California wildfires

Flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires burn in unincorporated Napa County, Calif., on Tuesday.

Wildfires Rage In California As Fire Crews And Evacuees Grapple With COVID-19 Risks

1:09pm August 21, 2020

by Vanessa Romo

The possibility of catching or spreading the coronavirus adds a new dimension of risk to the job, both on and off the front lines, and poses new threats to those seeking refuge in temporary shelter.

A wildfire in Lassen County in Northern California on Saturday spawned at least one fire tornado that prompted the National Weather Service to issue a tornado warning. As of Monday, firefighters were still trying to contain the blaze.

National

Extreme Heat And Fire Tornadoes Slow Firefighting Efforts In California

9:34am August 18, 2020

by Vanessa Romo

"We are all experiencing rather extraordinary conditions," Gov. Gavin Newsom says. There are about 15 fires burning in the northern and southern ends of the state.

An air tanker drops retardant as the Lake Fire burns in the Angeles National Forest north of Santa Clarita, Calif., on Thursday.

Wildfire Season Is Off To A Roaring Start In California And Colorado

1:54pm August 14, 2020

by Maureen Pao

Two back-to-back wildfires have erupted around Los Angeles. And across the country, major wildfires are burning in a dozen states, including one of the largest in Colorado's history.

Dan Wentland, Sherry Wentland, Gwynn Harris, and Randy Harris (left to right) attend services at the Lantana Road Baptist Church on March 8, 2020. The couples have known each other since the 1970s and lived in Paradise, Calif., until the 2018 Camp Fire de

National

After California's Camp Fire, Some People From Paradise Put Down Roots In Tennessee

10:39am July 26, 2020

by Lily Jamali

A group people displaced by the Camp Fire in California moved to an unlikely place far away: Crossville, Tenn. They say the community, the cost of living and the values were the major draws.

Queue Listen Now

After a series of devastating wildfires, like the 2019 Kincade Fire, California had planned on spending billions to prepare for climate-driven disasters.

California Was Set To Spend Over $1 Billion to Prevent Wildfires. Then Came COVID-19

8:00am June 07, 2020

by Lauren Sommer

Communities were counting on historic levels of funding to prepare for climate change-driven disasters. Now, efforts are on hold.

A fallen PG&E utility pole lays on a property burned during a wildfire. The company has several settlement deals meant to clear liabilities stemming from fires sparked by its equipment.

National

Judge Approves PG&E $24.5 Billion Plan For Wildfire Victims And Insurance Companies

11:28pm December 17, 2019

by Richard Gonzales

The beleaguered utility faces others obstacles such as winning California Gov. Gavin Newsom's approval for its restructuring plan and a bid by hedge funds to gain control of the company.

Chelsea Isaacs sits on the couch in her RV with her 2-year-old twin daughters, Harper and Riley, and her mother, Kim Schwartz, on June 11 in Magalia, Calif. They have been living for almost a year in an RV after the Camp Fire destroyed their home in 2018.

National

The Camp Fire Burned Their Home, But Strong Family Ties Kept Them In Paradise

3:58pm November 27, 2019

The wildfire destroyed 11,000 homes, and the Issacses' house is one of the first on their street to be rebuilt. They committed to staying in Paradise, Calif., because of their jobs and growing family.

A helicopter drops water on the Cave Fire burning in the Los Padres National Forest above Santa Barbara, Calif., on Tuesday.

Santa Barbara County Fire Burns 4,300 Acres, Threatens Thousands Of Homes

11:18pm November 26, 2019

by Richard Gonzales

Dry vegetation and high winds combine again in a potentially dangerous Southern California fire. But firefighters could get help from an approaching rainstorm.

A new home under construction in Paradise, Calif.

National

The Camp Fire Destroyed 11,000 Homes. A Year Later Only 11 Have Been Rebuilt

1:55pm November 09, 2019

by Kirk Siegler

A year after the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history devastated Paradise, the state grapples with tough questions about how to rebuild in the era of worsening wildfires.

Queue Listen Now

From left, LA City Councilman Mike Bonin, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Eric Garcetti tour a burned home along in Brentwood, Calif., on Tuesday.

National

Calif. Governor Seeks To 'Jumpstart' PG&E Bankruptcy Talks; Threatens State Takeover

9:13pm November 01, 2019

by Richard Gonzales

Democrat Gavin Newsom has been critical of the state's largest utility, PG&E, in the face of planned power outages that left 2 million customers without electricity.