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"slug": "a-kelvin-wave-on-top-of-el-nino-what-bay-area-hikers-bikers-swimmers-and-campers-should-know-this-winter",
"title": "A Kelvin Wave on Top of El Niño? What Bay Area Hikers, Bikers, Swimmers and Campers Should Know This Winter",
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"headTitle": "A Kelvin Wave on Top of El Niño? What Bay Area Hikers, Bikers, Swimmers and Campers Should Know This Winter | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103307/cautiously-optimistic-the-latest-on-el-nino-and-tahoes-ski-season\">latest El Niño forecasts\u003c/a> show the Bay Area could be in for a particularly wet winter, affecting any late-season outdoor trips locals typically save for the region’s “second summer” in October. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But a new threat on the horizon, called a “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2002141/an-el-nino-driven-kelvin-wave-could-raise-bay-area-sea-levels-and-flooding-risk\">Kelvin wave\u003c/a>,” could also spoil plans for late-season hiking, biking and water sports. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>First predicted to hit in mid- to late-October, this warm-water phenomenon could raise Bay Area sea levels by up to a foot. On top of already-high sea levels, potential wet weather and seasonal King Tides, coastal regions could be in for some pretty severe flooding. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So if you’ve got a coastal campsite booked, maybe a long bike ride up to Marin planned, or a kayaking or swimming trip coming up this fall, be aware: Higher water levels are expected and might affect your plans. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Read on for more information, broken down by activity:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#swimming\">Swimming and kayaking\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#hiking\">Biking and hiking\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#camping\">Camping\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"swimming\">Beware of debris and high shorelines while swimming and kayaking\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A main signal of this year’s expected “super El Niño” is particularly warm water in the Pacific Ocean. While that might sound ideal for swimmers, Sylvia Lacock, co-founder of Pacific Open Water Swim Co. and a master captain, said otherwise. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>First, she said, her clients who actively seek out cold-water swimming to qualify or train for international competitions are having to push their scheduled swim dates back deeper toward winter. But more relevant to casual swimmers, she said, is that flooding due to higher tides and sea levels could engulf beaches and docks, making getting in the water to enjoy it difficult. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103551\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Floodwaters covered roads in Marin County as residents Jill Sherman and her kids, Imogen and Zander Smith, kayak on the bike trail during high tide between Sausalito and Mill Valley during rainy weather on Jan. 3, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Constant rain, constant storms, how it ends up impacting kite surfers, windsurfers and swimmers, is that with a higher tide, we lose beach,” she said. “So if you’re used to having a lot of beach to maybe go in and off of in Aquatic Park or at Crissy Field, you might find that that beach feels a lot smaller just because the water’s up a lot higher.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Galen Licht, CEO and co-owner of kayak rental company SeaTrek, said a group of high school students on a trip to Angel Island last week struggled with the already-high tides.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The beach was nearly gone, and [on] the walkway that we would normally take to get up to the campsite, they were walking in waist-deep water,” he said. “It kind of caught us off guard a little bit.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Plus, Lacock said, areas around shorelines could also be flooded with debris, adding hazards to the water for swimmers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Every single year we see this,” she said. “When we have storms that come through, now add a higher tide to it. Whether it’s piers or docks, that breaks off, and it ends up floating in the bay.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For boaters, these floating hazards are an added challenge, she said. Swimmers have to watch for broken pieces of piers and even kite surfers may have to worry about “items that may be just submerged under the surface of the water,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lacock said she’s particularly concerned about the area around \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/safr/learn/historyculture/aquatic-park-pier.htm\">San Francisco’s Muni Pier\u003c/a>, which has been in disrepair since it closed in 2022 due to structural damage from an earthquake.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Licht, whose company operates kayak launches in Alameda and Sausalito, said he is “making sure things are extra tied down” and “preparing to be more flexible than ever this winter.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In general, Lacock said swimmers should avoid getting into the water immediately after a storm, especially the first big storm of the winter season. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You may want to not be in the water for the first 24 or 48 hours after that,” she said. “We like that tide cycle to kind of flush that water out.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"hiking\">Watch for flooding on popular hiking and biking trails\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The compounding effects of higher sea levels, Kelvin waves, King Tides and whatever else this El Niño winter might bring won’t just affect people recreating \u003cem>in \u003c/em>the water. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Dan Sauter, operations superintendent for Marin County Parks, said his agency is preparing for the potential “stacking” of higher tides onto its bayside parks and open space preserves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Over the past few weeks, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.marincounty.gov/parkspreserves/parks/mill-valley-sausalito-pathway\">Mill Valley-Sausalito multi-use path\u003c/a> — a connecting route for bikers and hikers that routinely floods in winter — has already been submerged, he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Typically, the path floods when tides are about 6 feet high, he said, but that number could go down if there are more factors in play.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1498\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103556\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a-1536x1150.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Floodwaters covered roads in Marin County as residents kayak on the bike trail during high tide between Sausalito and Mill Valley during rainy weather on Jan. 3, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re expecting the tides to impact it at a lower projected tide number,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In fact, the multi-use trail floods so often that there is currently an \u003ca href=\"https://www.onetam.org/our-work/bothin-marsh\">effort underway to redesign it\u003c/a>, said Rob LaPorte, a senior project manager with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy who has been working on improvements to the trail. He said rerouting the path isn’t particularly feasible given its location sandwiched between the bay and Highways 1 and 101.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re looking at significantly raising it by approximately 6.5 feet, 7 feet just to make it more storm-proof,” he said. “And then we’re also looking at ways to restore the natural processes at this marsh to help that ecosystem adapt to higher waters.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SeaTrek’s Licht said some customers even rent kayaks in Sausalito specifically to paddle through the flooded marsh. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s wild,” he said. “Literally our kayakers can paddle across the bike path — and they do.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1332\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12018233\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-1920x1279.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People walk along the Embarcadero during a high king tide in San Francisco on Dec. 13, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Also of concern in Marin County are the Miller Boat Launch in Tomales Bay, Black Point Boat Launch in San Pablo Bay and McNears Beach and McInnis Park in San Rafael.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sauter said Marin County Parks stations rangers around the multi-use trail and other parks to let people know about potential flooding or advise them when trails are closed. They’ve even started pre-making signs to put up advising hikers and bikers to prepare for flooding impacts. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If a storm is significant, we may be closing regional parks or areas that are unsafe to visitors,” he said. “So we’re prepared to do that.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>LaPorte said his main concern going into this potentially historic winter is that park infrastructure, designed to handle historical averages of rainfall, may not be up to the task.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“With this El Niño event and the potential for big storms that are associated with climate change — and then add on top of that the Kelvin wave — we’re just anticipating there being a lot more water that’s affecting trails throughout the parks,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sauter said hikers and bikers should simply stay home during a storm.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s always a good idea to check your weather when you’re heading out and your tide logs,” he said. “There’s a good chunk of people that aren’t expecting to come across a multi-use path underwater on just a regular nice day. But it does happen out there.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After a storm, clearing sediment and other debris off the path and other flooded areas also takes time, Sauter said, so be patient.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re all expecting the worst and hoping for the best and preparing for anything,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"camping\">Stay tuned for coastal campground closures\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’ve got fall camping plans, particularly if your site is on or near the bay or ocean, be sure to double-check your reservation is still on before you head out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Peter Ostroskie, spokesperson for California State Parks’ Bay Area district, said anyone with a camping reservation this winter should check the website of the park they’re going to before heading out. Some state parks also use social media to keep visitors informed, he said. And if you’re ever in doubt about safety or weather conditions at a park, you can always call the number of the park listed on its website for the most up-to-date information.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re happy to give you updates or let you know what’s going on and what are the conditions right now,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066250\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Flooding near the Highway 101 Sausalito/Mill Valley exit in Sausalito on Dec. 4, 2025, during a king tide event. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you are planning to camp during wet weather, make sure you have the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064291/winter-camping-reservations-where-to-go-campsites-near-san-francisco-bay-area\">proper gear and are prepared to leave in case of emergency\u003c/a>. Ostroskie said state parks staff are preparing for a wet winter by staging equipment and readying communications to handle potential flooding or other effects of rising sea levels. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Parks like Angel Island, China Camp, Tomales Bay, Mt. Tam and Candlestick are of particular concern, Ostroskie said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said he’s also worried about a park like Samuel P. Taylor State Park, whose Lagunitas Creek can rise dramatically during storms.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The creek floods really high, so we actually close off the creekside campground,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Landslides, fallen trees and power lines are also typical stormy weather concerns for parks, Ostroskie said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For oceanside campgrounds, bad weather and consistent big waves can threaten infrastructure, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’ll probably take us a little bit longer to open up the season, especially when we hit spring and summer, just because we’ll be doing repairs and fixing things,” he said. “And sometimes that takes a little time.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So if you’ve got a coastal campsite booked, maybe a long bike ride up to Marin planned, or a kayaking or swimming trip coming up this fall, be aware: Higher water levels are expected and might affect your plans. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Read on for more information, broken down by activity:\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#swimming\">Swimming and kayaking\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#swimming\">Swimming and kayaking\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#hiking\">Biking and hiking\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#camping\">Camping\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n",
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"text": "Beware of debris and high shorelines while swimming and kayaking",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"swimming\">Beware of debris and high shorelines while swimming and kayaking\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A main signal of this year’s expected “super El Niño” is particularly warm water in the Pacific Ocean. While that might sound ideal for swimmers, Sylvia Lacock, co-founder of Pacific Open Water Swim Co. and a master captain, said otherwise. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A main signal of this year’s expected “super El Niño” is particularly warm water in the Pacific Ocean. While that might sound ideal for swimmers, Sylvia Lacock, co-founder of Pacific Open Water Swim Co. and a master captain, said otherwise. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>First, she said, her clients who actively seek out cold-water swimming to qualify or train for international competitions are having to push their scheduled swim dates back deeper toward winter. But more relevant to casual swimmers, she said, is that flooding due to higher tides and sea levels could engulf beaches and docks, making getting in the water to enjoy it difficult. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>First, she said, her clients who actively seek out cold-water swimming to qualify or train for international competitions are having to push their scheduled swim dates back deeper toward winter. But more relevant to casual swimmers, she said, is that flooding due to higher tides and sea levels could engulf beaches and docks, making getting in the water to enjoy it difficult. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103551\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Floodwaters covered roads in Marin County as residents Jill Sherman and her kids, Imogen and Zander Smith, kayak on the bike trail during high tide between Sausalito and Mill Valley during rainy weather on Jan. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103551\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Floodwaters covered roads in Marin County as residents Jill Sherman and her kids, Imogen and Zander Smith, kayak on the bike trail during high tide between Sausalito and Mill Valley during rainy weather on Jan. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Constant rain, constant storms, how it ends up impacting kite surfers, windsurfers and swimmers, is that with a higher tide, we lose beach,” she said. “So if you’re used to having a lot of beach to maybe go in and off of in Aquatic Park or at Crissy Field, you might find that that beach feels a lot smaller just because the water’s up a lot higher.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Constant rain, constant storms, how it ends up impacting kite surfers, windsurfers and swimmers, is that with a higher tide, we lose beach,” she said. “So if you’re used to having a lot of beach to maybe go in and off of in Aquatic Park or at Crissy Field, you might find that that beach feels a lot smaller just because the water’s up a lot higher.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Galen Licht, CEO and co-owner of kayak rental company SeaTrek, said a group of high school students on a trip to Angel Island last week struggled with the already-high tides.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Galen Licht, CEO and co-owner of kayak rental company SeaTrek, said a group of high school students on a trip to Angel Island last week struggled with the already-high tides.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The beach was nearly gone, and [on] the walkway that we would normally take to get up to the campsite, they were walking in waist-deep water,” he said. “It kind of caught us off guard a little bit.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The beach was nearly gone, and [on] the walkway that we would normally take to get up to the campsite, they were walking in waist-deep water,” he said. “It kind of caught us off guard a little bit.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Plus, Lacock said, areas around shorelines could also be flooded with debris, adding hazards to the water for swimmers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Every single year we see this,” she said. “When we have storms that come through, now add a higher tide to it. Whether it’s piers or docks, that breaks off, and it ends up floating in the bay.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Every single year we see this,” she said. “When we have storms that come through, now add a higher tide to it. Whether it’s piers or docks, that breaks off, and it ends up floating in the bay.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For boaters, these floating hazards are an added challenge, she said. Swimmers have to watch for broken pieces of piers and even kite surfers may have to worry about “items that may be just submerged under the surface of the water,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For boaters, these floating hazards are an added challenge, she said. Swimmers have to watch for broken pieces of piers and even kite surfers may have to worry about “items that may be just submerged under the surface of the water,” she said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lacock said she’s particularly concerned about the area around \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/safr/learn/historyculture/aquatic-park-pier.htm\">San Francisco’s Muni Pier\u003c/a>, which has been in disrepair since it closed in 2022 due to structural damage from an earthquake.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Lacock said she’s particularly concerned about the area around \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/safr/learn/historyculture/aquatic-park-pier.htm\">San Francisco’s Muni Pier\u003c/a>, which has been in disrepair since it closed in 2022 due to structural damage from an earthquake.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Licht, whose company operates kayak launches in Alameda and Sausalito, said he is “making sure things are extra tied down” and “preparing to be more flexible than ever this winter.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Licht, whose company operates kayak launches in Alameda and Sausalito, said he is “making sure things are extra tied down” and “preparing to be more flexible than ever this winter.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In general, Lacock said swimmers should avoid getting into the water immediately after a storm, especially the first big storm of the winter season. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In general, Lacock said swimmers should avoid getting into the water immediately after a storm, especially the first big storm of the winter season. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You may want to not be in the water for the first 24 or 48 hours after that,” she said. “We like that tide cycle to kind of flush that water out.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“You may want to not be in the water for the first 24 or 48 hours after that,” she said. “We like that tide cycle to kind of flush that water out.