Wildfires
Evacuation debrief: Does the lack of debris flow mean the threshold should change?
In the first of two town hall meetings, Santa Cruz county officials met with 70 community members who offered up questions, comment and criticism about the evacuation of 5,000 people during last week’s storm.
How the tragic CZU fire destruction inspired one firefighter to capture it in song
THE HERE & NOW: Firefighter and songwriter Wes Chiller turns his experiences in Santa Cruz last summer into songs; Tuck & Patti will not be denied; Felicia Rice, exiled by fire but committed to the arts life in Santa Cruz County
What did people think about last week’s storm evacuations? Local officials plan to find out
Debris flow town halls set up by county supervisors Bruce McPherson and Ryan Coonerty to get feedback from those who received evacuation orders during last week’s storm.
How wildfires became ripe areas for right-wing conspiracy theories
Experts are hopeful the CZU burn scar might be more resistant to debris flows than was previously believed. But…
‘So mean’: Camp for people with disabilities burglarized months after CZU fires destroyed facilities
The break-in is believed to have occurred around Jan. 19, though the exact date and time are unclear because the property has been vacant for months after the fires.
CZU burn scar is geologically different — and that might be reducing debris-flow risk
Experts are hopeful the CZU burn scar might be more resistant to debris flows than was previously believed. But officials are still being extremely cautious given Wednesday’s heavy rains.
‘A really scary day’: August wounds still raw, winter wildfires and winds spark new fears
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.
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.
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.”