Tag: california wildfires

State Farm won’t renew homeowners coverage for 72,000 California homes and apartments

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Sacramento, Calif. — State Farm will discontinue coverage for 72,000 houses and apartments in California starting this summer, the insurance giant said this week, nine months after announcing it wouldn’t issue new home policies in the state.

The Illinois-based company, California’s largest insurer, cited soaring costs, the increasing risk of catastrophes like wildfires and outdated regulations as reasons it won’t renew the policies on 30,000 houses and 42,000 apartments, the Bay Area News Group reported Thursday.

“This decision was not made lightly and only after careful analysis of State Farm General’s financial health, which continues to be impacted by inflation, catastrophe exposure, reinsurance costs, and the limitations of working within decades-old insurance regulations,” the company said in a statement Wednesday.

“State Farm General takes seriously our responsibility to maintain adequate claims-paying capacity for our customers and to comply with applicable financial solvency laws,” it continued. “It is necessary to take these actions now.”

The move comes as California’s elected insurance commissioner undertakes a yearlong overhaul of home insurance regulations aimed at calming the state’s imploding market by giving insurers more latitude to raise premiums while extracting commitments from them to extend coverage in fire-risk areas, the news group said.

The California Department of Insurance said State Farm will have to answer question from regulators about its decision to discontinue coverage.

“One of our roles as the insurance regulator is to hold insurance companies accountable for their words and deeds,” Deputy Insurance Commissioner Michael Soller said. “We need to be confident in State Farm’s strategy moving forward to live up to its obligations to its California customers.”

It was unclear whether the department would launch an investigation.

Last June, State Farm said it would stop accepting applications for all business and personal lines of property and casualty insurance, citing inflation, a challenging reinsurance market and “rapidly growing catastrophe exposure.”

The company said the newly announced cancellations account for just over 2% of its California policies. It did not say where they’re located or what criteria it used to determine that they wouldn’t be renewed.

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March 22, 2024
1 in 4 Americans today breathes unhealthy air because of climate change. And it’s getting worse.

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Expert discusses EPA crackdown on air quality rules

Expert discusses EPA crackdown on air quality rules

03:16

Much of the U.S. Northeast was smothered last summer by dense smoke from Canadian wildfires, leading to New York City’s worst air quality since the 1960s. Such episodes, once mostly isolated incidents, are increasingly common due to the impact of climate change, new research shows.

About 83 million Americans, or 1 in 4, are already exposed each year to air quality that is categorized as “unhealthy” by the Air Quality Index (AQI), a number that could grow to 125 million people within decades, according to First Street Foundation, which analyzes climate risks. The unhealthy AQI level, color-coded red, means that outdoor activities can result in lung impairment for some people, including respiratory ailments like chest pain and coughs.

The nation’s worsening air quality comes after decades of improvements thanks to regulations such as the 1970 Clean Air Act, which tightened federal rules on pollutants emitted by factories and automobiles. But the recent rise in poor air quality could be harder to battle because it’s linked to global warming, with higher temperatures and drought causing more smoke-spewing wildfires, First Street said.

“Additional heart attacks”

At the same time, the rise in poor air quality threatens to reverse the health benefits that followed stricter pollution regulations starting in the 1960s and to hurt the U.S. economy, said Jeremy Porter, head of climate implications research at First Street.

“We’re essentially adding back additional premature deaths, adding back additional heart attacks,” Porter told CBS MoneyWatch. “We’re losing productivity in the economic markets by additionally losing outdoor job work days.”

Already, there’s some evidence that people are leaving parts of the country with lower air quality, contributing to what is effectively a redrawing of the nation’s map by wildfire, flood and other effects of climate change.

“We’ve seen very early statistical signals in our own analysis that people are moving away from the smoke that comes from wildfire,” Porter said. “The downstream effect of people moving away is that property values start to suffer because the area becomes less desirable. And then as the area becomes less desirable, tax revenues are directly impacted because the property values are decreasing.”

Residents of California, Oregon and Washington state are seeing the greatest decline in air quality, partially due to wildfires in those regions. In California, air quality today is often in the “purple” and “maroon” levels — considered very healthy to hazardous — something that was unheard of about 15 years ago, First Street’s analysis found. At the same time, the number of “green” days, considered healthy, have decreased by a third since 2010.

Yet the impact isn’t only being felt on the West Coast, First Street found.

“It’s become something that is impacting people’s daily lives east of the Mississippi River,” Porter noted. In 2022, fires in the Florida panhandle were “so bad that people were asked to evacuate from their neighborhoods, which is kind of unheard of.”

