Santa Cruz County residents looking to rebuild after the CZU Complex fire last year are worried about how the rainy season will affect things. Making things more complicated, some are running up against insurance deadlines.
Wildfires
Posted inEnvironment
PG&E warns of another power shut-off affecting up to 29,000 customers; Santa Cruz County not on list
Twenty counties in Northern and Central California could be affected Thursday in order to reduce the risk of wildfire from energized power lines; as of Tuesday afternoon, Santa Cruz County was among those counties.
Posted inEnvironment
Alisal fire threatens homes, burning 8,000 acres and closing Highway 101, amid gusty winds
Fueled by bone-dry vegetation, flames from the Alisal fire in Santa Barbara County prompted officials to shut down the 101 between Pacific Coast Highway and Winchester Canyon/Cathedral Oaks Road. It remained closed in both directions on Tuesday morning after flames jumped the freeway in several spots.
Posted inEnvironment
How much do wildfires really cost California’s economy?
A preliminary estimate shows that the Caldor fire cost tens of millions in lost economic activity. Wildfires, and the economic disruption they cause, have a large economic impact. But right now, California has a mostly incomplete picture of how much fires cost the state each year.
Posted inLatest News
Newsom signs ‘monumental’ law paving way for more prescribed burns
The new law limits the liability of private landowners and public agencies that use prescribed fires under specified conditions.
Posted inHousing & Development
Q&A: Director of county office of response, recovery and resilience talks about the CZU rebuilding process
Dave Reid is in charge of making the process of rebuilding as easy as possible for those who lost their homes in the wake of the CZU fire. The director of the Santa Cruz County Office of Response, Recovery and Resilience said he understands families’ frustrations and is looking for ways to help.
Posted inLatest News
‘Your responsibility, your duty’: Board makes covenant tweaks; homeowners, realty experts still concerned
On Tuesday, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors evaluated the findings from the Atkins Debris Flow-Flood Hazard study, addressing how the findings could affect the CZU Rebuild Directive as presented on Sept. 14 and the options for CZU families in the rebuilding process.
Posted inLatest News
The ‘burn scars’ of wildfires threaten the West’s drinking water
Sediment from massive blazes chokes rivers and reservoirs, contaminating water supplies. The problem is only getting worse as climate change intensifies wildfires and lengthens the fire season.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Firefighters on front lines, no strangers to risk, push back against COVID vaccine mandates
Among the people still reluctant to get vaccinated — and pushing against mandates — are firefighters, many of whom also respond to medical calls as paramedics and EMTs and have witnessed the ravages of the pandemic firsthand.
Posted inLatest News
Lightning could spark more California fires as world warms
Fire officials are bracing for the worst as scientists predict that climate change could cause more lightning strikes, which often ignite deadly, unpredictable and remote wildfires in Northern California.
