As we head into the first Fourth of July celebration since the traumatic CZU fires ravaged Santa Cruz County, resentment against illegal fireworks is at all-time high. Can we celebrate the nation’s birthday without “bombs bursting in air”?
Wildfires
Posted inEnvironment
No such thing as ‘safe and sane’ fireworks in a bone-dry California primed to burn
Officials across the state are pleading with the public to refrain from setting off fireworks this Fourth of July weekend after one of the hottest, driest Junes in recent memory. “All it takes is a single firework or a single spark,” one fire chief said.
Posted inEnvironment
Alarmingly low rain levels prime California for fire danger in summer, fall
A worsening drought is further drying out parched vegetation, which could be fuel for a disastrous fire season. “Once June gloom comes to an end, things are gonna dry out really quick,” one researcher warned. “Then it’s just a matter of an ignition. … Fingers crossed we don’t have another lightning outbreak, like what happened last year.”
Posted inLatest News
‘We can’t cut corners’: Biden pledges support for firefighters on front lines in West
In a meeting with Western governors, Biden signals that Washington will be more of a partner on wildfire fighting than the Trump administration was.
Posted inEnvironment
California wildfire insurance: Should homeowners pay for climate change?
Insurance companies want to factor climate change in calculating wildfire coverage, but consumer watchdogs worry California homeowners will end up with higher premiums. Lawmakers from fire-damaged districts say they are open to change because their constituents are already losing coverage.
Posted inEnvironment
California’s drought and wildfire dangers rising at stunning pace
State leaders in climate change and water resources warn that California’s drought is already causing dire conditions for people, plants, animals and land.
Posted inLatest News
Water shortages: Why some Californians are running out in 2021 and others aren’t
Drought resilience depends on location but also extraordinary engineering — determining which California places are running out of water this year and which remain in good shape.
Posted inLatest News
‘Way better than humans’: Santa Cruz Gardens neighborhood turns to goats for fire safety
Goats go anywhere, eat anything, make little noise and leave little trace — and make for a local attraction in the bargain. “(It) could not have made the neighborhood happier,” said a Santa Cruz Gardens resident whose environs are now better prepared for fire season.
Posted inEnvironment
As weather heats up, an unsettling revelation: Fuel moistures remain ‘at or near historic lows’ in Santa Cruz
Vegetation in the Santa Cruz Mountains remains extremely dry, a concerning sign for fire risk as a heat wave sweeps the state.
Posted inLatest News
Plan to fast-track fire prevention in Santa Cruz coastal forests moves forward — without Cal Fire on board
The California Coastal Commission will get the final say on the proposal from the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County, which aims to streamline the permitting process for local projects like prescribed burns and trimming undergrowth. Cal Fire leadership, meanwhile, favors a more uniform statewide approach.