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Watch for flooding on popular hiking and biking trails",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"hiking\">Watch for flooding on popular hiking and biking trails\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The compounding effects of higher sea levels, Kelvin waves, King Tides and whatever else this El Niño winter might bring won’t just affect people recreating \u003cem>in \u003c/em>the water. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The compounding effects of higher sea levels, Kelvin waves, King Tides and whatever else this El Niño winter might bring won’t just affect people recreating \u003cem>in \u003c/em>the water. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Dan Sauter, operations superintendent for Marin County Parks, said his agency is preparing for the potential “stacking” of higher tides onto its bayside parks and open space preserves.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Dan Sauter, operations superintendent for Marin County Parks, said his agency is preparing for the potential “stacking” of higher tides onto its bayside parks and open space preserves.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Over the past few weeks, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.marincounty.gov/parkspreserves/parks/mill-valley-sausalito-pathway\">Mill Valley-Sausalito multi-use path\u003c/a> — a connecting route for bikers and hikers that routinely floods in winter — has already been submerged, he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Over the past few weeks, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.marincounty.gov/parkspreserves/parks/mill-valley-sausalito-pathway\">Mill Valley-Sausalito multi-use path\u003c/a> — a connecting route for bikers and hikers that routinely floods in winter — has already been submerged, he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Typically, the path floods when tides are about 6 feet high, he said, but that number could go down if there are more factors in play.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Typically, the path floods when tides are about 6 feet high, he said, but that number could go down if there are more factors in play.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103556\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a-1536x1150.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Floodwaters covered roads in Marin County as residents kayak on the bike trail during high tide between Sausalito and Mill Valley during rainy weather on Jan. 3, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103556\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Floodwaters covered roads in Marin County as residents kayak on the bike trail during high tide between Sausalito and Mill Valley during rainy weather on Jan. 3, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re expecting the tides to impact it at a lower projected tide number,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In fact, the multi-use trail floods so often that there is currently an \u003ca href=\"https://www.onetam.org/our-work/bothin-marsh\">effort underway to redesign it\u003c/a>, said Rob LaPorte, a senior project manager with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy who has been working on improvements to the trail. He said rerouting the path isn’t particularly feasible given its location sandwiched between the bay and Highways 1 and 101.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In fact, the multi-use trail floods so often that there is currently an \u003ca href=\"https://www.onetam.org/our-work/bothin-marsh\">effort underway to redesign it\u003c/a>, said Rob LaPorte, a senior project manager with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy who has been working on improvements to the trail. He said rerouting the path isn’t particularly feasible given its location sandwiched between the bay and Highways 1 and 101.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re looking at significantly raising it by approximately 6.5 feet, 7 feet just to make it more storm-proof,” he said. “And then we’re also looking at ways to restore the natural processes at this marsh to help that ecosystem adapt to higher waters.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’re looking at significantly raising it by approximately 6.5 feet, 7 feet just to make it more storm-proof,” he said. “And then we’re also looking at ways to restore the natural processes at this marsh to help that ecosystem adapt to higher waters.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>SeaTrek’s Licht said some customers even rent kayaks in Sausalito specifically to paddle through the flooded marsh. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>SeaTrek’s Licht said some customers even rent kayaks in Sausalito specifically to paddle through the flooded marsh. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s wild,” he said. “Literally our kayakers can paddle across the bike path — and they do.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s wild,” he said. “Literally our kayakers can paddle across the bike path — and they do.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-1920x1279.jpg 1920w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12018233\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-1920x1279.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People walk along the Embarcadero during a high king tide in San Francisco on Dec. 13, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12018233\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People walk along the Embarcadero during a high king tide in San Francisco on Dec. 13, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Also of concern in Marin County are the Miller Boat Launch in Tomales Bay, Black Point Boat Launch in San Pablo Bay and McNears Beach and McInnis Park in San Rafael.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Also of concern in Marin County are the Miller Boat Launch in Tomales Bay, Black Point Boat Launch in San Pablo Bay and McNears Beach and McInnis Park in San Rafael.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sauter said Marin County Parks stations rangers around the multi-use trail and other parks to let people know about potential flooding or advise them when trails are closed. They’ve even started pre-making signs to put up advising hikers and bikers to prepare for flooding impacts. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Sauter said Marin County Parks stations rangers around the multi-use trail and other parks to let people know about potential flooding or advise them when trails are closed. They’ve even started pre-making signs to put up advising hikers and bikers to prepare for flooding impacts. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If a storm is significant, we may be closing regional parks or areas that are unsafe to visitors,” he said. “So we’re prepared to do that.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“If a storm is significant, we may be closing regional parks or areas that are unsafe to visitors,” he said. “So we’re prepared to do that.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>LaPorte said his main concern going into this potentially historic winter is that park infrastructure, designed to handle historical averages of rainfall, may not be up to the task.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>LaPorte said his main concern going into this potentially historic winter is that park infrastructure, designed to handle historical averages of rainfall, may not be up to the task.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“With this El Niño event and the potential for big storms that are associated with climate change — and then add on top of that the Kelvin wave — we’re just anticipating there being a lot more water that’s affecting trails throughout the parks,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“With this El Niño event and the potential for big storms that are associated with climate change — and then add on top of that the Kelvin wave — we’re just anticipating there being a lot more water that’s affecting trails throughout the parks,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sauter said hikers and bikers should simply stay home during a storm.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Sauter said hikers and bikers should simply stay home during a storm.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s always a good idea to check your weather when you’re heading out and your tide logs,” he said. “There’s a good chunk of people that aren’t expecting to come across a multi-use path underwater on just a regular nice day. But it does happen out there.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s always a good idea to check your weather when you’re heading out and your tide logs,” he said. “There’s a good chunk of people that aren’t expecting to come across a multi-use path underwater on just a regular nice day. But it does happen out there.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After a storm, clearing sediment and other debris off the path and other flooded areas also takes time, Sauter said, so be patient.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>After a storm, clearing sediment and other debris off the path and other flooded areas also takes time, Sauter said, so be patient.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re all expecting the worst and hoping for the best and preparing for anything,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We’re all expecting the worst and hoping for the best and preparing for anything,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Stay tuned for coastal campground closures",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"camping\">Stay tuned for coastal campground closures\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"camping\">Stay tuned for coastal campground closures\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you’ve got fall camping plans, particularly if your site is on or near the bay or ocean, be sure to double-check your reservation is still on before you head out.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If you’ve got fall camping plans, particularly if your site is on or near the bay or ocean, be sure to double-check your reservation is still on before you head out.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Peter Ostroskie, spokesperson for California State Parks’ Bay Area district, said anyone with a camping reservation this winter should check the website of the park they’re going to before heading out. Some state parks also use social media to keep visitors informed, he said. And if you’re ever in doubt about safety or weather conditions at a park, you can always call the number of the park listed on its website for the most up-to-date information.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Peter Ostroskie, spokesperson for California State Parks’ Bay Area district, said anyone with a camping reservation this winter should check the website of the park they’re going to before heading out. Some state parks also use social media to keep visitors informed, he said. And if you’re ever in doubt about safety or weather conditions at a park, you can always call the number of the park listed on its website for the most up-to-date information.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re happy to give you updates or let you know what’s going on and what are the conditions right now,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We’re happy to give you updates or let you know what’s going on and what are the conditions right now,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066250\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Flooding near the Highway 101 Sausalito/Mill Valley exit in Sausalito on Dec. 4, 2025, during a king tide event.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066250\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Flooding near the Highway 101 Sausalito/Mill Valley exit in Sausalito on Dec. 4, 2025, during a king tide event.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you are planning to camp during wet weather, make sure you have the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064291/winter-camping-reservations-where-to-go-campsites-near-san-francisco-bay-area\">proper gear and are prepared to leave in case of emergency\u003c/a>. Ostroskie said state parks staff are preparing for a wet winter by staging equipment and readying communications to handle potential flooding or other effects of rising sea levels. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you are planning to camp during wet weather, make sure you have the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064291/winter-camping-reservations-where-to-go-campsites-near-san-francisco-bay-area\">proper gear and are prepared to leave in case of emergency\u003c/a>. Ostroskie said state parks staff are preparing for a wet winter by staging equipment and readying communications to handle potential flooding or other effects of rising sea levels. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Parks like Angel Island, China Camp, Tomales Bay, Mt. Tam and Candlestick are of particular concern, Ostroskie said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Parks like Angel Island, China Camp, Tomales Bay, Mt. Tam and Candlestick are of particular concern, Ostroskie said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He said he’s also worried about a park like Samuel P. Taylor State Park, whose Lagunitas Creek can rise dramatically during storms.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He said he’s also worried about a park like Samuel P. Taylor State Park, whose Lagunitas Creek can rise dramatically during storms.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The creek floods really high, so we actually close off the creekside campground,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“The creek floods really high, so we actually close off the creekside campground,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Landslides, fallen trees and power lines are also typical stormy weather concerns for parks, Ostroskie said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Landslides, fallen trees and power lines are also typical stormy weather concerns for parks, Ostroskie said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For oceanside campgrounds, bad weather and consistent big waves can threaten infrastructure, he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For oceanside campgrounds, bad weather and consistent big waves can threaten infrastructure, he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’ll probably take us a little bit longer to open up the season, especially when we hit spring and summer, just because we’ll be doing repairs and fixing things,” he said. “And sometimes that takes a little time.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’ll probably take us a little bit longer to open up the season, especially when we hit spring and summer, just because we’ll be doing repairs and fixing things,” he said. “And sometimes that takes a little time.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Winter storms could close campgrounds, trails and threaten park infrastructure.",
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"title": "A Kelvin Wave on Top of El Niño? What Bay Area Hikers, Bikers, Swimmers and Campers Should Know This Winter | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103307/cautiously-optimistic-the-latest-on-el-nino-and-tahoes-ski-season\">latest El Niño forecasts\u003c/a> show the Bay Area could be in for a particularly wet winter, affecting any late-season outdoor trips locals typically save for the region’s “second summer” in October. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But a new threat on the horizon, called a “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2002141/an-el-nino-driven-kelvin-wave-could-raise-bay-area-sea-levels-and-flooding-risk\">Kelvin wave\u003c/a>,” could also spoil plans for late-season hiking, biking and water sports. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>First predicted to hit in mid- to late-October, this warm-water phenomenon could raise Bay Area sea levels by up to a foot. On top of already-high sea levels, potential wet weather and seasonal King Tides, coastal regions could be in for some pretty severe flooding. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So if you’ve got a coastal campsite booked, maybe a long bike ride up to Marin planned, or a kayaking or swimming trip coming up this fall, be aware: Higher water levels are expected and might affect your plans. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Read on for more information, broken down by activity:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#swimming\">Swimming and kayaking\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#hiking\">Biking and hiking\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#camping\">Camping\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"swimming\">Beware of debris and high shorelines while swimming and kayaking\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A main signal of this year’s expected “super El Niño” is particularly warm water in the Pacific Ocean. While that might sound ideal for swimmers, Sylvia Lacock, co-founder of Pacific Open Water Swim Co. and a master captain, said otherwise. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>First, she said, her clients who actively seek out cold-water swimming to qualify or train for international competitions are having to push their scheduled swim dates back deeper toward winter. But more relevant to casual swimmers, she said, is that flooding due to higher tides and sea levels could engulf beaches and docks, making getting in the water to enjoy it difficult. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103551\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty2-b7702575-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Floodwaters covered roads in Marin County as residents Jill Sherman and her kids, Imogen and Zander Smith, kayak on the bike trail during high tide between Sausalito and Mill Valley during rainy weather on Jan. 3, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Constant rain, constant storms, how it ends up impacting kite surfers, windsurfers and swimmers, is that with a higher tide, we lose beach,” she said. “So if you’re used to having a lot of beach to maybe go in and off of in Aquatic Park or at Crissy Field, you might find that that beach feels a lot smaller just because the water’s up a lot higher.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Galen Licht, CEO and co-owner of kayak rental company SeaTrek, said a group of high school students on a trip to Angel Island last week struggled with the already-high tides.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The beach was nearly gone, and [on] the walkway that we would normally take to get up to the campsite, they were walking in waist-deep water,” he said. “It kind of caught us off guard a little bit.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Plus, Lacock said, areas around shorelines could also be flooded with debris, adding hazards to the water for swimmers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Every single year we see this,” she said. “When we have storms that come through, now add a higher tide to it. Whether it’s piers or docks, that breaks off, and it ends up floating in the bay.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For boaters, these floating hazards are an added challenge, she said. Swimmers have to watch for broken pieces of piers and even kite surfers may have to worry about “items that may be just submerged under the surface of the water,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lacock said she’s particularly concerned about the area around \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/safr/learn/historyculture/aquatic-park-pier.htm\">San Francisco’s Muni Pier\u003c/a>, which has been in disrepair since it closed in 2022 due to structural damage from an earthquake.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Licht, whose company operates kayak launches in Alameda and Sausalito, said he is “making sure things are extra tied down” and “preparing to be more flexible than ever this winter.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In general, Lacock said swimmers should avoid getting into the water immediately after a storm, especially the first big storm of the winter season. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You may want to not be in the water for the first 24 or 48 hours after that,” she said. “We like that tide cycle to kind of flush that water out.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"hiking\">Watch for flooding on popular hiking and biking trails\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The compounding effects of higher sea levels, Kelvin waves, King Tides and whatever else this El Niño winter might bring won’t just affect people recreating \u003cem>in \u003c/em>the water. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Dan Sauter, operations superintendent for Marin County Parks, said his agency is preparing for the potential “stacking” of higher tides onto its bayside parks and open space preserves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Over the past few weeks, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.marincounty.gov/parkspreserves/parks/mill-valley-sausalito-pathway\">Mill Valley-Sausalito multi-use path\u003c/a> — a connecting route for bikers and hikers that routinely floods in winter — has already been submerged, he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Typically, the path floods when tides are about 6 feet high, he said, but that number could go down if there are more factors in play.