The number of unhealthy AQI days is likely to grow in the coming decades due to climate change, First Street projected. Worst hit could be the Western states, but Eastern states aren’t immune. Pockets of the Southwest, especially on the Florida-Georgia border, are already seeing an increase in the number of days with unhealthy AQI numbers.

Particulate matter and ozone

Poor air quality is linked to increases in particulate matter and ozone, which are rising due to changes in the environment including extreme heat, drought and wildfires. Particulate matter that’s less than 2.5 microns in diameter, also called PM2.5, is particularly concerning because these tiny flecks of pollution can get deep into your lungs, causing a range of health problems.

PM2.5 particulates are increasing because of wildfires, while 2022 research found that ground-level ozone is also being exacerbated by the increasingly devastating blazes. Ozone levels can inflame your airways and raise the risks of an asthma attack, among other health problems, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Stockton, Sacramento rank as nationwide “asthma capitals” thanks to bad air quality

02:42

Although reversing the amount air pollution linked to climate change is difficult, at least knowing the risks and how to mitigate them can help, Porter said. First Street has a site called RiskFactor.com where you can enter your address and see your risks for flooding, fire, wind and heat.

Individuals may also need to take steps to protect their health in the face of more poor air quality days, he added.

“Being able to keep smoke out of your house is really important,” Porter said. “Things like making sure your windows are sealed, and something as simple as changing the filter on your HVAC can make a big, big impact on how clean the air is inside your house.”

Protecting the Planet: Climate Change News & Features

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Aimee Picchi

Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports.

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February 11, 2024
Wildfire fanned by Santa Ana winds forces thousands from their homes outside L.A.

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Aguanga, Calif. — A wildfire fueled by gusty Santa Ana winds ripped through rural land southeast of Los Angeles on Monday, prompting almost 4,000 people to evacuate their homes, fire authorities said. The so-called Highland Fire erupted at about 12:45 p.m. in dry, brushy hills near the unincorporated Riverside County hamlet of Aguanga.

As of late Monday night, it had spread over about 2 square miles of land and wasn’t contained at all, fire spokesman Jeff LaRusso said.

About 1,300 homes and 4,000 residents were under evacuation orders, he said.

A view from afar of the Highland Fire burning in Aguanga, Calif. on Oct. 30, 2023.

CBS News Los Angeles

The fire had destroyed three buildings and damaged six others but it wasn’t clear whether any were homes. The region is sparsely populated but has horse ranches and a large mobile home site, LaRusso said.

No injuries were reported.

Winds of 20 to 25 miles per hour with higher gusts drove the flames and embers through grass and brush that were dried out by recent winds and low humidity so it was “almost like kindling” for the blaze, LaRusso said.

The winds were expected to ease somewhat overnight and fire crews would attempt to box in the blaze, LaRusso said.

But he added: “Wind trumps everything. Hopefully, the forecast holds.”

A large air tanker, bulldozers and other resources were called in to fight the fire, one of the few large and active blazes to have erupted so far in California’s year-round fire season, LaRusso said.

At least four local fire departments and the U.S. Forest Service were assisting in the battle, CBS News Los Angeles reports, adding that the air tanker was among more than two dozen aircraft involved.

Southern California was seeing its first significant Santa Ana wind condition. The strong, hot, dry, dust-bearing winds typically descend to the Pacific Coast from inland desert regions during the fall. They have fueled some of the largest and most damaging fires in recent California history.

The National Weather Service said Riverside County could see winds of 15 to 25 mph through Tuesday with gusts as high as 40 miles per hour (64 kph) . The weather service issued a red flag warning of extreme fire danger through Tuesday afternoon for parts of Los Angeles and Riverside counties.

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October 31, 2023
Hilary moves through Southwest with historic amount of rainfall | CNN

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CNN
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Hilary has triggered deadly flooding, heavy rains and powerful gusts across parts of the southwest and Mexico, transforming streets into raging rivers and forcing some residents to flee, and leaving others in need of rescue, even after the storm weakened to a post-tropical cyclone.

More rain is expected to fall throughout Monday and Tuesday as officials clean up the aftermath. After hitting Southern California on Sunday as a tropical storm – the state’s first since 1997 – Hilary headed into Nevada as its first-ever recorded tropical storm. As Hilary moves across the southwest, the storm has brought power outages, life-threatening flooding and calls for residents to evacuate or shelter in place.

Live updates: Hilary brings major flood risk to California

The storm broke rainfall records across Southern California: Palm Springs got nearly a year’s worth of rain with 4.3 inches in 24 hours, one of its rainiest days ever. Death Valley nearly set a record with 1.68 inches, and the Furnace Creek area, which usually gets about two-tenths of an inch in August, got 0.63 inches.

