Five months after the CZU Lightning Complex Fire torched the Santa Cruz Mountains, the smell of smoke once again permeated the county on Tuesday. For many, it brought back visceral fears that have yet to be fully processed.
Environment
Posted inLatest News
How much rain did your community see? And what’s ahead for the weekend?
The ‘atmospheric river’ has passed. Here’s how much rain the Santa Cruz area saw — and what to expect going forward.
Posted inLatest News
PHOTOS: Inmates help firefighting efforts at Boulder Creek’s Panther Ridge fire
Lookout photography contributor Kevin Painchaud followed five inmate crews from Ben Lomond Conservation Corp. No. 45 through the Panther Fire this week, producing these striking images.
Posted inLatest News
Burning question: Could wildfires have been avoided had PG&E done preemptive shutoff?
LOOKOUT SPECIAL REPORT: It hasn’t yet been determined if downed power lines sparked rare winter fires that displaced dozens — and still have nearly 10,000 customers in the dark. But it’s clear that downed lines were reported throughout Santa Cruz County, with one county leader calling PG&E’s decision-making process “opaque.”
Posted inEnvironment
Fires sweep through Santa Cruz in January. Is this our new normal?
Climate change will create conditions for winter fires more often, but don’t rule out tiptoeing around other disasters in Santa Cruz County and statewide.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Watsonville rejects propane storage facility, citing environmental, safety concerns
The Watsonville City Council rejected a proposed storage facility for propane tanks after more than a dozen residents spoke out against the project. The developer insists it would have been even safer than a typical gas station.
Posted inLatest News
‘We’ve been through a lot of trauma lately’: Fire evacuees experienced a sense of déjà vu on Tuesday
From the Aptos Hills to Boulder Creek, there was an uncomfortable sense of familiarity on Tuesday as blazes broke out due to gusty winds and dry conditions.
Posted inLatest News
LIVE UPDATES: All wildfires declared contained, controlled; 2,452 remain without power
High winds whipped through the Santa Cruz Mountains and the entire Bay Area this week, initiating a series of fires and sparking numerous power outages. Here’s the latest.
Posted inCOVID 2022
They’re testing your what? Wastewater plays growing role in search for COVID-19 countywide
Wastewater testing is providing an early indicator of whether COVID-19 cases are increasing or decreasing in Santa Cruz County and beyond. Now, the process might become even more important amid concerns about variants of the disease.
Posted inEnvironment
Many overheated forests may soon release more carbon than they absorb
New research suggests that, sooner than expected, trees may become carbon sources rather than carbon sinks, as a feedback loop of rising temperatures drives them to release more greenhouse gases.