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1498\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103556\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/KelvinWavesGetty3-eecc658a-1536x1150.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Floodwaters covered roads in Marin County as residents kayak on the bike trail during high tide between Sausalito and Mill Valley during rainy weather on Jan. 3, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re expecting the tides to impact it at a lower projected tide number,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In fact, the multi-use trail floods so often that there is currently an \u003ca href=\"https://www.onetam.org/our-work/bothin-marsh\">effort underway to redesign it\u003c/a>, said Rob LaPorte, a senior project manager with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy who has been working on improvements to the trail. He said rerouting the path isn’t particularly feasible given its location sandwiched between the bay and Highways 1 and 101.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re looking at significantly raising it by approximately 6.5 feet, 7 feet just to make it more storm-proof,” he said. “And then we’re also looking at ways to restore the natural processes at this marsh to help that ecosystem adapt to higher waters.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SeaTrek’s Licht said some customers even rent kayaks in Sausalito specifically to paddle through the flooded marsh. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s wild,” he said. “Literally our kayakers can paddle across the bike path — and they do.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1332\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12018233\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-82-1920x1279.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People walk along the Embarcadero during a high king tide in San Francisco on Dec. 13, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Also of concern in Marin County are the Miller Boat Launch in Tomales Bay, Black Point Boat Launch in San Pablo Bay and McNears Beach and McInnis Park in San Rafael.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sauter said Marin County Parks stations rangers around the multi-use trail and other parks to let people know about potential flooding or advise them when trails are closed. They’ve even started pre-making signs to put up advising hikers and bikers to prepare for flooding impacts. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If a storm is significant, we may be closing regional parks or areas that are unsafe to visitors,” he said. “So we’re prepared to do that.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>LaPorte said his main concern going into this potentially historic winter is that park infrastructure, designed to handle historical averages of rainfall, may not be up to the task.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“With this El Niño event and the potential for big storms that are associated with climate change — and then add on top of that the Kelvin wave — we’re just anticipating there being a lot more water that’s affecting trails throughout the parks,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sauter said hikers and bikers should simply stay home during a storm.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s always a good idea to check your weather when you’re heading out and your tide logs,” he said. “There’s a good chunk of people that aren’t expecting to come across a multi-use path underwater on just a regular nice day. But it does happen out there.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After a storm, clearing sediment and other debris off the path and other flooded areas also takes time, Sauter said, so be patient.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re all expecting the worst and hoping for the best and preparing for anything,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"camping\">Stay tuned for coastal campground closures\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’ve got fall camping plans, particularly if your site is on or near the bay or ocean, be sure to double-check your reservation is still on before you head out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Peter Ostroskie, spokesperson for California State Parks’ Bay Area district, said anyone with a camping reservation this winter should check the website of the park they’re going to before heading out. Some state parks also use social media to keep visitors informed, he said. And if you’re ever in doubt about safety or weather conditions at a park, you can always call the number of the park listed on its website for the most up-to-date information.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re happy to give you updates or let you know what’s going on and what are the conditions right now,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12066250\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251204-KINGTIDE-40-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Flooding near the Highway 101 Sausalito/Mill Valley exit in Sausalito on Dec. 4, 2025, during a king tide event. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you are planning to camp during wet weather, make sure you have the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064291/winter-camping-reservations-where-to-go-campsites-near-san-francisco-bay-area\">proper gear and are prepared to leave in case of emergency\u003c/a>. Ostroskie said state parks staff are preparing for a wet winter by staging equipment and readying communications to handle potential flooding or other effects of rising sea levels. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Parks like Angel Island, China Camp, Tomales Bay, Mt. Tam and Candlestick are of particular concern, Ostroskie said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said he’s also worried about a park like Samuel P. Taylor State Park, whose Lagunitas Creek can rise dramatically during storms.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The creek floods really high, so we actually close off the creekside campground,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Landslides, fallen trees and power lines are also typical stormy weather concerns for parks, Ostroskie said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For oceanside campgrounds, bad weather and consistent big waves can threaten infrastructure, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’ll probably take us a little bit longer to open up the season, especially when we hit spring and summer, just because we’ll be doing repairs and fixing things,” he said. “And sometimes that takes a little time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "cautiously-optimistic-the-latest-on-el-nino-and-tahoes-ski-season",
"title": "‘Cautiously Optimistic’: The Latest on El Niño and Tahoe’s Ski Season",
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"headTitle": "‘Cautiously Optimistic’: The Latest on El Niño and Tahoe’s Ski Season | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Will this ski season be the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096560/el-nino-snow-weather-forecast-sierra-nevada-tahoe-california-ski-pass-winter-2026-2027\">best ever\u003c/a>? Or, with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099961/scientists-warn-this-years-el-nino-can-trigger-unprecedented-flooding\">report\u003c/a> after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097546/el-nino-could-bring-a-wet-wild-winter-how-can-you-and-your-home-be-ready\">report\u003c/a> of a “super El Niño” that will slam the West Coast with rain and snow, will skiers’ expectations pale in comparison to reality?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The answer, OpenSnow forecaster Bryan Allegretto said, is still far from clear. And for him, a big part of this uncertainty is that “we don’t have much data on strong El Niños.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In fact, there have only really been four winters since 1970 to be considered “strong” El Niños, Allegretto said. Of those, half produced above-average snowfall, including the \u003ca href=\"https://www.skimag.com/ski-resort-life/10-deepest-winters-recent-history/\">1982-83 season\u003c/a>, when total snowfall came in at 170% of average. But the other half produced below-average snowfall. And going back to 1950, he sees four of seven “strong” El Niños resulting in big snow years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/TahoeSnowGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12077403\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/TahoeSnowGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/TahoeSnowGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/TahoeSnowGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The ski area at Homewood has closed due to poor snow conditions as viewed on April 14, 2021, in Homewood, California. (George Rose/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“So if you were just going to look historically, there’s no clear signal,” he said. “They haven’t been consistent as far as snowfall.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That said, the two years that did overproduce did so … \u003cem>enormously\u003c/em>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If you were to look at the average … it’s like 138% of average snowfall, but that isn’t fair to the years that are below-average,” he said. “Because there’s so much that can happen in the middle of the year that can affect our weather pattern.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#skiing-winter\">What does all this mean for skiing this winter?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#open\">When are Tahoe ski resorts scheduled to open?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That was the case with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2016/01/01/461693346/ski-resorts-see-slight-thaw-after-chilling-effect-of-climate-change\">2015-16 season\u003c/a>, Allegretto said. There was a similar air of hype around El Niño conditions, but ultimately, the winter’s snowfall was just 97% of average, slightly \u003cem>below \u003c/em>a typical year.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So what does today’s forecast mean for ski season? Allegretto breaks it down below.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is the El Niño forecast saying today?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>First, Allegretto warned that it takes three consecutive months of higher-than-normal ocean surface temperatures before one can even declare an El Niño — let alone a “strong” or “very strong” El Niño.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So far, he said, water temperatures are about 2.2 degrees above average. The 2015-16 season was 2.3 degrees above the average. If we reach 2.5 degrees above normal, he said, that would be a record. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“At the end of September, it was the warmest the water has been at this point in the fall along the equator where they measure,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/SierraSnow2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12033987\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/SierraSnow2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/SierraSnow2-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/SierraSnow2-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/SierraSnow2-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/SierraSnow2-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/SierraSnow2-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sierra snow scene near Lake Tahoe, late December, 2015. (Courtesy Mikee Gildea)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/weather/article/el-nino-rain-california-22465614.php\">Monday’s updated models\u003c/a> showed even more reason to believe it will be an unusually wet winter. But it’s not yet clear if that trend will continue — or what other factors will be in play.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We had a ‘super’ El Niño in 15-16 with below-average snowfall,” he said. “But there were things happening that year in the Atlantic and the Northern Pacific that were messing with the weather pattern. And it was causing most of the storms to go to the north of California and the Pacific Northwest.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What’s tough to know is whether this season’s El Niño pattern will be the most prevailing, or if other weather systems in January or February will interfere. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In theory, Allegretto said, this year’s El Niño “should be the most dominant factor.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, he said he is only “cautiously optimistic.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think we will see above average snow and rain,” he said. “But am I willing to say that we’re going to get a year like 1982-83?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“No,” he said. “Only very risky people say those kinds of things.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"skiing-winter\">What does all this mean for skiing this winter?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>All in all, Allegretto said he is “pretty excited” for the ski season. After all, as OpenSnow’s expert on California and the Lake Tahoe region, it’s \u003ca href=\"https://opensnow.com/dailysnow/tahoe/post/44538\">his job to update skiers and snowboarders\u003c/a> about the winter weather. This week, he started \u003ca href=\"https://opensnow.com/dailysnow/tahoe\">posting his weekly forecasts\u003c/a> and said that come opening day at ski resorts in November, he will start posting daily.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I just hope the storms stay cold enough, the snow levels stay low, and we don’t end up with a bunch of rain,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Allegretto isn’t the only one hedging. In a \u003ca href=\"https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/atqfkmbd/#Slides_6\">recent earnings call\u003c/a>, Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz told investors that sales of Epic Passes, which give local skiers access to three Lake Tahoe resorts, are 12% down this year. Katz attributed the drop in part to last year’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077367/tahoe-ski-resorts-closing-dates-2026-heavenly-palisades-homewood-closed-weather-snow-forecast-storms\">disappointing snowfall\u003c/a>, which closed many resorts prematurely. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In general, Allegretto said strong El Niños tend to produce the most snowfall in February and January, calling them “make-or-break months.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, he was careful not to overstate the possibility of a banger ski season.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I just don’t hype, even if it looks like it’s going to be a decent year,” Allegretto said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He even warned that too much snow could bring different problems for skiers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You don’t want too much snow because then the ski resorts are closed, the highway’s closed,” he said. “I just prefer good storms that are easy to chase.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You only need shin-deep powder to have fun,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"open\">Those California ski resort opening dates so far:\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mammoth Mountain: Nov. 13\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Heavenly Ski Resort: Nov. 20\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Northstar California Resort: Nov. 20\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mount Rose Ski Tahoe: Nov. 20\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Palisades Tahoe: Nov. 25\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kirkwood Mountain Resort: Dec. 4\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Will this ski season be the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096560/el-nino-snow-weather-forecast-sierra-nevada-tahoe-california-ski-pass-winter-2026-2027\">best ever\u003c/a>? Or, with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099961/scientists-warn-this-years-el-nino-can-trigger-unprecedented-flooding\">report\u003c/a> after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097546/el-nino-could-bring-a-wet-wild-winter-how-can-you-and-your-home-be-ready\">report\u003c/a> of a “super El Niño” that will slam the West Coast with rain and snow, will skiers’ expectations pale in comparison to reality?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The answer, OpenSnow forecaster Bryan Allegretto said, is still far from clear. And for him, a big part of this uncertainty is that “we don’t have much data on strong El Niños.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In fact, there have only really been four winters since 1970 to be considered “strong” El Niños, Allegretto said. Of those, half produced above-average snowfall, including the \u003ca href=\"https://www.skimag.com/ski-resort-life/10-deepest-winters-recent-history/\">1982-83 season\u003c/a>, when total snowfall came in at 170% of average. But the other half produced below-average snowfall. And going back to 1950, he sees four of seven “strong” El Niños resulting in big snow years.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In fact, there have only really been four winters since 1970 to be considered “strong” El Niños, Allegretto said. Of those, half produced above-average snowfall, including the \u003ca href=\"https://www.skimag.com/ski-resort-life/10-deepest-winters-recent-history/\">1982-83 season\u003c/a>, when total snowfall came in at 170% of average. But the other half produced below-average snowfall. And going back to 1950, he sees four of seven “strong” El Niños resulting in big snow years.\u003c/p>\n"
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"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/TahoeSnowGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12077403\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/TahoeSnowGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/TahoeSnowGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/TahoeSnowGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The ski area at Homewood has closed due to poor snow conditions as viewed on April 14, 2021, in Homewood, California. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (George Rose/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/TahoeSnowGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12077403\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The ski area at Homewood has closed due to poor snow conditions as viewed on April 14, 2021, in Homewood, California. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (George Rose/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“So if you were just going to look historically, there’s no clear signal,” he said. “They haven’t been consistent as far as snowfall.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“So if you were just going to look historically, there’s no clear signal,” he said. “They haven’t been consistent as far as snowfall.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That said, the two years that did overproduce did so … \u003cem>enormously\u003c/em>. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>That said, the two years that did overproduce did so … \u003cem>enormously\u003c/em>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If you were to look at the average … it’s like 138% of average snowfall, but that isn’t fair to the years that are below-average,” he said. “Because there’s so much that can happen in the middle of the year that can affect our weather pattern.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“If you were to look at the average … it’s like 138% of average snowfall, but that isn’t fair to the years that are below-average,” he said. “Because there’s so much that can happen in the middle of the year that can affect our weather pattern.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
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"What does all this mean for skiing this winter?",
