California Wildfires: Latest Updates

Environment

Coalition of tribes, government agencies unite to restore California's giant sequoia population

December 16, 2022 | Manola Secaira

Nearly a fifth of the state’s giant sequoia population have been lost to wildfires in the last few years.

Environment

Northern California wildfires: Where to find updates on air quality, evacuations, and official information

October 22, 2022

Here’s a list of resources to track the latest information on the wildfires burning throughout Northern California.

Environment

In California, unhealthy pollution from wildfire smoke has become dangerously common

October 17, 2022

A decade ago, about 200,000 Californians lived in areas where they were exposed to extreme smoke. By 2020, 4.5 million did.

Health Care

Children in Northern California learn to cope with wildfire trauma

September 10, 2022

As California wildfires grow more intense, frequent, and widespread, many children who live through them are experiencing lasting psychological trauma such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Environment

Photos: Fast-growing Mosquito Fire threatens California Gold Rush towns

September 7, 2022 | Andrew Nixon

CapRadio Visual Journalist Andrew Nixon was at the Mosquito Fire in Placer County Wednesday and documented the impact of the fire and current efforts to contain it.

The window to protect Big Bear from wildfire is shrinking

August 25, 2022

The U.S. Forest Service knows it needs to set prescribed burns on thousands of acres in Big Bear every year. This year, it's only burned 20.

How we measured U.S. Forest Service wildfire prevention work

August 16, 2022

Years ago, the U.S. Forest Service identified Grizzly Flats, California as being at high risk of wildfire and devised a plan to protect it. Here's how we measured how much of that work was completed before the Caldor Fire burned through the town.

Stalled U.S. Forest Service project could have protected California town from Caldor Fire destruction

August 16, 2022 | Scott Rodd

Two decades ago, the U.S. Forest Service warned that a wildfire mirroring the Caldor Fire’s progression could easily wipe Grizzly Flats off the map. The Forest Service took steps to prevent such a catastrophe, but we found the plan fell short.

Environment

How massive wildfires create their own weather

August 5, 2022 | Manola Secaira

From pyrocumulous clouds to fire tornadoes, Californians have witnessed the intense impacts of massive blazes. Scientists hope understanding these phenomena will help prepare firefighters.

Environment

Two Yosemite area wildfires have residents on edge. Here’s what they went through this week.

July 29, 2022 | Manola Secaira

The Washburn and Oak fires forced thousands to evacuate and destroyed more than 100 homes. Both blazes sparked in a matter of weeks. It has residents and business owners concerned about the future of the Yosemite community.