Wildfires

Newsletters

Welcome, not walls, in San Diego, and prevention on guns and wildfire

A GOP mayor embraces refugees in CA, Gabby Giffords wants CA to triple gun control spending, pulling the plug in fire weather and Westlands' man at Interior.

By Dan Morain • February 5, 2019

California Wildfires

Sen. Bill Dodd proposes California wildfire warning center

Sen. Bill Dodd wants to establish a California wildfire warning center that would allow officials to turn off power and better position firefighting crews during extreme heat and high winds.

By Judy Lin • February 4, 2019

Newsletters

Wildfires, bankruptcy, a probation violation and “the enormity of what we’ve seen”

PG&E has violated its San Bruno probation. California's chief utility regulator issues a grim warning. And Trump jumps for GOP pundits on CA judges.

By Dan Morain • January 31, 2019

Newsletters

From Stephon Clark to the death penalty, a pendulum swing on justice

Revisiting lethal force, the death penalty and humane treatment of inmates. LAUSD trusts in state funding. Soda lobbyists. PG&E lets the bankruptcy begin.

By Dan Morain • January 30, 2019

Newsletters

PG&E files for bankruptcy, wildfire costs vs. the shutdown and a sin tax break

PG&E closes in on bankruptcy, fire data hints at tougher utility regulation and losses in November's fires alone cost more than the U.S. govermmen shutdown.

By Dan Morain • January 29, 2019

Economy

The big problem this bankruptcy won’t solve for PG&E

As a publicly traded corporation, Pacific Gas & Electric reported $17.1 billion a year in revenues from its electric and gas operations. After operating costs, expenses and taxes, it still made out with a profit of $1.7 billion last year. So why has California’s largest utility filed for bankruptcy? PG&E may be solvent, but it is facing […]

By Judy Lin • January 29, 2019

Commentary

My turn: Here’s one way Newsom can be rural California’s governor

Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed tens of millions to help local governments recover tax revenues, and $19 million in direct aid to school districts affected by wildfire. If Newsom really wants to change the direction of the state’s long-neglected northern region, he’ll need to do more. He included $2 million in his 2019-20 budget to review options for a new California State University campus in San Joaquin County, likely in Stockton, 135 miles from Paradise, the epicenter of the Camp Fire. The governor’s proposal should be expanded to include study of another potential campus: a Cal Poly for Northern California.

By Guest Commentary • January 28, 2019

Newsletters

PG&E catches a break but its problems persist

PG&E is cleared of one big fire, but stil on the hook for so many others. Wall Street speaks. Another California Republican bails on the the GOP.

By Dan Morain • January 25, 2019

Capitol

PG&E just escaped blame for one huge disaster—but it’s still the utility California loves to hate

Mention Pacific Gas & Electric to Victor Porter, and the response is nothing like the bland non-opinion most Americans have of the companies that provide their electricity. “They have to pay,” said Porter, a 64-year-old artist who fled for his life with his partner and their dog when the towering Camp Fire swept down on […]

By Judy Lin • January 24, 2019

California Wildfires

My turn: What I learned from the last time PG&E went bankrupt

PG&E's bankruptcy in 2001 and the one to come are at once similar and very different. But we did learn lessons the hard way in 2000 and 2001. Having lived through the last bankruptcy, my suggestion to policymakers is to slow down and conduct a thorough analysis to fully understand the nature of the problem.

By Guest Commentary • January 20, 2019