And the storm is the rainiest tropical storm system in Nevada’s history, nearly doubling the state’s 116-year-old all-time record, according to preliminary data from NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center. Hilary has released 8.7 inches of rain on Lee Canyon, Nevada, smashing the previous record of 4.36 inches in 1906.

Watch: Massive mudslide sends firefighters scrambling to safety

More rain is expected to cause dangerous flash, urban and arroyo flooding in some places, including landslides, mudslides and debris flows. Localized flooding is expected into Tuesday morning across northern portions of the Intermountain West.

In Palm Springs, a section of Interstate 10 is shut down while road crews clear away mud left behind by floodwaters from Tropical Storm Hilary, but other routes in and out of the desert oasis near Joshua Tree National Park are open.

In addition, many freeway off-ramps are limited because of mud, and CalTrans crews are working to clear those in an effort to ease accessibility.

Emergency telephone service, which had been down since midmorning, has been restored, the police department said, but an outage continues to affect other areas of the Coachella Valley.

“We are not used to this level of precipitation, generally – certainly not in the middle of summer,” San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria told CNN on Sunday.

“With what we’re expecting, it may overwhelm us.”

Here’s the latest:

• Heavy rains and some flooding may continue Tuesday morning in parts of the Intermountain West, according to the National Hurricane Center. The rain will cause “mostly localized areas of flash flooding,” the National Weather Service Prediction Center said. Flood watches remain in place across eight Western states.

• Strong and gusty winds will blow in Nevada, western Utah, southern Idaho and southwest Montana, the hurricane center said. Coastal tropical storm warnings have been discontinued.

• Some portions of Southern California lost power during the storm but electricity was mostly restored by Monday evening. A total of about 41,000 customers in Los Angeles were without power at one point, Marty Adams, general manager and chief engineer at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, said Monday.

• People in parts of Southern California should not travel unless they are fleeing an area under flooding or under an evacuation order, the National Weather Service has warned.

• Flooding, mudslides and downed trees and wires were widely reported across Southern California on Sunday and Monday. At least nine people were rescued Sunday in a San Diego riverbed, San Diego Fire-Rescue said, with water rescues also reported in Ventura County and Palm Springs.

• In Mexico, where the storm first landed, power has been restored to 80% of customers in the three states affected by Hilary, according to the national power company. “379,850 users have been affected, and electricity supply has been restored to 302,134, equivalent to 80%,” said the Federal Electricity Commission in a statement Monday.

To the west, Los Angeles and Ventura counties saw “considerable damage” Sunday night amid reports of dangerous flash flooding, and rock and mudslides, the National Weather Service said, adding up to half an inch of rain could fall per hour.

Cars were stuck in floodwaters in the Spanish Hills area, the National Weather Service reported.

Crowley urged residents to take precautions on the roads.

“A relatively small amount of water can sweep a vehicle away,” she said.

In Los Angeles, the worst of the storm was over as of Monday morning, according to officials. All weather warnings in the city were canceled. “We are past the brunt of the impact,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Ariel Cohen.

Schools in San Diego and Los Angeles are set to reopen Tuesday after closing Monday in anticipation of the storm. Officials canceled classes for the more than 121,000 students in the San Diego Unified School District.

The Los Angeles Unified School District, the second-largest in the nation, also shut down Monday. The district spans about 700 square miles, meaning the impact of the storm varied for its students.

Schools in the Los Angeles district will reopen on Tuesday, according to superintendent Alberto Carvalho.

“Our teams have been scouring our schools, and so far, conditions are pretty good,” Carvalho said. A couple dozen schools have lost phone and internet service, and one school has been impacted by a minor mudslide.

“It would have been reckless for us to make a different decision,” Carvalho said of the decision to close schools Monday.

“Los Angeles was tested but we came through it and we came through it with minimal impacts, considering what we endured,” said Los Angeles City Council President Paul Krekorian.

The Nye County School District in Nevada also canceled classes Monday, with plans to reopen Tuesday.

Cars stranded in roads deluged with mud and water

Once a hurricane, Hilary weakened as it made landfall Sunday in Mexico – where at least one person died – then crossed into the Golden State. The storm’s center was roughly 10 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles around 8 p.m. local time Sunday, moving north with weakened 45-mph winds, according to the hurricane center.

The Los Angeles Fire Department fielded more than 4,000 emergency calls on Sunday and responded to about 1,800 incidents, Chief Kristin Crowley said in a news conference on Monday. The calls included a request for help for five cars stranded in a flooded intersection of Sun Valley. One person was safely rescued and no one was injured in the Sun Valley incident, Crowley said.