"When are Tahoe ski resorts scheduled to open?"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#skiing-winter\">What does all this mean for skiing this winter?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#skiing-winter\">What does all this mean for skiing this winter?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#open\">When are Tahoe ski resorts scheduled to open?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#open\">When are Tahoe ski resorts scheduled to open?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That was the case with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2016/01/01/461693346/ski-resorts-see-slight-thaw-after-chilling-effect-of-climate-change\">2015-16 season\u003c/a>, Allegretto said. There was a similar air of hype around El Niño conditions, but ultimately, the winter’s snowfall was just 97% of average, slightly \u003cem>below \u003c/em>a typical year.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>That was the case with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2016/01/01/461693346/ski-resorts-see-slight-thaw-after-chilling-effect-of-climate-change\">2015-16 season\u003c/a>, Allegretto said. There was a similar air of hype around El Niño conditions, but ultimately, the winter’s snowfall was just 97% of average, slightly \u003cem>below \u003c/em>a typical year.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So what does today’s forecast mean for ski season? Allegretto breaks it down below.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>So what does today’s forecast mean for ski season? Allegretto breaks it down below.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "What is the El Niño forecast saying today?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is the El Niño forecast saying today?\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>First, Allegretto warned that it takes three consecutive months of higher-than-normal ocean surface temperatures before one can even declare an El Niño — let alone a “strong” or “very strong” El Niño.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>First, Allegretto warned that it takes three consecutive months of higher-than-normal ocean surface temperatures before one can even declare an El Niño — let alone a “strong” or “very strong” El Niño.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So far, he said, water temperatures are about 2.2 degrees above average. The 2015-16 season was 2.3 degrees above the average. If we reach 2.5 degrees above normal, he said, that would be a record. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>So far, he said, water temperatures are about 2.2 degrees above average. The 2015-16 season was 2.3 degrees above the average. If we reach 2.5 degrees above normal, he said, that would be a record. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“At the end of September, it was the warmest the water has been at this point in the fall along the equator where they measure,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“At the end of September, it was the warmest the water has been at this point in the fall along the equator where they measure,” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/SierraSnow2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12033987\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/SierraSnow2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/SierraSnow2-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/SierraSnow2-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/SierraSnow2-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/SierraSnow2-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/SierraSnow2-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sierra snow scene near Lake Tahoe, late December, 2015.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy Mikee Gildea)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/SierraSnow2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12033987\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sierra snow scene near Lake Tahoe, late December, 2015.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy Mikee Gildea)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/weather/article/el-nino-rain-california-22465614.php\">Monday’s updated models\u003c/a> showed even more reason to believe it will be an unusually wet winter. But it’s not yet clear if that trend will continue — or what other factors will be in play.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/weather/article/el-nino-rain-california-22465614.php\">Monday’s updated models\u003c/a> showed even more reason to believe it will be an unusually wet winter. But it’s not yet clear if that trend will continue — or what other factors will be in play.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We had a ‘super’ El Niño in 15-16 with below-average snowfall,” he said. “But there were things happening that year in the Atlantic and the Northern Pacific that were messing with the weather pattern. And it was causing most of the storms to go to the north of California and the Pacific Northwest.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We had a ‘super’ El Niño in 15-16 with below-average snowfall,” he said. “But there were things happening that year in the Atlantic and the Northern Pacific that were messing with the weather pattern. And it was causing most of the storms to go to the north of California and the Pacific Northwest.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>What’s tough to know is whether this season’s El Niño pattern will be the most prevailing, or if other weather systems in January or February will interfere. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>What’s tough to know is whether this season’s El Niño pattern will be the most prevailing, or if other weather systems in January or February will interfere. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In theory, Allegretto said, this year’s El Niño “should be the most dominant factor.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In theory, Allegretto said, this year’s El Niño “should be the most dominant factor.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Still, he said he is only “cautiously optimistic.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I think we will see above average snow and rain,” he said. “But am I willing to say that we’re going to get a year like 1982-83?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I think we will see above average snow and rain,” he said. “But am I willing to say that we’re going to get a year like 1982-83?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“No,” he said. “Only very risky people say those kinds of things.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“No,” he said. “Only very risky people say those kinds of things.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "What does all this mean for skiing this winter?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"skiing-winter\">What does all this mean for skiing this winter?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>All in all, Allegretto said he is “pretty excited” for the ski season. After all, as OpenSnow’s expert on California and the Lake Tahoe region, it’s \u003ca href=\"https://opensnow.com/dailysnow/tahoe/post/44538\">his job to update skiers and snowboarders\u003c/a> about the winter weather. This week, he started \u003ca href=\"https://opensnow.com/dailysnow/tahoe\">posting his weekly forecasts\u003c/a> and said that come opening day at ski resorts in November, he will start posting daily.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>All in all, Allegretto said he is “pretty excited” for the ski season. After all, as OpenSnow’s expert on California and the Lake Tahoe region, it’s \u003ca href=\"https://opensnow.com/dailysnow/tahoe/post/44538\">his job to update skiers and snowboarders\u003c/a> about the winter weather. This week, he started \u003ca href=\"https://opensnow.com/dailysnow/tahoe\">posting his weekly forecasts\u003c/a> and said that come opening day at ski resorts in November, he will start posting daily.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I just hope the storms stay cold enough, the snow levels stay low, and we don’t end up with a bunch of rain,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I just hope the storms stay cold enough, the snow levels stay low, and we don’t end up with a bunch of rain,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Allegretto isn’t the only one hedging. In a \u003ca href=\"https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/atqfkmbd/#Slides_6\">recent earnings call\u003c/a>, Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz told investors that sales of Epic Passes, which give local skiers access to three Lake Tahoe resorts, are 12% down this year. Katz attributed the drop in part to last year’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077367/tahoe-ski-resorts-closing-dates-2026-heavenly-palisades-homewood-closed-weather-snow-forecast-storms\">disappointing snowfall\u003c/a>, which closed many resorts prematurely. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Allegretto isn’t the only one hedging. In a \u003ca href=\"https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/atqfkmbd/#Slides_6\">recent earnings call\u003c/a>, Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz told investors that sales of Epic Passes, which give local skiers access to three Lake Tahoe resorts, are 12% down this year. Katz attributed the drop in part to last year’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077367/tahoe-ski-resorts-closing-dates-2026-heavenly-palisades-homewood-closed-weather-snow-forecast-storms\">disappointing snowfall\u003c/a>, which closed many resorts prematurely. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In general, Allegretto said strong El Niños tend to produce the most snowfall in February and January, calling them “make-or-break months.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In general, Allegretto said strong El Niños tend to produce the most snowfall in February and January, calling them “make-or-break months.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Still, he was careful not to overstate the possibility of a banger ski season.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Still, he was careful not to overstate the possibility of a banger ski season.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I just don’t hype, even if it looks like it’s going to be a decent year,” Allegretto said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I just don’t hype, even if it looks like it’s going to be a decent year,” Allegretto said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He even warned that too much snow could bring different problems for skiers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He even warned that too much snow could bring different problems for skiers. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You don’t want too much snow because then the ski resorts are closed, the highway’s closed,” he said. “I just prefer good storms that are easy to chase.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“You don’t want too much snow because then the ski resorts are closed, the highway’s closed,” he said. “I just prefer good storms that are easy to chase.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You only need shin-deep powder to have fun,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“You only need shin-deep powder to have fun,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Those California ski resort opening dates so far:",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"open\">Those California ski resort opening dates so far:\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"open\">Those California ski resort opening dates so far:\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mammoth Mountain: Nov. 13\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Mammoth Mountain: Nov. 13\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Heavenly Ski Resort: Nov. 20\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Northstar California Resort: Nov. 20\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mount Rose Ski Tahoe: Nov. 20\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Mount Rose Ski Tahoe: Nov. 20\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kirkwood Mountain Resort: Dec. 4\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "One forecaster breaks down the data — without buying into the hype.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Will this ski season be the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096560/el-nino-snow-weather-forecast-sierra-nevada-tahoe-california-ski-pass-winter-2026-2027\">best ever\u003c/a>? Or, with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099961/scientists-warn-this-years-el-nino-can-trigger-unprecedented-flooding\">report\u003c/a> after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097546/el-nino-could-bring-a-wet-wild-winter-how-can-you-and-your-home-be-ready\">report\u003c/a> of a “super El Niño” that will slam the West Coast with rain and snow, will skiers’ expectations pale in comparison to reality?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The answer, OpenSnow forecaster Bryan Allegretto said, is still far from clear. And for him, a big part of this uncertainty is that “we don’t have much data on strong El Niños.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In fact, there have only really been four winters since 1970 to be considered “strong” El Niños, Allegretto said. Of those, half produced above-average snowfall, including the \u003ca href=\"https://www.skimag.com/ski-resort-life/10-deepest-winters-recent-history/\">1982-83 season\u003c/a>, when total snowfall came in at 170% of average. But the other half produced below-average snowfall. And going back to 1950, he sees four of seven “strong” El Niños resulting in big snow years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/TahoeSnowGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12077403\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/TahoeSnowGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/TahoeSnowGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/TahoeSnowGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The ski area at Homewood has closed due to poor snow conditions as viewed on April 14, 2021, in Homewood, California. (George Rose/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“So if you were just going to look historically, there’s no clear signal,” he said. “They haven’t been consistent as far as snowfall.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That said, the two years that did overproduce did so … \u003cem>enormously\u003c/em>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If you were to look at the average … it’s like 138% of average snowfall, but that isn’t fair to the years that are below-average,” he said. “Because there’s so much that can happen in the middle of the year that can affect our weather pattern.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#skiing-winter\">What does all this mean for skiing this winter?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#open\">When are Tahoe ski resorts scheduled to open?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That was the case with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2016/01/01/461693346/ski-resorts-see-slight-thaw-after-chilling-effect-of-climate-change\">2015-16 season\u003c/a>, Allegretto said. There was a similar air of hype around El Niño conditions, but ultimately, the winter’s snowfall was just 97% of average, slightly \u003cem>below \u003c/em>a typical year.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So what does today’s forecast mean for ski season? Allegretto breaks it down below.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is the El Niño forecast saying today?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>First, Allegretto warned that it takes three consecutive months of higher-than-normal ocean surface temperatures before one can even declare an El Niño — let alone a “strong” or “very strong” El Niño.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So far, he said, water temperatures are about 2.2 degrees above average. The 2015-16 season was 2.3 degrees above the average. If we reach 2.5 degrees above normal, he said, that would be a record. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“At the end of September, it was the warmest the water has been at this point in the fall along the equator where they measure,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/SierraSnow2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12033987\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/SierraSnow2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/SierraSnow2-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/SierraSnow2-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/SierraSnow2-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/SierraSnow2-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/SierraSnow2-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sierra snow scene near Lake Tahoe, late December, 2015. (Courtesy Mikee Gildea)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/weather/article/el-nino-rain-california-22465614.php\">Monday’s updated models\u003c/a> showed even more reason to believe it will be an unusually wet winter. But it’s not yet clear if that trend will continue — or what other factors will be in play.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We had a ‘super’ El Niño in 15-16 with below-average snowfall,” he said. “But there were things happening that year in the Atlantic and the Northern Pacific that were messing with the weather pattern. And it was causing most of the storms to go to the north of California and the Pacific Northwest.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What’s tough to know is whether this season’s El Niño pattern will be the most prevailing, or if other weather systems in January or February will interfere. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In theory, Allegretto said, this year’s El Niño “should be the most dominant factor.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, he said he is only “cautiously optimistic.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think we will see above average snow and rain,” he said. “But am I willing to say that we’re going to get a year like 1982-83?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“No,” he said. “Only very risky people say those kinds of things.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"skiing-winter\">What does all this mean for skiing this winter?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>All in all, Allegretto said he is “pretty excited” for the ski season. After all, as OpenSnow’s expert on California and the Lake Tahoe region, it’s \u003ca href=\"https://opensnow.com/dailysnow/tahoe/post/44538\">his job to update skiers and snowboarders\u003c/a> about the winter weather. This week, he started \u003ca href=\"https://opensnow.com/dailysnow/tahoe\">posting his weekly forecasts\u003c/a> and said that come opening day at ski resorts in November, he will start posting daily.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I just hope the storms stay cold enough, the snow levels stay low, and we don’t end up with a bunch of rain,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Allegretto isn’t the only one hedging. In a \u003ca href=\"https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/atqfkmbd/#Slides_6\">recent earnings call\u003c/a>, Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz told investors that sales of Epic Passes, which give local skiers access to three Lake Tahoe resorts, are 12% down this year. Katz attributed the drop in part to last year’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077367/tahoe-ski-resorts-closing-dates-2026-heavenly-palisades-homewood-closed-weather-snow-forecast-storms\">disappointing snowfall\u003c/a>, which closed many resorts prematurely. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In general, Allegretto said strong El Niños tend to produce the most snowfall in February and January, calling them “make-or-break months.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, he was careful not to overstate the possibility of a banger ski season.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I just don’t hype, even if it looks like it’s going to be a decent year,” Allegretto said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He even warned that too much snow could bring different problems for skiers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You don’t want too much snow because then the ski resorts are closed, the highway’s closed,” he said. “I just prefer good storms that are easy to chase.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You only need shin-deep powder to have fun,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"open\">Those California ski resort opening dates so far:\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mammoth Mountain: Nov. 13\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Heavenly Ski Resort: Nov. 20\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Northstar California Resort: Nov. 20\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mount Rose Ski Tahoe: Nov. 20\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Palisades Tahoe: Nov. 25\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kirkwood Mountain Resort: Dec. 4\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "newsom-signs-coal-terminal-law-as-oakland-wins-key-court-fight",
"title": "Newsom Signs Coal Terminal Law as Oakland Wins Key Court Fight",
