Cal Fire News

Nothing Left in The Bucket’: Wildfire Resources Run Thin

Justin Silvera came off the fire lines in Northern California after a grueling 36 straight days battling wildfires and evacuating residents ahead of the flames. Before that, he and his crew had worked for 20 days, followed by a three-day …

California Prepares for More Wildfires as Coronavirus Challenges Budget

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California has had 60% more wildfires so far in 2020 than last year because of drier weather, Governor Gavin Newsom said on Wednesday, and he promised increased funding for firefighting even as the state’s budget faces a …

PG&E Disagrees With WSJ Story Over Power Line Upgrades

PG&E Corp. told a judge it “strongly disagrees” with a Wall Street Journal storysuggesting that the utility knew its equipment near the ignition point of California’s deadliest wildfire badly needed upgrades and nonetheless deferred maintenance. The company’s response, filed Wednesday, …

California May Boost Rules for Homes at High Wildfire Risk

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Years of increasingly deadly California wildfires spurred lawmakers to consider regulations Tuesday that would toughen local governments’ requirements for approving housing developments in high-risk areas. A state Senate committee voted 8-3 Monday to advance a measure requiring …

California Faces to Deter Disaster as Towns Face Fire Risk

SACRAMENTO, California — Impoverished towns in the shadow of Mount Shasta. Rustic Gold Rush cities in the Sierra Nevada foothills. High-dollar resort communities on the shores of Lake Tahoe. Ritzy Los Angeles County suburbs. They all could be the next …

Efforts to Clear Fire-prone California Forests Face Hurdles

About the photo: A firefighter works to battle the Carr Fire at a home in Redding, Calif., Thursday, July 26, 2018. (Daniel Kim/The Sacramento Bee via AP) CHICO, Calif. — With nearly 40 million people living in California and development …

Wildfire Investments, 911 Fee Proposed by California Governor

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday pledged fresh investments to prevent, fight and escape wildfires, including millions to help local governments improve their communication during emergencies and a fee to fund an update for the state’s 911 system. Newsom outlined …

California Enters Peak Fire Season With Delaware-Sized Burn Scar

California is poised to set an annual record it never wanted to break: the amount of earth scorched by wildfires. Blazes have already ripped through enough acres to blacken the entire state of Delaware, and what’s typically California’s worst month …