Ricardo Lara’s successor will have a full plate. California insurance premiums are rising; fire survivors are struggling; the FAIR Plan is still growing.
Wildfires
Posted inEducation
What California’s planned power outages are costing schools: Darkness, disruption and debt
California schools faced repeated planned power outages in 2024-25 as Southern California Edison cut electricity to prevent wildfires, forcing closures and costly backup power solutions.
Posted inLatest News
California State Parks acquires 153-acre property for Big Basin expansion
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.
Posted inLatest News
California announces investigation into delayed evacuation orders during L.A.-area wildfire
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a civil rights investigation Thursday into how delayed evacuations affected a historically Black community ravaged by one of last year’s deadly wildfires in Altadena.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Fires burn swiftly, but insurance battles linger: New bills propose consumer-friendly regulations
As fire survivors continue to navigate life after disaster, California lawmakers roll out new bills attempting to further regulate insurance companies like State Farm.
Posted inLatest News
Prescribed burn scheduled into early February in Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
About 13 acres of forest along Santa Rosalia Ridge along Aptos Creek Fire Road will be the focus of a multi-day burn in The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Fighting L.A. wildfires broke my heart but prepared me for life outside prison
“When people think of incarcerated people, they often see us as a danger, with our past mistakes magnified,” writes Jose Angel Amezcua, a formerly incarcerated firefighter from Salinas who helped battle the disastrous January 2025 blazes in the Los Angeles area. “Amid the smoke, ash, and destruction of the L.A. fires, people saw us as heroes, recognizing the good we could achieve when given a second chance.”
Posted inLatest News
Cal Fire plans prescribed burn Friday at Locatelli Ranch in Santa Cruz Mountains
Cal Fire is planning to burn an estimated 40 acres of grass, bushes and dead trees on Friday at Locatelli Ranch in the Santa Cruz Mountains, if the weather conditions allow for it.
Posted inLatest News
Some county homeowners face proposed insurance rate hikes up to 50% as FAIR Plan struggles with fire risk
Nearly 11,000 Santa Cruz County residents insured through California’s FAIR Plan could face average fire insurance rate hikes of nearly 36% starting in 2026 as part of a statewide proposal submitted to the Department of Insurance.
Posted inLatest News
California State Parks plans prescribed burns at Wilder Ranch
California State Parks is planning to conduct prescribed burns at Wilder Ranch State Park over the next two weeks after the first significant rain event of the season.