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"headTitle": "Newsom Signs Coal Terminal Law as Oakland Wins Key Court Fight | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>A controversial \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101914067/trump-administration-shovels-75-million-into-controversial-oakland-coal-terminal\">proposed coal terminal\u003c/a> in West Oakland was dealt two major blows this week, presenting new obstacles for the Trump administration-backed project.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, a Kentucky federal court threw out a $1 billion lawsuit against Oakland from one of the developers behind the proposed export facility. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The company in that case, Insight Terminal Solutions, argued that the city interfered with its plans to build a facility that would process millions of tons of coal, leading to the company’s bankruptcy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That same day, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 40 into law, which requires that developers prepare an environmental impact report before building a large-volume bulk coal facility. The law applies to any such new facility in the state but its author, Oakland Assemblymember Mia Bonta, designed the bill to apply to the so-called West Gateway Terminal project. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12084670\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks about his state budget proposal on Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Sacramento, California. Newsom signed AB 40 into law this week, which requires developers prepare an environmental impact report before building a large-volume bulk coal facility. (Jeff Chiu/AP)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If approved, more than 13 million tons of coal per year would be shipped overseas from the facility and stored in the open, according to a recent \u003ca href=\"https://ruic.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Port-Study-RUIC-Bulk-Commodity-Ocean-Terminals-Study.pdf\">report\u003c/a> prepared for investors. After lawsuits from the city of Oakland bogged the project down for decades, the Trump administration announced a $75 million investment into the project in June. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The project, which would be built on part of the former Oakland Army Base, is being pushed by developer Oakland Bulk Oversized Terminal, and formerly by Kentucky-based ITS, which was contracted to ship the coal out of the terminal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After a years-long legal battle with the city, OBOT succeeded through appeals last year and is still moving forward with the project. But the court drama didn’t end there. In 2025, a Kentucky bankruptcy judge found that Oakland \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/us/oakland-coal-port-budget-bankruptcy.html#commentsContainer\">burdened\u003c/a> ITS, and could owe the company between $230 and $654 million. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Kicked from Kentucky court \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a higher court, however, ITS’s case ran into challenges. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In his decision Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Benjamin Beaton said he chose to abstain from the case because it likely belonged in a California court instead, and vacated the 2025 bankruptcy ruling. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ITS’s decision to file an adversary proceeding in bankruptcy court in Kentucky, rather than to sue in the California courts, carries at least a whiff of forum shopping,” Beaton wrote. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1306\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12087608\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty-1536x1003.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A train loaded with coal approaches the Levin-Richmond Terminal in Richmond, California, on July 23, 2015. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The City of Oakland maintained from the start that this case was improper and should be dismissed,” the Oakland city attorney’s office said in a statement. “The district court agreed, and we’re pleased with the result.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Had Oakland been forced to pay ITS, it also could have also pushed the city to bankruptcy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is wonderful news for Oakland, and I think it takes the sword off of their neck,” said Ben Eichenberg, a senior staff attorney for pollution watchdog group San Francisco Baykeeper. “It’s my hope that what this means is that the city feels it can once again take a stand representing the majority of people in Oakland who do not want this terminal.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">New roadblocks and concerns \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Though the coal would not be burned in Oakland, residents and environmental justice advocates worry that coal dust from uncovered trains blowing through the city could \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11749299/asthma-rates-higher-in-californias-historically-redlined-communities-new-study-finds\">add to existing health burdens\u003c/a>. Parts of West and East Oakland already suffer from some of the highest asthma-related emergency room visits and hospitalization \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/air-pollution-and-health-risks_oakland-060418-pdf.pdf?la=en\">rates\u003c/a> in the country due to pollution from highways and industrial operations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bonta’s Community First Coal Review Act specifically addresses West Oakland’s environmental justice concerns. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“West Oakland residents are predominantly people of color, and the life expectancy for an African American child born and raised in West Oakland is at least 15 years fewer than for a white child born and raised in wealthier Oakland neighborhoods,” reads part of the legislation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Local advocates who have been opposing the development for years applauded the governor’s signing of AB 40. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This clears the way for a very comprehensive examination of the environmental impacts and requirements for mitigating all of those impacts,” Ted Franklin, an organizer with No Coal in Oakland said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A 2023 \u003ca href=\"https://www.ucdavis.edu/climate/news/coal-trains-increase-air-pollution-san-francisco-bay-area\">study\u003c/a> by UC Davis researchers looked at trains carrying coal on the way to a terminal in Richmond and found that the transportation, handling and storage of coal all significantly increase community exposure to PM 2.5, or fine particulate matter. Exposure to fine particulate matter can \u003ca href=\"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4740125/\">cause\u003c/a> asthma and respiratory inflammation, jeopardize lung functions and even promote cancers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The adverse effects are borne disproportionately by the most vulnerable, including infants, children and the elderly, people of color, those with low incomes, and those with underlying health conditions,” the study’s authors wrote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Advocates have repeatedly raised those concerns despite assurances from developers that they would make a state-of-the-art facility to minimize health impacts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At least some of the concerns were validated by the \u003ca href=\"https://ruic.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Port-Study-RUIC-Bulk-Commodity-Ocean-Terminals-Study.pdf\">recent\u003c/a> investor report, which contained a surprising revelation: that the coal would be stored in “open-air bunkers.” That appeared to contradict previous assurances from developers that they would store the coal in covered silos to minimize the spread of toxic dust. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In this incredibly windy area we live in, all that coal is gonna get blown all around and really impact the community,” Eichenberg said “And the developer had promised to have a state-of-the-art facility with everything covered. So we’re deeply disappointed that these kinds of impacts are being imposed on the community.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That same day, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 40 into law, which requires that developers prepare an environmental impact report before building a large-volume bulk coal facility. The law applies to any such new facility in the state but its author, Oakland Assemblymember Mia Bonta, designed the bill to apply to the so-called West Gateway Terminal project. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12084670\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks about his state budget proposal on Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Sacramento, California. Newsom signed AB 40 into law this week, which requires developers prepare an environmental impact report before building a large-volume bulk coal facility.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Jeff Chiu/AP)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12084670\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks about his state budget proposal on Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Sacramento, California. Newsom signed AB 40 into law this week, which requires developers prepare an environmental impact report before building a large-volume bulk coal facility.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Jeff Chiu/AP)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If approved, more than 13 million tons of coal per year would be shipped overseas from the facility and stored in the open, according to a recent \u003ca href=\"https://ruic.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Port-Study-RUIC-Bulk-Commodity-Ocean-Terminals-Study.pdf\">report\u003c/a> prepared for investors. After lawsuits from the city of Oakland bogged the project down for decades, the Trump administration announced a $75 million investment into the project in June. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If approved, more than 13 million tons of coal per year would be shipped overseas from the facility and stored in the open, according to a recent \u003ca href=\"https://ruic.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Port-Study-RUIC-Bulk-Commodity-Ocean-Terminals-Study.pdf\">report\u003c/a> prepared for investors. After lawsuits from the city of Oakland bogged the project down for decades, the Trump administration announced a $75 million investment into the project in June. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The project, which would be built on part of the former Oakland Army Base, is being pushed by developer Oakland Bulk Oversized Terminal, and formerly by Kentucky-based ITS, which was contracted to ship the coal out of the terminal. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The project, which would be built on part of the former Oakland Army Base, is being pushed by developer Oakland Bulk Oversized Terminal, and formerly by Kentucky-based ITS, which was contracted to ship the coal out of the terminal. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After a years-long legal battle with the city, OBOT succeeded through appeals last year and is still moving forward with the project. But the court drama didn’t end there. In 2025, a Kentucky bankruptcy judge found that Oakland \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/us/oakland-coal-port-budget-bankruptcy.html#commentsContainer\">burdened\u003c/a> ITS, and could owe the company between $230 and $654 million. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>After a years-long legal battle with the city, OBOT succeeded through appeals last year and is still moving forward with the project. But the court drama didn’t end there. In 2025, a Kentucky bankruptcy judge found that Oakland \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/us/oakland-coal-port-budget-bankruptcy.html#commentsContainer\">burdened\u003c/a> ITS, and could owe the company between $230 and $654 million. \u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Kicked from Kentucky court ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a higher court, however, ITS’s case ran into challenges. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In his decision Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Benjamin Beaton said he chose to abstain from the case because it likely belonged in a California court instead, and vacated the 2025 bankruptcy ruling. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In his decision Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Benjamin Beaton said he chose to abstain from the case because it likely belonged in a California court instead, and vacated the 2025 bankruptcy ruling. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ITS’s decision to file an adversary proceeding in bankruptcy court in Kentucky, rather than to sue in the California courts, carries at least a whiff of forum shopping,” Beaton wrote. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ITS’s decision to file an adversary proceeding in bankruptcy court in Kentucky, rather than to sue in the California courts, carries at least a whiff of forum shopping,” Beaton wrote. \u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty-1536x1003.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12087608\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty-1536x1003.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A train loaded with coal approaches the Levin-Richmond Terminal in Richmond, California, on July 23, 2015. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12087608\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A train loaded with coal approaches the Levin-Richmond Terminal in Richmond, California, on July 23, 2015. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The City of Oakland maintained from the start that this case was improper and should be dismissed,” the Oakland city attorney’s office said in a statement. “The district court agreed, and we’re pleased with the result.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The City of Oakland maintained from the start that this case was improper and should be dismissed,” the Oakland city attorney’s office said in a statement. “The district court agreed, and we’re pleased with the result.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Had Oakland been forced to pay ITS, it also could have also pushed the city to bankruptcy. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is wonderful news for Oakland, and I think it takes the sword off of their neck,” said Ben Eichenberg, a senior staff attorney for pollution watchdog group San Francisco Baykeeper. “It’s my hope that what this means is that the city feels it can once again take a stand representing the majority of people in Oakland who do not want this terminal.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This is wonderful news for Oakland, and I think it takes the sword off of their neck,” said Ben Eichenberg, a senior staff attorney for pollution watchdog group San Francisco Baykeeper. “It’s my hope that what this means is that the city feels it can once again take a stand representing the majority of people in Oakland who do not want this terminal.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Though the coal would not be burned in Oakland, residents and environmental justice advocates worry that coal dust from uncovered trains blowing through the city could \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11749299/asthma-rates-higher-in-californias-historically-redlined-communities-new-study-finds\">add to existing health burdens\u003c/a>. Parts of West and East Oakland already suffer from some of the highest asthma-related emergency room visits and hospitalization \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/air-pollution-and-health-risks_oakland-060418-pdf.pdf?la=en\">rates\u003c/a> in the country due to pollution from highways and industrial operations.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Though the coal would not be burned in Oakland, residents and environmental justice advocates worry that coal dust from uncovered trains blowing through the city could \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11749299/asthma-rates-higher-in-californias-historically-redlined-communities-new-study-finds\">add to existing health burdens\u003c/a>. Parts of West and East Oakland already suffer from some of the highest asthma-related emergency room visits and hospitalization \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/air-pollution-and-health-risks_oakland-060418-pdf.pdf?la=en\">rates\u003c/a> in the country due to pollution from highways and industrial operations.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bonta’s Community First Coal Review Act specifically addresses West Oakland’s environmental justice concerns. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“West Oakland residents are predominantly people of color, and the life expectancy for an African American child born and raised in West Oakland is at least 15 years fewer than for a white child born and raised in wealthier Oakland neighborhoods,” reads part of the legislation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“West Oakland residents are predominantly people of color, and the life expectancy for an African American child born and raised in West Oakland is at least 15 years fewer than for a white child born and raised in wealthier Oakland neighborhoods,” reads part of the legislation. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Local advocates who have been opposing the development for years applauded the governor’s signing of AB 40. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This clears the way for a very comprehensive examination of the environmental impacts and requirements for mitigating all of those impacts,” Ted Franklin, an organizer with No Coal in Oakland said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This clears the way for a very comprehensive examination of the environmental impacts and requirements for mitigating all of those impacts,” Ted Franklin, an organizer with No Coal in Oakland said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A 2023 \u003ca href=\"https://www.ucdavis.edu/climate/news/coal-trains-increase-air-pollution-san-francisco-bay-area\">study\u003c/a> by UC Davis researchers looked at trains carrying coal on the way to a terminal in Richmond and found that the transportation, handling and storage of coal all significantly increase community exposure to PM 2.5, or fine particulate matter. Exposure to fine particulate matter can \u003ca href=\"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4740125/\">cause\u003c/a> asthma and respiratory inflammation, jeopardize lung functions and even promote cancers.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A 2023 \u003ca href=\"https://www.ucdavis.edu/climate/news/coal-trains-increase-air-pollution-san-francisco-bay-area\">study\u003c/a> by UC Davis researchers looked at trains carrying coal on the way to a terminal in Richmond and found that the transportation, handling and storage of coal all significantly increase community exposure to PM 2.5, or fine particulate matter. Exposure to fine particulate matter can \u003ca href=\"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4740125/\">cause\u003c/a> asthma and respiratory inflammation, jeopardize lung functions and even promote cancers.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The adverse effects are borne disproportionately by the most vulnerable, including infants, children and the elderly, people of color, those with low incomes, and those with underlying health conditions,” the study’s authors wrote.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The adverse effects are borne disproportionately by the most vulnerable, including infants, children and the elderly, people of color, those with low incomes, and those with underlying health conditions,” the study’s authors wrote.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Advocates have repeatedly raised those concerns despite assurances from developers that they would make a state-of-the-art facility to minimize health impacts.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Advocates have repeatedly raised those concerns despite assurances from developers that they would make a state-of-the-art facility to minimize health impacts.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At least some of the concerns were validated by the \u003ca href=\"https://ruic.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Port-Study-RUIC-Bulk-Commodity-Ocean-Terminals-Study.pdf\">recent\u003c/a> investor report, which contained a surprising revelation: that the coal would be stored in “open-air bunkers.” That appeared to contradict previous assurances from developers that they would store the coal in covered silos to minimize the spread of toxic dust. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“In this incredibly windy area we live in, all that coal is gonna get blown all around and really impact the community,” Eichenberg said “And the developer had promised to have a state-of-the-art facility with everything covered. So we’re deeply disappointed that these kinds of impacts are being imposed on the community.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The developer must now contend with environmental review red tape, as concerns grow over coal dust and health risks.