Flood water affected an underground power vault, leading to an outage for about 6,000 customers in the Beverly Grove area, with other outages reported in Hollywood, Hyde Park and Brentwood. The vast majority of city power customers remain unaffected by the storm, according to Los Angeles officials.

As the storm barreled through, covering roadways with debris and water, roads were blocked across Southern California by Sunday night. A section of Interstate 8 in Imperial County, east of San Diego, was closed Sunday after boulders came loose from an adjoining slope and fell into the road.

In San Bernardino County, a stretch of State Route 127 covered in floodwaters was closed, while a section of Interstate 15 was shuttered in Barstow because of downed power lines after a lightning strike, authorities said.

Crews across the region Sunday evening rescued people caught in the storm, including at least nine in a riverbed area in San Diego. “Crews are still looking for more people who may need help. #riverrescue,” San Diego Fire-Rescue said.

And Ventura County firefighters searched the Santa Clara River for people trapped in the waters on Sunday night, videos show.

The storm led to other disruptions across Southern California, with many parks, beaches and other locations closed as officials called on residents to stay indoors.

And Hilary continued to cause damage as it moved into Nevada. In Mt. Charleston, Nevada, the storm brought significant flooding on Monday morning, washing out the roadways. Residents are sheltering in place, the power is shut off, and the Nevada National Guard is on its way to assist, according to a Facebook post from Clark County.

West of Las Vegas, rushing water is flowing like a river down Echo Road, leaving vehicles stranded from Mary Jane Trailheads and Trail Canyon, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Emergency crews are evaluating and ask for people to stay out of the area, the service said.

California had been preparing for difficult conditions, positioning first responders across Southern California to brace for water rescues in flood-prone areas like wildfire burn scars and deserts amid fears areas unaccustomed to rain could suddenly receive a year’s worth or more, triggering flash floods and landslides.

Rainfall totals have been significant:

Daily and monthly rainfall records were broken Sunday, with 1.53 inches falling in downtown Los Angeles, 1.56 inches in Long Beach and 2.95 inches in Palmdale, according to the weather service.

At least three swift water rescues were conducted in Palm Springs, police department Lt. Gustavo Araiza told CNN.

In Cathedral City, a desert community roughly a 110-mile drive east of Los Angeles, at least 14 people were rescued from a senior boarding care facility Monday afternoon after “a blockade” of mud trapped them inside, city spokesperson Ryan Hunt said.

All of the people rescued are doing well, Hunt said.

The fire department had to borrow a dozer truck from a recycling center so they could carry out the rescue, Hunt said. The department had firefighters sit in the dozer and then had those being rescued sit on top to be brought out of the structure, he added.

Despite the “unorthodox method,” everyone stayed calm, he said.

Santa Clarita, about 30 miles north of Los Angeles, experienced steady rain for about 10 hours, with the storm dropping well over four inches of rain on the valley. Parts of Sand Canyon Road could be seen falling into rushing water.

ATTN DRIVERS: State Route 127 is now closed between Baker Blvd. in Baker (San Bernardino County) and Tecopa Hot Springs Road (Inyo County) due to flooding. @Caltrans9 maintenance crews are on scene. pic.twitter.com/fvcI9Vhss3

— Caltrans District 9 (@Caltrans9) August 21, 2023

As the storm continues to affect the West, officials with Oregon’s emergency management are bracing for possible flooding across portions of the state.

“At this point, we’re concerned about the substantial rainfall and the potential for fast-moving water and flooding. Flood watches have been issued for areas of Central and Eastern Oregon,” Oregon Department of Emergency Management spokesperson Chris Crabb told CNN Monday afternoon.

“We have reports of minor flooding currently and communities using sandbags to mitigate the impacts, but there have been no requests for state support at this point,” Crabb went on.

According to Crabb, the office is working with county and tribal partners.

Portions of Oregon are under a flood watch through Tuesday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.

“The remnants of Hurricane Hilary will bring periods of moderate to heavy rain to portions of northeastern Oregon through Tuesday,” the weather service said in a forecast message.

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August 21, 2023
How Californians are facing the onslaught of flooding, downpours and rough winds as the season’s 12th atmospheric river takes aim | CNN

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CNN
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Brightly colored toys buried in mud. Brown murky water where cars once parked. Family photos floating through a neighborhood.

This is what one Southern California community looked like last week, lifelong Ventura resident Angie Thompson said, after the state’s 11th atmospheric river this winter wrought hurricane-like winds and catastrophic flooding.

