastasizing and others exploding looms large for overworked firefighters and exhausted residents. In Southern California, strong Santa Ana winds could push the Bobcat fire toward homes in foothill communities. The fire, which is currently […]

By

Emily Hoeven

• September 9, 2020

Wind whips embers from a tree burned by a wildfire in Riverside on Oct. 31, 2019. Photo by Ringo H.W. Chiu, AP Photo

WhatMatters

Strong winds force power shutoffs as fires burn record 2 million acres

Most Californians are waking up today to strong and dangerous winds — and some are waking up without power. PG&E began shutting off power for about 172,000 customers in 22 counties late Monday night to mitigate fire risk amid strong winds forecasted to pummel much of the northern part of the state through Wednesday. In […]

By

Emily Hoeven

• September 8, 2020