Category: Wild Fire
PG&E Charged With Manslaughter
11 Felony Counts— 2020 Zogg Fire “PG&E has a history with a repeated pattern of causing wildfires that is not getting better,” said Shasta County District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett. “It’s only getting worse.” by Brett Wilkens, Common…
‘This is what bipartisanship looks like’: Fire tornado caught on film in California
“Climate policy isn’t about imagining a spectrum from left to right and finding the sweet spot in the middle. It’s a zero-sum battle with physics.” by Jon Queally, Staff Writer July 8, 2021 Responding to…
Another dangerous fire season is looming in the Western U.S., and the drought-stricken region is headed for a water crisis
May 13, 2021 2.17pm EDT Updated May 13, 2021 3.54pm EDT by Mojtaba Sadegh, Boise State University; Amir AghaKouchak, University of California, Irvine, and John Abatzoglou, University of California, Merced Just about every indicator of…
Get ready for a busy year fighting wildfires, experts in Arizona warn
“We didn’t see as much rain or snow,” said Andrew Deemer, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Phoenix. “So that proposes the question, how did those plants respond? Going out in the desert, listening…
Wildfire smoke changes dramatically as it ages, and that matters for downwind air quality – here’s what we learned flying through smoke plumes
Wildfire smoke is far more complex and dynamic than meets the eye. It contains thousands of different compounds, most of which are molecules containing various amounts of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen atoms. by Brett B….
Wildfire smoke is laced with toxic chemicals – here’s how they got there
Wildfire smoke turned the San Francisco sky orange in the middle of the day in early September. Ray Chavez/Medianews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images by Joshua S. Fu, University of Tennessee When you breathe in…
From the front lines of California’s fires, Yolo County joins 1,750+ communities in declaring climate emergency
The resolution’s success, said one organizer, “is a testament to the social movement power demanding both transformative climate action and concrete steps to remedy the legacy of systemic racism.” by Jessica Corbett, staff writer Wednesday, September…
It’s tough to tell COVID from smoke inhalation symptoms — and flu season’s coming
by Mark Kreidler, KHN September 16, 2020 The patients walk into Dr. Melissa Marshall’s community clinics in Northern California with the telltale symptoms. They’re having trouble breathing. It may even hurt to inhale. They’ve got…
Hundreds of thousands of dead migratory birds in Southwest linked to wildfires, Climate Crisis
‘Ecological Disaster on Massive Scale’ “The fact that we’re finding hundreds of these birds dying, just kind of falling out of the sky is extremely alarming.” by Julia Conley, staff writer Wednesday, September 16 A combination…
New study finds Planet heading toward temperature threshold not seen in 34 million years
Researchers behind the comprehensive study of Earth’s atmospheric record over tens of million of years say “immediate and stringent action” could prevent most dire outcomes. by Kenny Stancil, staff writer Monday, September 14 A newly published…
Coping with Western wildfires: 5 essential reads
As wildfire smoke turns Western skies orange and red, millions of people face serious health risks from inhaling it, even many who are far from active fires. Wildfire smoke creates an orange glow over San Francisco,…
The Climate Crisis is happening right now. Just look at California’s weekend.
Record high temperatures. Record fires. Record smoke. ProPublica reporter Elizabeth Weil spoke to former California Gov. Jerry Brown about the state’s converging apocalypses. by Elizabeth Weil Wednesday, September 9 Two weeks ago, after freak lightning strikes…
West continues to face deadly flames compounded by heatwave, blackouts, and coronavirus
‘Entire Western US on Fire.’ Seventy wildfires raged across California, Oregon, Washington, and other western states on Wednesday. by Julia Conley, staff writer Wednesday, September 9 A record-shattering heatwave, continuing wildfires, power blackouts, and the coronavirus…
Fires have burned record 2 million acres in California this year
And still two months to go in fire season A spokesperson for CAL FIRE called the news “unnerving,” noting that “September and October are historically our worst months for fires.” by Jessica Corbett, staff writer Tuesday,…
50,000-foot smoke plumes and record-shattering heatwave as Climate Emergency grips California
Timelapse footage from space showing Saturday’s explosion of California wildfires led one meteorologist to declare: “It cannot be overstated how terrifying this satellite image is.” by Jon Queally, staff writer Sunday, September 6 Smoke plumes rising…
Trump rejects California request for Federal Disaster aid to recover from catastrophic wildfires
“That a sitting president—of any party—would deny their own citizens help during their time of greatest need, amid literal hellfire raining down on American cities, is beyond shameful.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer Friday, October 16…
California bill to help prisoner firefighters find work after release awaits Governor’s signature
As the Golden State burns amid a firefighter shortage, AB 2147 would expedite criminal record expungements so ex-inmates can apply for EMT licenses. by Brett Wilkins, staff writer Monday, August 31 As dozens of major…
They know how to prevent megafires. Why won’t anybody listen?
This is a story about frustration, about watching the West burn when you fully understand why it’s burning — and understand why it did not need to be this bad. by Elizabeth Weil What a week….
Inmate families, advocates push for prisoner release as California wildfires engulf state
‘They Have Nowhere To Run’ “I’m furious at the incompetence and severe inhumanity of this,” one advocate said. by Lisa Newcomb, staff writer Friday, August 21 As wildfires rage in California, advocates are pushing for Gov….
What’s in that wildfire smoke, and why is it so bad for your lungs?
The health impact of wildfire exposure depends in part on on the fire itself and how much smoke a person breathes in, how often and for how long. by Luke Montrose, Boise State University If I…
‘Lightning siege’ sparks hundreds of fires in California as new flames overwhelm resources
“Throughout the state of California right now, we are stretched thin for crews.” by Andrea Germanos, staff writer Thursday, August 20 Authorities in California announced Wednesday evacuations for thousands of people as multiple wildfires left firefighters…
Wildfires can poison drinking water – here’s how communities can be better prepared
The Camp Fire inferno spread at a speed of one football field per second, chasing everyone – including water system operators – out of town. The 2018 Camp Fire north of Sacramento burned everything in its…
Here’s what Climate Change means for wildfires in the West
Two recent studies find different factors increasing wildfire risk across California and the Pacific Northwest, but the solutions in each location are similar. by Tara Lohan, The Revelator Tuesday, June 23 Exploding saguaros in Arizona have…
