California News

Huge California Fire Grows; Montana Blaze Threatens Towns

GREENVILLE, Calif. (AP)– California’s largest single wildfire in recorded history continued to grow after destroying nearly 550 homes while authorities in Montana ordered evacuations as a wind-driven blaze roared toward several remote communities. The dangerous fires are among some 100 …

Fire-Friendly Weather to Return to Northern California

Thick smoke that held down winds and temperatures began to clear Sunday from the scenic forestlands of Northern California as firefighters battling the largest single wildfire in state history braced for a return of fire-friendly weather. The winds weren’t expected …

Californians Endure Intense Weekend of Wildfire Fears

GREENVILLE, Calif. (AP) — After four years of homelessness, Kesia Studebaker thought she finally landed on her feet when she found a job cooking in a diner and moved into a house in the small community of Greenville. She had …

‘We Lost Greenville.’ Wildfire Decimates California Town

GREENVILLE, Calif. (AP) — A 3-week-old wildfire engulfed a Northern California mountain town, leaving much of the downtown in ashes, while a new wind-whipped blaze also destroyed homes as crews braced for another explosive run of flames Thursday in the …

Winds Feed California’s Largest Fire as Blazes Scorch West

INDIAN FALLS, Calif. (AP) — It could be days before officials will be able to assess the damage done to a small town by California’s largest wildfire, one of dozens of blazes scorching lands across the U.S. West. Over the …

California’s Largest Fire Torches Homes as Blazes Lash West

INDIAN FALLS, Calif. (AP) — Flames racing through rugged terrain in Northern California destroyed multiple homes Saturday as the state’s largest wildfire intensified and numerous other blazes battered the U.S. West. The Dixie fire, which started July 14, had already …

Court: California Can Expand Insurance for Wildfire Areas

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California’s insurance commissioner can order the “insurer of last resort” to offer more options for homeowners who can’t buy traditional coverage because they live in areas threatened by wildfires, a judge ruled. Massive wildfires in recent …

California Tests Off-the-Grid Solutions to Power Outages

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — When a wildfire tore through Briceburg nearly two years ago, the tiny community on the edge of Yosemite National Park lost the only power line connecting it to the electrical grid. Rather than rebuilding poles and …

Yabba Dabba Dispute Resolved. Fred Flintstone Can Stay

HILLSBOROUGH, Calif. (AP) — Fred Flintstone fought the law — and he won. Technically, the owner of the fanciful Flintstones house in a posh San Francisco suburb settled a lawsuit with the town of Hillsborough. But the agreement will allow …

Insurance at Peril For Many in California’s Risky Fire Areas

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — As California’s wildfire season looms, threatening once again to break records for destruction, tens of thousands of rural homeowners risk facing the flames without enough insurance to rebuild if their homes burn. Insurers have been taking …