The $2.4 million acquisition of the NoraBella property along Highway 236 is seen as a key step in the post-CZU fire recovery of Big Basin Redwoods State Park.
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Coverage of Big Basin Redwoods State Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains and its recovery from the disastrous 2020 CZU Lightning Complex fire.
Posted inLatest News
State Parks burning brush piles in mountain parks until April to reduce fire risk
About 400 piles are scheduled to be burned throughout Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Castle Rock State Park and Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, including the Fall Creek Unit, between now and April.
Posted inFood & Drink
From fire to fallout: CZU’s lasting impact on Santa Cruz County’s wine industry
When the CZU Lightning Complex fires tore through the Santa Cruz Mountains in 2020, vineyards survived the flames, but smoke taint ruined much of the harvest, forcing winemakers to dump spoiled wine and experiment with new styles like rosé and white pinot noir.
Posted inVisual Story
CZU then and now, in photos: From fire’s devastation, a picture of resilience in Santa Cruz Mountains
Lookout photojournalist Kevin Painchaud describes what he saw in the days and weeks after the CZU Lightning Complex fire ignited in 2020 and the resilience of Santa Cruz Mountains communities in the five years since.
Posted inLatest News
Big Basin’s second act will center on its defining characteristic — resiliency
Five years on from the CZU fires, efforts to rebuild Big Basin Redwoods State Park in a sustainable and resilient way will bring many of the same amenities back to the area, while honoring its past life before the fires and celebrating the park’s new incarnation.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Loving fire with fire: Humor, horniness and happiness inhabit post-CZU film
Well-known performance artists and filmmakers Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens interpret their close encounter with the 2020 CZU fire with a new taboo-busting film that puts the fires into the context of “ecosexuality.”
Posted inLatest News
A walk in new Big Basin, five years post-CZU: Signs of rebirth amid California lilac, huckleberries and ‘Dr. Seuss trees’
To a large degree, the redwood forests of the Santa Cruz Mountains have survived and are thriving in the wake of 2020’s CZU fire. We vulnerable humans often take comfort in the power of ecosystems to adapt and survive. But, scientists believe, we should probably stop short before declaring that all is fine in the world of California’s redwoods.
Posted inRecreation & Sports
At Big Basin, new campgrounds, trails and a visitors center rise from the ashes of the CZU fire
California’s oldest state park is unveiling new details about its post-fire revival plan, including Indigenous partnerships and eco-focused design. Public review begins with a webinar Thursday.
Posted inRecreation & Sports
Rancho del Oso walk-in campsites now open on North Coast
Rancho del Oso, the coastal unit of Big Basin Redwoods State Park on Santa Cruz County’s North Coast, is taking reservations for walk-in campsites in its rehabilitated horse camp.
Posted inSan Lorenzo Valley
Summer shuttle service at Big Basin returns this weekend, runs through Labor Day
A shuttle running on a loop from an overflow parking area to the heart of Big Basin Redwoods State Park is back this Memorial Day weekend and will run through Labor Day.