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>A controversial \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101914067/trump-administration-shovels-75-million-into-controversial-oakland-coal-terminal\">proposed coal terminal\u003c/a> in West Oakland was dealt two major blows this week, presenting new obstacles for the Trump administration-backed project.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, a Kentucky federal court threw out a $1 billion lawsuit against Oakland from one of the developers behind the proposed export facility. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The company in that case, Insight Terminal Solutions, argued that the city interfered with its plans to build a facility that would process millions of tons of coal, leading to the company’s bankruptcy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That same day, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 40 into law, which requires that developers prepare an environmental impact report before building a large-volume bulk coal facility. The law applies to any such new facility in the state but its author, Oakland Assemblymember Mia Bonta, designed the bill to apply to the so-called West Gateway Terminal project. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12084670\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GavinNewsomAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks about his state budget proposal on Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Sacramento, California. Newsom signed AB 40 into law this week, which requires developers prepare an environmental impact report before building a large-volume bulk coal facility. (Jeff Chiu/AP)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If approved, more than 13 million tons of coal per year would be shipped overseas from the facility and stored in the open, according to a recent \u003ca href=\"https://ruic.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Port-Study-RUIC-Bulk-Commodity-Ocean-Terminals-Study.pdf\">report\u003c/a> prepared for investors. After lawsuits from the city of Oakland bogged the project down for decades, the Trump administration announced a $75 million investment into the project in June. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The project, which would be built on part of the former Oakland Army Base, is being pushed by developer Oakland Bulk Oversized Terminal, and formerly by Kentucky-based ITS, which was contracted to ship the coal out of the terminal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After a years-long legal battle with the city, OBOT succeeded through appeals last year and is still moving forward with the project. But the court drama didn’t end there. In 2025, a Kentucky bankruptcy judge found that Oakland \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/us/oakland-coal-port-budget-bankruptcy.html#commentsContainer\">burdened\u003c/a> ITS, and could owe the company between $230 and $654 million. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Kicked from Kentucky court \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a higher court, however, ITS’s case ran into challenges. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In his decision Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Benjamin Beaton said he chose to abstain from the case because it likely belonged in a California court instead, and vacated the 2025 bankruptcy ruling. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ITS’s decision to file an adversary proceeding in bankruptcy court in Kentucky, rather than to sue in the California courts, carries at least a whiff of forum shopping,” Beaton wrote. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1306\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12087608\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CoalOaklandGetty-1536x1003.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A train loaded with coal approaches the Levin-Richmond Terminal in Richmond, California, on July 23, 2015. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The City of Oakland maintained from the start that this case was improper and should be dismissed,” the Oakland city attorney’s office said in a statement. “The district court agreed, and we’re pleased with the result.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Had Oakland been forced to pay ITS, it also could have also pushed the city to bankruptcy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is wonderful news for Oakland, and I think it takes the sword off of their neck,” said Ben Eichenberg, a senior staff attorney for pollution watchdog group San Francisco Baykeeper. “It’s my hope that what this means is that the city feels it can once again take a stand representing the majority of people in Oakland who do not want this terminal.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">New roadblocks and concerns \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Though the coal would not be burned in Oakland, residents and environmental justice advocates worry that coal dust from uncovered trains blowing through the city could \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11749299/asthma-rates-higher-in-californias-historically-redlined-communities-new-study-finds\">add to existing health burdens\u003c/a>. Parts of West and East Oakland already suffer from some of the highest asthma-related emergency room visits and hospitalization \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/air-pollution-and-health-risks_oakland-060418-pdf.pdf?la=en\">rates\u003c/a> in the country due to pollution from highways and industrial operations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bonta’s Community First Coal Review Act specifically addresses West Oakland’s environmental justice concerns. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“West Oakland residents are predominantly people of color, and the life expectancy for an African American child born and raised in West Oakland is at least 15 years fewer than for a white child born and raised in wealthier Oakland neighborhoods,” reads part of the legislation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Local advocates who have been opposing the development for years applauded the governor’s signing of AB 40. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This clears the way for a very comprehensive examination of the environmental impacts and requirements for mitigating all of those impacts,” Ted Franklin, an organizer with No Coal in Oakland said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A 2023 \u003ca href=\"https://www.ucdavis.edu/climate/news/coal-trains-increase-air-pollution-san-francisco-bay-area\">study\u003c/a> by UC Davis researchers looked at trains carrying coal on the way to a terminal in Richmond and found that the transportation, handling and storage of coal all significantly increase community exposure to PM 2.5, or fine particulate matter. Exposure to fine particulate matter can \u003ca href=\"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4740125/\">cause\u003c/a> asthma and respiratory inflammation, jeopardize lung functions and even promote cancers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The adverse effects are borne disproportionately by the most vulnerable, including infants, children and the elderly, people of color, those with low incomes, and those with underlying health conditions,” the study’s authors wrote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Advocates have repeatedly raised those concerns despite assurances from developers that they would make a state-of-the-art facility to minimize health impacts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At least some of the concerns were validated by the \u003ca href=\"https://ruic.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Port-Study-RUIC-Bulk-Commodity-Ocean-Terminals-Study.pdf\">recent\u003c/a> investor report, which contained a surprising revelation: that the coal would be stored in “open-air bunkers.” That appeared to contradict previous assurances from developers that they would store the coal in covered silos to minimize the spread of toxic dust. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In this incredibly windy area we live in, all that coal is gonna get blown all around and really impact the community,” Eichenberg said “And the developer had promised to have a state-of-the-art facility with everything covered. So we’re deeply disappointed that these kinds of impacts are being imposed on the community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "summer-is-over-but-the-bay-areas-heat-is-just-getting-started",
"title": "Summer Is Over, but the Bay Area’s Heat Is Just Getting Started",
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"headTitle": "Summer Is Over, but the Bay Area’s Heat Is Just Getting Started | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Summer isn’t over yet — not if the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area-weather\">Bay Area\u003c/a> weather forecast has anything to say about it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Beginning Tuesday, temperatures in the region are expected to surpass seasonal averages, hitting the mid-80s and 90s inland and the 70s in San Francisco and Oakland. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Those highs are likely to last, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Dial Hoang, who said that as of now, there’s no end in sight. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It does look like we will see temperatures above the seasonal averages into the middle of October,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-3_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101801\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-3_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-3_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-3_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People set up tents to stay out of the sun at Dolores Park in San Francisco’s Mission District on Sept. 9, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12101802\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-6_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101802\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-6_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-6_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-6_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A parkgoer buys a fruit cup at Dolores Park in San Francisco’s Mission District on Sept. 9, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12098992\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-13_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098992\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-13_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-13_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-13_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People lay in the shade at Dolores Park in San Francisco’s Mission District on Sept. 9, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to Hoang, San Francisco could see its first stretch of 10 consecutive 70-degree days in October since 2015 — when the sunny weather lasted for 12 days. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As usual, it will get warmer further north and south from San Francisco and Oakland, with forecasts in the low 90s in San Jose and high 80s in Novato through Monday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hoang said longer-term, temperatures could soar even higher, possibly reaching triple digits, depending on whether the incoming high-pressure system strengthens by mid-next week. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-25_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098993\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-25_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-25_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-25_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People congregate at Crissy Field Beach in San Francisco on Sept. 9, 2026. Temperatures reached over 90 degrees in parts of San Francisco on Wednesday. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Hotter parts of San Francisco, like the Mission District, could reach the low 80s by mid-October, but the majority of the city will most likely remain in the 70s. The Pacific Coast will stay fairly cool, with highs in the 60s and low 70s. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The warm-up comes just in time for San Francisco’s premier fall festivities — this weekend’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100723/hardly-strictly-2026-this-weekends-lineup-schedule-parking-maps-and-bag-policy\">Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival\u003c/a> at Golden Gate Park and Fleet Week, which will return in full force on Oct. 4, after a government shutdown last fall \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058113/government-shutdown-could-stop-blue-angels-from-flying-in-sf-fleet-week\">grounded the Blue Angels\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hoang said that during this stretch, people should be sure to seek out shade and drink plenty of water, especially if they are prone to heat sensitivity. Fire risk will also be heightened, though meteorologists don’t anticipate any high winds, which could otherwise exacerbate fire spread.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Beginning Tuesday, temperatures in the region are expected to surpass seasonal averages, hitting the mid-80s and 90s inland and the 70s in San Francisco and Oakland. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Those highs are likely to last, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Dial Hoang, who said that as of now, there’s no end in sight. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to Hoang, San Francisco could see its first stretch of 10 consecutive 70-degree days in October since 2015 — when the sunny weather lasted for 12 days. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As usual, it will get warmer further north and south from San Francisco and Oakland, with forecasts in the low 90s in San Jose and high 80s in Novato through Monday. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-25_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098993\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-25_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-25_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-25_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People congregate at Crissy Field Beach in San Francisco on Sept. 9, 2026. Temperatures reached over 90 degrees in parts of San Francisco on Wednesday.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-25_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098993\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People congregate at Crissy Field Beach in San Francisco on Sept. 9, 2026. Temperatures reached over 90 degrees in parts of San Francisco on Wednesday.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hotter parts of San Francisco, like the Mission District, could reach the low 80s by mid-October, but the majority of the city will most likely remain in the 70s. The Pacific Coast will stay fairly cool, with highs in the 60s and low 70s. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Hotter parts of San Francisco, like the Mission District, could reach the low 80s by mid-October, but the majority of the city will most likely remain in the 70s. The Pacific Coast will stay fairly cool, with highs in the 60s and low 70s. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The warm-up comes just in time for San Francisco’s premier fall festivities — this weekend’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100723/hardly-strictly-2026-this-weekends-lineup-schedule-parking-maps-and-bag-policy\">Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival\u003c/a> at Golden Gate Park and Fleet Week, which will return in full force on Oct. 4, after a government shutdown last fall \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058113/government-shutdown-could-stop-blue-angels-from-flying-in-sf-fleet-week\">grounded the Blue Angels\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The warm-up comes just in time for San Francisco’s premier fall festivities — this weekend’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100723/hardly-strictly-2026-this-weekends-lineup-schedule-parking-maps-and-bag-policy\">Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival\u003c/a> at Golden Gate Park and Fleet Week, which will return in full force on Oct. 4, after a government shutdown last fall \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058113/government-shutdown-could-stop-blue-angels-from-flying-in-sf-fleet-week\">grounded the Blue Angels\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hoang said that during this stretch, people should be sure to seek out shade and drink plenty of water, especially if they are prone to heat sensitivity. Fire risk will also be heightened, though meteorologists don’t anticipate any high winds, which could otherwise exacerbate fire spread.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Hoang said that during this stretch, people should be sure to seek out shade and drink plenty of water, especially if they are prone to heat sensitivity. Fire risk will also be heightened, though meteorologists don’t anticipate any high winds, which could otherwise exacerbate fire spread.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "The Bay Area hasn’t seen a 10-day consecutive stretch of 70-degree days since October 2015.",
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"title": "Summer Is Over, but the Bay Area’s Heat Is Just Getting Started | KQED",
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"headline": "Summer Is Over, but the Bay Area’s Heat Is Just Getting Started",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Summer isn’t over yet — not if the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area-weather\">Bay Area\u003c/a> weather forecast has anything to say about it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Beginning Tuesday, temperatures in the region are expected to surpass seasonal averages, hitting the mid-80s and 90s inland and the 70s in San Francisco and Oakland. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Those highs are likely to last, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Dial Hoang, who said that as of now, there’s no end in sight. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It does look like we will see temperatures above the seasonal averages into the middle of October,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-3_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101801\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-3_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-3_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-3_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People set up tents to stay out of the sun at Dolores Park in San Francisco’s Mission District on Sept. 9, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12101802\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-6_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101802\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-6_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-6_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-6_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A parkgoer buys a fruit cup at Dolores Park in San Francisco’s Mission District on Sept. 9, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12098992\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-13_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098992\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-13_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-13_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-13_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People lay in the shade at Dolores Park in San Francisco’s Mission District on Sept. 9, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to Hoang, San Francisco could see its first stretch of 10 consecutive 70-degree days in October since 2015 — when the sunny weather lasted for 12 days. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As usual, it will get warmer further north and south from San Francisco and Oakland, with forecasts in the low 90s in San Jose and high 80s in Novato through Monday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hoang said longer-term, temperatures could soar even higher, possibly reaching triple digits, depending on whether the incoming high-pressure system strengthens by mid-next week. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-25_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098993\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-25_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-25_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-25_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People congregate at Crissy Field Beach in San Francisco on Sept. 9, 2026. Temperatures reached over 90 degrees in parts of San Francisco on Wednesday. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Hotter parts of San Francisco, like the Mission District, could reach the low 80s by mid-October, but the majority of the city will most likely remain in the 70s. The Pacific Coast will stay fairly cool, with highs in the 60s and low 70s. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The warm-up comes just in time for San Francisco’s premier fall festivities — this weekend’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100723/hardly-strictly-2026-this-weekends-lineup-schedule-parking-maps-and-bag-policy\">Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival\u003c/a> at Golden Gate Park and Fleet Week, which will return in full force on Oct. 4, after a government shutdown last fall \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058113/government-shutdown-could-stop-blue-angels-from-flying-in-sf-fleet-week\">grounded the Blue Angels\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hoang said that during this stretch, people should be sure to seek out shade and drink plenty of water, especially if they are prone to heat sensitivity. Fire risk will also be heightened, though meteorologists don’t anticipate any high winds, which could otherwise exacerbate fire spread.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "air-district-reconsidering-prescribed-burns-following-smoky-skies",