“We’re tired,” Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto said of a similar mess and clean-up effort hundreds of miles to the north as she joined Gov. Gavin Newsom and other local leaders to tour damage, including the breached Pajaro River levee.

“Everyone is tired.”

Yet again, though, the vast state is bracing for the wet blast of another atmospheric river – a long, narrow moisture band that carries saturated air thousands of miles, then discharges it like a fire hose. It’s due to impact the US West from Monday to Wednesday, with widespread rain across central and Southern California and more snow in the Sierra Nevada.

While the series of storm systems – a regular part of California weather that may be supercharged this year by key climate patterns – is putting a dent in the state’s historic drought, it’s also lashed many of its residents to a carousel of misery with at least one more ride in store.

“We have neighbors that have lost their entire home,” Thompson said. “One person in particular lost everything, and every time they’d get it under control, something else would happen, and the water would reroute and come back right through the family’s home.”

The fatigue reaches far beyond those forced to muck out their living rooms. Evacuees fret over when they might be able to return. First responders ponder more triple-shift days – sometimes with their own relatives in need of rescue. And for some who’ve survived California’s other recent woes – from wildfires to mudslides to the Covid-19 pandemic – it’s another battle in the war with worry.

“Anxiety wants something that no one can have, which is 100% certainty about things,” said Andrea Kulberg, a licensed clinical psychologist who works with Southern California clients highly anxious about disaster.

People, she said, “want answers that no one can give them.”

Thompson’s driveway has been a lake since an atmospheric river in January pushed a creek into the Camp Chaffee neighborhood where she’s lived for four years, she told CNN. Flooding swept away a whole box of wedding albums, baby photos, clothing, appliances and tools likely passed down through generations.

Compared to some neighbors, Thompson’s damage was minimal, she said. But no one remains untouched.

“Cars, yards … It’s affected every single person over here,” she said. “It’s just really horrible to watch people’s lives just wash down the river.”

A four-hours’ drive north, more than 2,000 people were evacuated – and more then 200 rescued – this month in Pajaro. Ruth Ruiz left in hurry before dawn March 11 and couldn’t immediately return, she told CNN affiliate KPIX. She worried about her property – and how long it might take to get back to normal life.

“We don’t really have a plan. We’re just taking it day by day,” Ruiz said. “But we have a feeling it’s going to be months before even insurance can cover any damages.”

Von Berlanga, meanwhile, stayed in Pajaro and watched last week as water started seeping into his garage, he told CNN. His mom’s home had flooded back in January 1995, when an intense winter storm slammed Monterey County with 6 inches of rain, damaging over 100 homes. Three months later, a second winter storm hit already-saturated areas, causing much more damage.

As the latest of this year’s atmospheric rivers pushed toward shore, Berlanga stayed put with supplies, even as the furnace still showed markings from the 1995 flood, he told CNN.

“I was prepared,” he said. “I had 30 gallons of water, food for me, food for my dogs.”

Then as floodwater started seeping into his garage, Berlanga raised his vintage cars out of harm’s way.

“I jacked up my cars real quick. … They’re OK,” he said as he used a wide hoe to push muddy water around the driveway. “I woke up about 4 o’clock this morning and started cleaning.”

During January’s storms, Ventura County Fire Department Capt. Brian McGrath and his team also rushed into action – completing about 80 rescues in one day, he told CNN. Such calls weren’t nearly as frequent last week, he said, crediting residents with being more prepared.

As another atmospheric river revs up, McGrath and his team are, as always, on call, ready to go within 45 seconds – in some cases for 48 hours or more straight – he said.

But being a firefighter in one’s own community can be draining.

“We try to treat everyone around the community as members of our families or friends because a lot of times they are,” McGrath said. “We will make a rescue or end up finding out that it was one of our coworkers friends or family members.”

“That also runs a toll on us because we’re missing so much of our own family.”

McGrath is grateful for support from his colleagues and relatives, he told CNN. Without it, going from a long fire season straight into a long winter storm season would be completely draining.

The state’s varied existential risks – on top of the waning pandemic – also weighs on ordinary Californians.

As clinical director of Anxiety Experts in Southern California, Kulberg treats clients with anxiety stemming from the state’s deadly wildfires, mudslides and now its devastating floods, she told CNN. Some lost their homes or were rescued from their roofs.

People “want to know: How long am I going to be distressed for? When’s it going to end? How bad is it gonna get?” she said. “No human can have that.”

Through a treatment known as exposure therapy, Kulberg works with clients to confront their own stories repeatedly “to habituate to their fear thoughts and memories and visualizations surrounding the story.”

