Measure Q, the Santa Cruz County Water and Wildfire Protection Initiative, has passed, with 60% of the vote.
Wildfires
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Californians pay billions for power companies’ wildfire prevention efforts. Are they cost-effective?
After utility equipment sparked tragic wildfires, Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric received state approval to collect $27 billion from ratepayers. As California electric bills soar, questions have emerged about oversight and costs.
Posted inEducation
FEMA gives $3.6 million to clear CZU fire debris from Swanton Pacific Ranch
A $3.6 million FEMA grant will allow Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to begin clearing an estimated 2,688 dead or dying trees from the 3,200-acre sit enear Davenport.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Fire districts weigh options after $243 million in bond measures fail
Fire chiefs for Scotts Valley and Central Fire say bond measures to pay for new stations and equipment struggled to garner enough support on crowded Santa Cruz County ballots. While Measure Q could open up millions in grants for fire districts for wildfire prevention projects, chiefs say that process is complex and uncertain.
Posted inLatest News
Prescribed burn will affect 400 acres at Wilder Ranch State Park
California State Parks will conduct prescribed burns on 400 acres at Wilder Ranch State Park in Santa Cruz over the next two weeks and expects to temporarily close portions of Chinquapin Trail, Long Meadow Trail and Englesman Loop Trail.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Santa Cruz County needs to rethink rural wildland fire protection – county fire needs to become an independent fire district
For years, Santa Cruz County has not paid enough attention to community fire protection and safe movement, particularly in the rural wildland districts that ring the county, writes Sanjay Khandelwal. Now, he writes, it’s time. Lessons from the 2020 CZU fire mean we need an urgent rethink of how we handle fire protection. For Khandelwal, a Summit resident who served as the last chair of the county’s fire department advisory commission, an important step is converting county fire, which has a $10.8 million budget, into an independent fire district. The board of supervisors is considering this, and Khandelwal hopes the new board will push forward with this needed change.
Posted inLatest News
325 homes face power shutoff amid red flag warning for Santa Cruz County
With high winds and low humidity in the forecast, the National Weather Service has issued a flag warning indicating critical fire weather conditions from Tuesday morning to Thursday morning for an area including Santa Cruz County.
Posted inLatest News
Hindered wildfire response, costlier agriculture likely if Trump dismantles NOAA, experts warn
Many industries rely on the agency’s weather and climate data. Even a small gap in its operations could raise food prices and drastically disrupt how people navigate the West’s changing climate.
Posted inWatsonville / Pajaro
Fire off Highway 1 near Buena Vista Drive closes northbound lanes
At around 1 p.m. Monday, Cal Fire and several other agencies responded to “several small fires” north of Buena Vista Drive and closed all northbound lanes on Highway 1 – just north of Watsonville.
Posted inLatest News
Santa Cruz County under red flag warning Thursday night into Saturday; power shutoffs possible
The National Weather Service has expanded a red flag warning indicating critical fire weather conditions to include all of Santa Cruz County, beginning Thursday night and lasting through Saturday afternoon. With windy conditions forecast throughout Central and Northern California, Pacific Gas & Electric listed Santa Cruz County among areas for precautionary power shutoffs Friday and Saturday, with 132 customers possibly affected.