“Then, they no longer are fearful of having their thoughts and memories and body sensations of anxiety surrounding those events,” she said.

For those dealing with higher levels of anxiety during these times, Kulberg offers these recommendations:

• Remember anxiety cannot harm you; it comes in spikes and it will eventually subside.

• Remember thoughts are not threats; thoughts that something terrible might happen as a result of extreme weather don’t mean it is more likely to happen, and most of what we think never comes true.

• Regardless of what body sensations or thoughts of anxiety might be present, try to continue to do things that bring meaning and purpose to life.

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March 19, 2023
90% of Californians are under flood watches as another storm threatens mudslides, power outages and deadly inundation | CNN

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CNN
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Much of California can’t soak up another drop of rain. Yet the state is getting pummeled again with torrential downpours and ferocious winds, causing power outages and treacherous travel conditions.

More than 34 million Californians were under a flood watch Monday – about 90% of the state’s population and 10% of the US population.

Parts of the central California coast got walloped with 1 to 1.25 inches of rainfall per hour, the Weather Prediction Center said. Extensive rainfall there Monday triggered significant flooding, mudslides, debris flows and closed roadways.

Widespread rainfall totals of 3 to 6 inches have been observed from just south of San Francisco to just north of Los Angeles. Isolated amounts of 6 to more than 10 inches have been observed in the higher terrain near the coast.

As the rain shifted slowly to the south Monday toward Los Angeles, the National Weather Service there warned of the risk of flooding, debris flow in land scarred by recent wildfires and an increased risk of rock and mudslides in mountains and on canyon roads.

And hurricane-force wind gusts topping 74 mph thrashed states across the western US. More than 37 million people were under wind alerts Monday in California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Arizona and Wyoming.

A 132-mph wind gust lashed Oroville, California. Residents in Washoe City, Nevada, were hit with a 98-mph gust, the Weather Prediction Center said.

TRACK THE STORMS

“Expect widespread power outages, downed trees and difficult driving conditions,” the National Weather Service in Sacramento tweeted. “Now is the time to prepare if you have not already!”

Almost 92,000 homes, businesses and other power customers had no electricity Monday evening, according to PowerOutage.us.

And the central California coast could be at risk of a tornado, CNN Meteorologist Dave Hennen said.

The severe weather is part of a relentless parade of atmospheric rivers slamming the West Coast.

California is now extremely vulnerable to flooding because much of the state has been scarred by historic drought or devastating wildfires – meaning the land can’t soak up much rainfall.

And after an onslaught of storms since late December led to deadly flooding, Gov. Gavin Newsom warned Sunday: “We expect to see the worst of it still in front of us.”

Two bouts of major rainfall are expected to hammer the West Coast over the next few days – without much of a break between events for the water to recede.

The system is part of an atmospheric river – a long, narrow region in the atmosphere that can transport moisture thousands of miles, like a fire hose in the sky.

The atmospheric river slamming California on Monday could result in a 1-in-50 year or 1-in-100 year rainfall event near Fresno, the Weather Prediction Center said.

A moderate risk – level 3 of 4 – of excessive rainfall covers over 26 million people in California, including in San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles and Fresno, where rain could fall at 1 inch per hour.

The San Lorenzo River in Santa Cruz County has risen 14 feet in just over four hours and is in major flood stage. Parts of the county will experience “widespread flooding at shallow depths,” and the city of Santa Cruz will have serious flooding, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and US Geological Survey.

The threat will shift further south Tuesday, with a level 3 of 4 risk centered over Los Angeles.

“While some of the forecast rain totals are impressive alone, it is important to note that what really sets this event apart are the antecedent conditions,” the National Weather Service office in San Francisco said.

“Multiple systems over the past week have saturated soil, increased flow in rivers and streams, and truly set the stage for this to become a high impact event.”

In Sacramento County, officials warned “flooding is imminent” and issued evacuation orders for the Wilton community near the Cosumnes River before roads become impassable.

Wilton residents also had to evacuate during last week’s storm, when exit routes flooded quickly, officials said.

El Dorado, Monterey, Santa Cruz and Santa Clara and Alameda counties have issued evacuation warnings or recommendations for some areas due to possible flooding and other safety risks as forecasters warned of swelling rivers.

Residents in all all areas of Montecito, parts of Santa Barbara and Summerland are being ordered to evacuate immediately due to the threat of the ongoing storm, the local fire department announced Tuesday.

Montecito is a haven for the rich and famous, including Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex; Oprah Winfrey and Ellen Degeneres. Monday marks exactly five years since heavy rains in the area caused deadly mud- and landslides.

Santa Barbara County authorities are advising residents to “be prepared to sustain yourself and your household for multiple days if you choose not to evacuate, as you may not be able to leave the area and emergency responders may not be able to access your property in the event of road damage, flooding, or a debris flow.”

Newsom on Sunday asked the White House for an emergency declaration to support response and recovery efforts.

“We are in the middle of a deadly barrage of winter storms – and California is using every resource at its disposal to protect lives and limit damage,” Newsom said in a statement. “We are taking the threat from these storms seriously, and want to make sure that Californians stay vigilant as more storms head our way.”

San Francisco Mayor London Breed on Monday issued a Local Proclamation of Emergency due to the ongoing series of winter storms that began New Year’s Eve, according to a news release from his office.

This storm system arrives on the heels of a powerful cyclone that flooded roads, toppled trees and knocked out power last week to much of California. Earlier, a New Year’s weekend storm system produced deadly flooding.

At least 12 Californians have died from “storm-related impacts” such as flooding since late December, the governor’s office said.

In San Luis Obispo County, dive teams from the sheriff’s office and Cal Fire rescuers were searching Monday for a 5-year-old child reported to have been swept away in flood waters near the Salinas River in San Miguel.

“Floods kill more individuals than any other natural disaster,” California Emergency Services Director Nancy Ward said Sunday. “We’ve already had more deaths in this flood storm since December 31 than we had in the last two fire seasons of the highest fire acreage burned in California.”

Flood-related deaths can happen when drivers attempt to cross standing water.

“Just a foot of water and your car’s floating. Half a foot of water, you’re off your feet. Half foot of water, you’re losing control of your vehicle,” Newsom said.

“We’re seeing people go around these detours because they don’t see any obstacles – they think everything is fine, and putting their lives at risk or putting first responders lives at risk.”

For anyone who doesn’t need to travel during the peak of this storm, “please don’t,” California Secretary of Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot said. “Be prepared for power outages and other interruptions. Have those flashlights, the candles, batteries, charge cell phones at the ready.”

Already, flooded roads, toppled trees and downed power lines are making travel difficult, California Highway Patrol said. Some fallen trees crushed cars and homes over the weekend. On Monday, portions of the Pacific Coast Highway – US 101, a major north-south highway, were closed.

The Santa Barbara Airport, a tri-county regional airport, is closed because of flooding airport officials said Monday.

California is experiencing “weather whiplash,” going from intense drought conditions to now contending with its fifth atmospheric river, Newsom said.

Much of the state has already seen 5 to 8 inches of rain over the last week. Two to 4 more inches of rain are expected across the coasts and valleys – and even more in mountains and foothills through Tuesday.

Rising from swelling rivers could spill over and inundate communities.

The rainfall over the weekend brought renewed flood concerns for streams, creeks and rivers. The Colgan Creek, Berryessa Creek, Mark West Creek, Green Valley Creek and the Cosumnes River all have gauges that are either above flood stage or expected to be in the next few days.

“The cumulative effect of successive heavy rainfall events will lead to additional instances of flooding. This includes rapid water rises, mudslides, and the potential for major river flooding,” the National Weather Service said Monday.

The moisture is expected to sink southward Monday night, making flooding “increasing likely” over the Southern California coastal ranges Tuesday, the weather service said. Fierce winds are expected to accompany the storm as it pushes inland.

“Valley areas will likely see gusts as high as 45-50 mph, with gusts greater than 60 mph possible in wind prone areas,” the National Weather Service in Reno said. The Sierra Ridge could receive peak gusts between 130 to 150 mph Monday.

For those at higher elevations, intense snow and ferocious winds will be the biggest concerns.

Parts of the higher elevations in the Sierra Nevada have gotten more than 100” – or 8.3 feet – of snow in just the past few weeks, the Weather Prediction Center said.

Now, another 6 feet of snow is expected in some parts of the Sierra.

As the storm pushes inland, more than 5 feet of snow could fall along the Sierra Crest west of Lake Tahoe, the weather service said.

The heavy snow and strong winds could lead to near whiteout conditions on roads.

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January 9, 2023
85% of rural land in California is now in ‘high’ or ‘very high’ risk for wildfires, new analysis shows | CNN

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CNN
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The climate crisis is among the key factors in a new assessment that shows more than 85% of California’s rural and unincorporated land is now in “high” or “very high” severity zones for wildfire danger, the state’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) recently announced.

California’s new proposed Fire Hazard Severity Zone map, which analyzes only the land that Cal Fire is responsible for and is mainly used for insurance purposes, is based on long-term data and created to last a decade or more. The previous version, which was done in 2007, was considered out of date.

The amount of land in “very high” severity zones saw a significant jump, increasing by 14.6% in the fresh analysis. If the proposed map is approved, nearly 17 million acres – an area larger than the state of West Virginia – will be in Cal Fire’s worst designation.

“A lot has happened since 2007,” Cal Fire said in a release announcing the update. “Using the best available science with academic researchers and others, this updated map reflects the impacts of a changing climate and includes a variety of other key factors.”

Around 98% of California was in drought conditions this week, according to the US Drought Monitor, as the state remains in the grips of a multiyear megadrought fueled by warmer temperatures and drier conditions.

As recently as 2018, California saw the largest, deadliest and most destructive wildfires in state history. In the past five years, California has seen an average of more than 7,000 wildfires each year, consuming an average of over 2 million acres, according to data from the governor’s office.

The proposed map includes only rural and unincorporated areas – cities and large urban areas are excluded, but are expected to be added in an updated version next year.

Dozens of meetings to discuss the findings are scheduled over the next several weeks to allow for public comment before the map is officially adopted.

“CAL FIRE’s fire scientists and wildfire mitigation experts developed the map using a science-based and field-tested model that assigns a hazard score based on the factors that influence fire likelihood and fire behavior. Many factors are considered, such as fire history, existing and potential fuel (natural vegetation), predicted flame length, blowing embers, terrain, and typical fire weather for an area. These zones fall into the following classifications – moderate, high, and very high,” the agency explained.

Cal Fire said the new map should help communities tailor their wildfire planning and preparedness efforts to the most vulnerable locations. The zones are also used to determine where defensible space standards, wildland-urban interface building codes and the State Minimum Fire Safe Regulations are required, according to Cal Fire.

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December 27, 2022
California regulators approve plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045 | CNN

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CNN
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California’s air regulators approved an aggressive plan Thursday for the state to reach carbon neutrality by 2045 – in line with legislation signed by Governor Gavin Newsom earlier this year.

The plan, approved by the California Air Resources Board, looks to move one of the largest economies in the world to renewable energy and away from fossil fuels.

Known as the Scoping Plan, the actions and policies aim to slash fossil fuel usage to less than a tenth of current consumption by decreasing demand for liquid petroleum by 94% by 2045, mainly driven by a move away from gas-powered vehicles.

The board also says the plan will cut air pollution by 71% and gas emissions by 85% to below 1990 levels. Both goals are consistent with targets laid out in Governor Gavin Newsom’s $54.1 billion climate commitment intended to protect residents from wildfires, extreme heat and drought while moving away from big oil.

The plan will create four million jobs and save Californians some $200 billion in health costs for pollution-related illnesses by 2045, the board said, providing a path for California to meet its climate targets.

“California is leading the world’s most significant economic transformation since the Industrial Revolution – we’re cutting pollution, turning the page on fossil fuels and creating millions of new jobs,” said Newsom in a press release after the plan was approved.

After a public comment session, board members acknowledged that this plan is a roadmap to cutting greenhouse gases, and that not all of what is laid out may come to fruition.

One focus of the plan is a move to zero-emission transportation, including both personal vehicles and mass transit. While fossil fuels used in homes are also targeted, the state said gas-powered vehicles and other transportation are currently the largest source of carbon emissions.

In August, the board approved a rule requiring all passenger vehicles sold in the state to be zero-emission by 2035.

Beginning in 2026, all new residential buildings will be required to install electric appliances and in 2029, the requirements will begin extending to commercial buildings, according to the plan. For existing residential buildings, all appliance sales are required to be electric by 2035. Ten years later, all commercial buildings in the state will have to follow suit, the plan said.

While the board called the plan “achievable” some critics say the plan relies too much on what some of the board members acknowledged is an unproven method of carbon capture and sequestration instead of relying on natural and working lands to also house some of that carbon.

“This plan is failing the people of California and our planet – first by endorsing carbon capture, a faulty climate scheme promoted by the fossil fuel industry,” said Chirag Bhakta, the California state director for Food & Water Watch, in a statement to CNN.

“Carbon capture is a completely unproven and unworkable technology that only serves to provide cover for oil and gas drillers to continue business as usual,” Bhakta said.

The scoping plan also targets wildfires which are not only responsible for the destruction of forests, buildings and property, but also emit copious amounts of carbon dioxide.

In recent years, human-driven climate change has spurred massive blazes. The board pointing out that of the 20 largest wildfires in California, nine happened in 2020 and 2021.

The plan sets a goal of treating one million acres a year by 2025 through actions like prescribed burns and increased forest management. Currently, about 100,000 acres are treated a year.

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December 15, 2022