"title": "Bay Area Air District Reconsiders Permit Process for Prescribed Burns",
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"headTitle": "Bay Area Air District Reconsiders Permit Process for Prescribed Burns | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>After a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100934/angel-island-prescribed-burn-to-resume-this-week\">controlled burn on Angel Island\u003c/a> this week sent smoke into residential areas across the Bay Area — and pushed air quality along the Richmond coast above 400 on the Air Quality Index — regulators said they’re now considering changing how permits are issued for future prescribed fires.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The saga began with a planned burn of 260 acres of the state park on Sept. 8. That attempt, however, was called off the following day, after discussions with the Bay Area Air District and complaints about smoke.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In planning a second attempt on Sept. 23 with California State Parks and Cal Fire, Andrea Polidori, deputy executive officer of science with the Bay Area Air District, said his staff reviewed weather conditions, multiple forecasts and lessons learned the first time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our meteorologists looked at conditions that are expected to minimize smoke impact in the community,” Polidori said. “The forecast on that day indicated conditions favorable for smoke to rise and disperse into the atmosphere.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101359\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Smoke from a prescribed burn on Angel Island lingers along the coast of Point Richmond on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. Further burns have been put on hold for the remainder of the year due to air quality concerns. (Brian Krans/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, the prescribed burn on Angel Island had to be called off early for a second time, after smoke from the fires dramatically impacted air quality for residents nearby. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wednesday began as an atypically windless early fall morning on the Bay, which was remarkably still. Fire crews \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=31756\">started burning at 10 a.m\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the wind shifted by the early afternoon, sending plumes of smoke to San Francisco and West Contra Costa County — the latter of which already has \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/richmond/richmondsanpabloairmonitoringplanjuly2020-pdf.pdf?la=en\">high rates of asthma\u003c/a> due to chronic air pollution from the fossil fuel and other industries. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They were wrong, and all of us were negatively impacted,” John Gioia, a Contra Costa County supervisor and member of the air district’s board, said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Ddpgg6Ky9pa/\">post on Instagram\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Notifications on air quality apps in Richmond glowed purple and showed an avatar wearing a respiratory mask. Even a few minutes in the air without a mask left this reporter with burning nostrils and a stinging headache. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>From atop the hills of Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline — known for its clear, panoramic views of the Bay — smoke blocked the view of Angel Island. By 2 p.m., Gioia \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/supejohngioia/status/2102879544432885913\">posted\u003c/a> that the Air District had called off the burn for the day and the rest of the year due to worsening air conditions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District said it received one complaint of someone with asthma needing to seek medical care due to the smoke. Polidori said the task was to minimize the impact of smoke to the community using information from weather forecasts and models.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Of course, these models are not perfect. There is always a kind of a level of uncertainty, and so we made the best decision with what we had, and, unfortunately, the wind shifted,” Polidori said. “What was difficult to forecast and predict was the ground concentration of fine particulate matter from the smoke, and so the impact was more than we predicted.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101358\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Smoke from a prescribed burn on Angel Island lingers along the coast of Point Richmond on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. Further burns have been put on hold for the remainder of the year due to air quality concerns. (Brian Krans/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Smoke lingered over west Contra Costa County until the early evening hours. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gioia said he \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Ddpgg6Ky9pa/\">plans\u003c/a> to bring up the controlled burn permit review process at the air district’s Oct. 7 board \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/en/about-the-air-district/board-of-directors/resolutionsagendasminutes?event=c93d0b10-f389-42cb-8535-4a8c3cae892d\">meeting\u003c/a> in San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prescribed burns are an important part of forest management because they prevent larger, uncontrolled wildfires from being more destructive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fire experts say controlled burns can only be safely done during small windows of time, while taking into consideration factors like weather conditions and predicted smoke movement, among other things. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ryan Forbes, a spokesperson for the State Parks Department, said that though the wind shifting pushed the smoke into residential areas, it was still a better scenario than if the smoke came from a wildfire because firefighters were already on the ground and had much greater control of when the fire started and ended. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We don’t want to diminish in any way the impacts that can happen, particularly to those in sensitive groups, and that’s another big reason … to do it as a prescribed burn,” he said. “It makes it able for people to hopefully plan around this and try and mitigate those smoke impacts to themselves, as opposed with a wildfire, where we’re not going to get much notice.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100944\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fire crews start a prescribed burn on Angel Island on Sept. 8. State Parks burned 62 acres but did not finish, following discussions with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District on the island. (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Forbes said that crews were able to burn 147 of the 260 acres they planned. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That could help lessen damage from a future wildfire, which requires fire equipment and personnel from off the island, which Forbes said is no simple task.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The thing with Angel Island that makes that so scary is there’s really only one landing craft in the Bay capable of moving fire trucks onto the island,” Forbes said. “In the event that we have to respond to a fire on the island, getting resources over to stop it is a very potentially concerning task because you can only move so quickly.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Polidori apologized for any impact the smoke had on the community. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“As public servants, our role and our duty is to protect the health of the community that we serve,” he said. “This is definitely an opportunity for us to go back, reassess the process, reassess the situation, and really try to do better next time.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The saga began with a planned burn of 260 acres of the state park on Sept. 8. That attempt, however, was called off the following day, after discussions with the Bay Area Air District and complaints about smoke.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The saga began with a planned burn of 260 acres of the state park on Sept. 8. That attempt, however, was called off the following day, after discussions with the Bay Area Air District and complaints about smoke.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In planning a second attempt on Sept. 23 with California State Parks and Cal Fire, Andrea Polidori, deputy executive officer of science with the Bay Area Air District, said his staff reviewed weather conditions, multiple forecasts and lessons learned the first time. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In planning a second attempt on Sept. 23 with California State Parks and Cal Fire, Andrea Polidori, deputy executive officer of science with the Bay Area Air District, said his staff reviewed weather conditions, multiple forecasts and lessons learned the first time. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Our meteorologists looked at conditions that are expected to minimize smoke impact in the community,” Polidori said. “The forecast on that day indicated conditions favorable for smoke to rise and disperse into the atmosphere.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Our meteorologists looked at conditions that are expected to minimize smoke impact in the community,” Polidori said. “The forecast on that day indicated conditions favorable for smoke to rise and disperse into the atmosphere.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101359\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Smoke from a prescribed burn on Angel Island lingers along the coast of Point Richmond on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. Further burns have been put on hold for the remainder of the year due to air quality concerns.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Brian Krans/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101359\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Smoke from a prescribed burn on Angel Island lingers along the coast of Point Richmond on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. Further burns have been put on hold for the remainder of the year due to air quality concerns.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Brian Krans/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Instead, the prescribed burn on Angel Island had to be called off early for a second time, after smoke from the fires dramatically impacted air quality for residents nearby. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Wednesday began as an atypically windless early fall morning on the Bay, which was remarkably still. Fire crews \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=31756\">started burning at 10 a.m\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Wednesday began as an atypically windless early fall morning on the Bay, which was remarkably still. Fire crews \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=31756\">started burning at 10 a.m\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the wind shifted by the early afternoon, sending plumes of smoke to San Francisco and West Contra Costa County — the latter of which already has \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/richmond/richmondsanpabloairmonitoringplanjuly2020-pdf.pdf?la=en\">high rates of asthma\u003c/a> due to chronic air pollution from the fossil fuel and other industries. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But the wind shifted by the early afternoon, sending plumes of smoke to San Francisco and West Contra Costa County — the latter of which already has \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/richmond/richmondsanpabloairmonitoringplanjuly2020-pdf.pdf?la=en\">high rates of asthma\u003c/a> due to chronic air pollution from the fossil fuel and other industries. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They were wrong, and all of us were negatively impacted,” John Gioia, a Contra Costa County supervisor and member of the air district’s board, said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Ddpgg6Ky9pa/\">post on Instagram\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“They were wrong, and all of us were negatively impacted,” John Gioia, a Contra Costa County supervisor and member of the air district’s board, said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Ddpgg6Ky9pa/\">post on Instagram\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Notifications on air quality apps in Richmond glowed purple and showed an avatar wearing a respiratory mask. Even a few minutes in the air without a mask left this reporter with burning nostrils and a stinging headache. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Notifications on air quality apps in Richmond glowed purple and showed an avatar wearing a respiratory mask. Even a few minutes in the air without a mask left this reporter with burning nostrils and a stinging headache. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>From atop the hills of Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline — known for its clear, panoramic views of the Bay — smoke blocked the view of Angel Island. By 2 p.m., Gioia \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/supejohngioia/status/2102879544432885913\">posted\u003c/a> that the Air District had called off the burn for the day and the rest of the year due to worsening air conditions. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>From atop the hills of Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline — known for its clear, panoramic views of the Bay — smoke blocked the view of Angel Island. By 2 p.m., Gioia \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/supejohngioia/status/2102879544432885913\">posted\u003c/a> that the Air District had called off the burn for the day and the rest of the year due to worsening air conditions. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Air District said it received one complaint of someone with asthma needing to seek medical care due to the smoke. Polidori said the task was to minimize the impact of smoke to the community using information from weather forecasts and models.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Air District said it received one complaint of someone with asthma needing to seek medical care due to the smoke. Polidori said the task was to minimize the impact of smoke to the community using information from weather forecasts and models.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Of course, these models are not perfect. There is always a kind of a level of uncertainty, and so we made the best decision with what we had, and, unfortunately, the wind shifted,” Polidori said. “What was difficult to forecast and predict was the ground concentration of fine particulate matter from the smoke, and so the impact was more than we predicted.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Of course, these models are not perfect. There is always a kind of a level of uncertainty, and so we made the best decision with what we had, and, unfortunately, the wind shifted,” Polidori said. “What was difficult to forecast and predict was the ground concentration of fine particulate matter from the smoke, and so the impact was more than we predicted.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101358\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Smoke from a prescribed burn on Angel Island lingers along the coast of Point Richmond on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. Further burns have been put on hold for the remainder of the year due to air quality concerns.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Brian Krans/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101358\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Smoke from a prescribed burn on Angel Island lingers along the coast of Point Richmond on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. Further burns have been put on hold for the remainder of the year due to air quality concerns.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Brian Krans/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Smoke lingered over west Contra Costa County until the early evening hours. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gioia said he \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Ddpgg6Ky9pa/\">plans\u003c/a> to bring up the controlled burn permit review process at the air district’s Oct. 7 board \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/en/about-the-air-district/board-of-directors/resolutionsagendasminutes?event=c93d0b10-f389-42cb-8535-4a8c3cae892d\">meeting\u003c/a> in San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Gioia said he \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Ddpgg6Ky9pa/\">plans\u003c/a> to bring up the controlled burn permit review process at the air district’s Oct. 7 board \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/en/about-the-air-district/board-of-directors/resolutionsagendasminutes?event=c93d0b10-f389-42cb-8535-4a8c3cae892d\">meeting\u003c/a> in San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prescribed burns are an important part of forest management because they prevent larger, uncontrolled wildfires from being more destructive. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Prescribed burns are an important part of forest management because they prevent larger, uncontrolled wildfires from being more destructive. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fire experts say controlled burns can only be safely done during small windows of time, while taking into consideration factors like weather conditions and predicted smoke movement, among other things. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Fire experts say controlled burns can only be safely done during small windows of time, while taking into consideration factors like weather conditions and predicted smoke movement, among other things. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ryan Forbes, a spokesperson for the State Parks Department, said that though the wind shifting pushed the smoke into residential areas, it was still a better scenario than if the smoke came from a wildfire because firefighters were already on the ground and had much greater control of when the fire started and ended. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Ryan Forbes, a spokesperson for the State Parks Department, said that though the wind shifting pushed the smoke into residential areas, it was still a better scenario than if the smoke came from a wildfire because firefighters were already on the ground and had much greater control of when the fire started and ended. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We don’t want to diminish in any way the impacts that can happen, particularly to those in sensitive groups, and that’s another big reason … to do it as a prescribed burn,” he said. “It makes it able for people to hopefully plan around this and try and mitigate those smoke impacts to themselves, as opposed with a wildfire, where we’re not going to get much notice.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We don’t want to diminish in any way the impacts that can happen, particularly to those in sensitive groups, and that’s another big reason … to do it as a prescribed burn,” he said. “It makes it able for people to hopefully plan around this and try and mitigate those smoke impacts to themselves, as opposed with a wildfire, where we’re not going to get much notice.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100944\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fire crews start a prescribed burn on Angel Island on Sept. 8. State Parks burned 62 acres but did not finish, following discussions with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District on the island.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100944\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fire crews start a prescribed burn on Angel Island on Sept. 8. State Parks burned 62 acres but did not finish, following discussions with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District on the island.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Forbes said that crews were able to burn 147 of the 260 acres they planned. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That could help lessen damage from a future wildfire, which requires fire equipment and personnel from off the island, which Forbes said is no simple task.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That could help lessen damage from a future wildfire, which requires fire equipment and personnel from off the island, which Forbes said is no simple task.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The thing with Angel Island that makes that so scary is there’s really only one landing craft in the Bay capable of moving fire trucks onto the island,” Forbes said. “In the event that we have to respond to a fire on the island, getting resources over to stop it is a very potentially concerning task because you can only move so quickly.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The thing with Angel Island that makes that so scary is there’s really only one landing craft in the Bay capable of moving fire trucks onto the island,” Forbes said. “In the event that we have to respond to a fire on the island, getting resources over to stop it is a very potentially concerning task because you can only move so quickly.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Polidori apologized for any impact the smoke had on the community. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“As public servants, our role and our duty is to protect the health of the community that we serve,” he said. “This is definitely an opportunity for us to go back, reassess the process, reassess the situation, and really try to do better next time.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“As public servants, our role and our duty is to protect the health of the community that we serve,” he said. “This is definitely an opportunity for us to go back, reassess the process, reassess the situation, and really try to do better next time.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Shifting winds sent smoke from a planned wildfire intervention effort into San Francisco and western Contra Costa County.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>After a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100934/angel-island-prescribed-burn-to-resume-this-week\">controlled burn on Angel Island\u003c/a> this week sent smoke into residential areas across the Bay Area — and pushed air quality along the Richmond coast above 400 on the Air Quality Index — regulators said they’re now considering changing how permits are issued for future prescribed fires.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The saga began with a planned burn of 260 acres of the state park on Sept. 8. That attempt, however, was called off the following day, after discussions with the Bay Area Air District and complaints about smoke.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In planning a second attempt on Sept. 23 with California State Parks and Cal Fire, Andrea Polidori, deputy executive officer of science with the Bay Area Air District, said his staff reviewed weather conditions, multiple forecasts and lessons learned the first time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our meteorologists looked at conditions that are expected to minimize smoke impact in the community,” Polidori said. “The forecast on that day indicated conditions favorable for smoke to rise and disperse into the atmosphere.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101359\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3685-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Smoke from a prescribed burn on Angel Island lingers along the coast of Point Richmond on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. Further burns have been put on hold for the remainder of the year due to air quality concerns. (Brian Krans/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, the prescribed burn on Angel Island had to be called off early for a second time, after smoke from the fires dramatically impacted air quality for residents nearby. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wednesday began as an atypically windless early fall morning on the Bay, which was remarkably still. Fire crews \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=31756\">started burning at 10 a.m\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the wind shifted by the early afternoon, sending plumes of smoke to San Francisco and West Contra Costa County — the latter of which already has \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/richmond/richmondsanpabloairmonitoringplanjuly2020-pdf.pdf?la=en\">high rates of asthma\u003c/a> due to chronic air pollution from the fossil fuel and other industries. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They were wrong, and all of us were negatively impacted,” John Gioia, a Contra Costa County supervisor and member of the air district’s board, said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Ddpgg6Ky9pa/\">post on Instagram\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Notifications on air quality apps in Richmond glowed purple and showed an avatar wearing a respiratory mask. Even a few minutes in the air without a mask left this reporter with burning nostrils and a stinging headache. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>From atop the hills of Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline — known for its clear, panoramic views of the Bay — smoke blocked the view of Angel Island. By 2 p.m., Gioia \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/supejohngioia/status/2102879544432885913\">posted\u003c/a> that the Air District had called off the burn for the day and the rest of the year due to worsening air conditions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District said it received one complaint of someone with asthma needing to seek medical care due to the smoke. Polidori said the task was to minimize the impact of smoke to the community using information from weather forecasts and models.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Of course, these models are not perfect. There is always a kind of a level of uncertainty, and so we made the best decision with what we had, and, unfortunately, the wind shifted,” Polidori said. “What was difficult to forecast and predict was the ground concentration of fine particulate matter from the smoke, and so the impact was more than we predicted.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101358\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/IMG_3684-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Smoke from a prescribed burn on Angel Island lingers along the coast of Point Richmond on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. Further burns have been put on hold for the remainder of the year due to air quality concerns. (Brian Krans/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Smoke lingered over west Contra Costa County until the early evening hours. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gioia said he \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Ddpgg6Ky9pa/\">plans\u003c/a> to bring up the controlled burn permit review process at the air district’s Oct. 7 board \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/en/about-the-air-district/board-of-directors/resolutionsagendasminutes?event=c93d0b10-f389-42cb-8535-4a8c3cae892d\">meeting\u003c/a> in San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prescribed burns are an important part of forest management because they prevent larger, uncontrolled wildfires from being more destructive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fire experts say controlled burns can only be safely done during small windows of time, while taking into consideration factors like weather conditions and predicted smoke movement, among other things. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ryan Forbes, a spokesperson for the State Parks Department, said that though the wind shifting pushed the smoke into residential areas, it was still a better scenario than if the smoke came from a wildfire because firefighters were already on the ground and had much greater control of when the fire started and ended. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We don’t want to diminish in any way the impacts that can happen, particularly to those in sensitive groups, and that’s another big reason … to do it as a prescribed burn,” he said. “It makes it able for people to hopefully plan around this and try and mitigate those smoke impacts to themselves, as opposed with a wildfire, where we’re not going to get much notice.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100944\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fire crews start a prescribed burn on Angel Island on Sept. 8. State Parks burned 62 acres but did not finish, following discussions with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District on the island. (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Forbes said that crews were able to burn 147 of the 260 acres they planned. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That could help lessen damage from a future wildfire, which requires fire equipment and personnel from off the island, which Forbes said is no simple task.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The thing with Angel Island that makes that so scary is there’s really only one landing craft in the Bay capable of moving fire trucks onto the island,” Forbes said. “In the event that we have to respond to a fire on the island, getting resources over to stop it is a very potentially concerning task because you can only move so quickly.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Polidori apologized for any impact the smoke had on the community. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“As public servants, our role and our duty is to protect the health of the community that we serve,” he said. “This is definitely an opportunity for us to go back, reassess the process, reassess the situation, and really try to do better next time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "richmond-residents-living-near-refinery-seek-clarity-after-cancer-risk-report",
"title": "Richmond Residents Living Near Refinery Seek Clarity After Cancer Risk Report",
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"headTitle": "Richmond Residents Living Near Refinery Seek Clarity After Cancer Risk Report | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>East Bay residents wanted answers this week, after a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001777/residents-near-chevrons-richmond-refinery-face-higher-risk-of-cancer-air-district-says\">major new report\u003c/a> by air regulators found that people living close to the Chevron Richmond Refinery face an elevated risk of developing cancer over a lifetime, and other illnesses from short exposure to excess emissions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Bay Area Air District released the preliminary health \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/facility-risk-reduction/hra-facilities/fid10/fid10_preliminary-hra.pdf\">risk assessment\u003c/a> on Aug. 21. Most of the cancer risk came from toxic air contaminants that seeped from pipe fittings and storage tanks throughout the petroleum refinery, according to the report. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The model analysis examined the highest cancer risk over a lifetime posed by exposure to facility emissions and found it to be more than three times higher than its threshold for action.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The regulator requires facilities to take action to reduce the risk if it equals or exceeds 10 in a million. The Air District found the Richmond refinery exposure to be 37 chances in a million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12000181\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Chevron Refinery, a petroleum refinery, can be seen from Point Richmond on Jan. 13, 2022. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At a public hearing, Richmond City Councilmember Sue Wilson said residents have been confused by the technical analysis and asked air officials to clarify what the report means for the constituents in her district.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ I appreciate that you’ve been trying to frame it in a way that we can understand,” Wilson said. “But I still don’t understand what it means to have a risk action level of 37 in a million.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That was the question of the evening, repeated by many and for which the answer was a highly technical explanation of the limits of the study, which frustrated people who wanted to know the cumulative impacts from all refinery emissions in Richmond.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Bay Area Air District findings measured risk levels over 30 years for residents, workers and students who face varying degrees of exposure to toxic emissions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re not here talking about multiple types of pollution, sulfur dioxide, nitrous, particulate matter in general from multiple sources,” said Dr. Rohan Radhakrishna, health officer for the Air District. “This is narrow, but it’s still significant.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Radhakrishna said it might help to consider how data from the Institute of Highway Safety is used to measure the risk of dying from driving.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1249\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11612980\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-800x520.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-1020x664.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-1180x768.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-960x625.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-240x156.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-375x244.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-520x338.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Heat rises from stacks at the Chevron refinery in Richmond, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The risk of dying in a motor vehicle accident for driving for a year is 37 in a million,” Radhakrishna said, “which is the same for the risk presented by cancer.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District is empowered to conduct assessments to measure health risks posed by high-impact industrial facilities like Chevron’s Richmond refinery \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/rules-and-compliance/rules/regulation-11-rule-18-reduction-of-risk-from-air-toxic-emissions-at-existing-facilities\">under regulations\u003c/a> it adopted in 2017 and modified in June.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The rules aim to get the Richmond facility and others to reduce emissions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For community members who’ve spent decades trying to combat toxic emissions at the Chevron refinery, the assessment is the first scientific study to measure the risks from air pollution from the facility. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ This finding provides data for what our community has known for decades: that Chevron is polluting our community and making people sick,” said Scott Nanos-Luz, the Richmond organizer for the \u003ca href=\"https://apen4ej.org/our-work/\">Asian Pacific Environmental Network\u003c/a>. “‘This is the science of it. This is the proof.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Risk assessment data\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The risk assessment does not include data from major incidents, such as the 2012 explosion and fire that sent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11666438/from-shelter-in-place-to-settlement-in-place\">15,000 nearby residents \u003c/a>to seek medical treatment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, its purpose is to identify routine emissions that occur over the long term and can be prevented going forward, said Ariana Husain, a manager in the Air District’s Engineering Division who conducted the health risk assessment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District identified ten specific sources of toxic emissions, including storage tanks, pipe fittings, valves and a wastewater treatment plan.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They’re looking at ten sources within one facility that have a few toxic air contaminants that can raise your cancer risk,” Radhakrishna said. “It doesn’t go beyond that, so it doesn’t link to correlation or causation to other health conditions.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One contaminant regulators identified is benzo[a]pyrene, which has been proven to cause cancer and can affect the developmental system, the reproductive system and the immune system. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Benzene, the other toxic contaminant identified as over the regulatory limit for one-hour exposure, can irritate the respiratory system.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Community participation\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The provisional health risk assessment is open for public comment until Nov. 23 at 5 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District is seeking input from Richmond residents, scientists and experts and said it will be working closely with city officials to hold additional informational sessions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ What we’re looking for during public comment period would be, are we missing things? Do you have input on the thresholds?” Radhakrishna said. “Are there sources that we should be considering, other methodologies that you’d like to mention? Did you double-check our results and come up with something higher or lower?” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Caitlin Powell, a spokesperson for the Chevron Richmond Refinery, said the company plans to provide technical comments and updated information to the air district.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12054074\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Chevron Refinery in Richmond, California, on March 27, 2014. (Josh Cassidy/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“A health-protective assessment should also be accurate,” Powell said in a statement, adding that the company has identified outdated equipment and assumptions the Air District made about the Richmond refinery “that do not reflect actual operations.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District has acknowledged that additional data may increase or decrease the final risk assessment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We’ll review all comments, and any new data will then be verified,” Husain said. “If this data is found to affect the health risk assessment, we will be revising the health risk assessment.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chevron is the first facility for which the Air District conducted a health risk assessment, but according to a list on the agency website, regulators plan to look at the Martinez Refining Company’s facility in Martinez and the now-shuttered Valero refinery in Benicia. The agency has prioritized industrial sites with the greatest emissions. Refineries make up the \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/facility-risk-reduction/hra-facilities/rule1118_phase_i_facilities-pdf.pdf?rev=c9f015471e23486c9cfbe0154821fac8&sc_lang=en\">top four \u003c/a>facilities on the list.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12000181\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Chevron Refinery, a petroleum refinery, can be seen from Point Richmond on Jan. 13, 2022.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12000181\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Chevron Refinery, a petroleum refinery, can be seen from Point Richmond on Jan. 13, 2022.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At a public hearing, Richmond City Councilmember Sue Wilson said residents have been confused by the technical analysis and asked air officials to clarify what the report means for the constituents in her district.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ I appreciate that you’ve been trying to frame it in a way that we can understand,” Wilson said. “But I still don’t understand what it means to have a risk action level of 37 in a million.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ I appreciate that you’ve been trying to frame it in a way that we can understand,” Wilson said. “But I still don’t understand what it means to have a risk action level of 37 in a million.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That was the question of the evening, repeated by many and for which the answer was a highly technical explanation of the limits of the study, which frustrated people who wanted to know the cumulative impacts from all refinery emissions in Richmond.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That was the question of the evening, repeated by many and for which the answer was a highly technical explanation of the limits of the study, which frustrated people who wanted to know the cumulative impacts from all refinery emissions in Richmond.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Bay Area Air District findings measured risk levels over 30 years for residents, workers and students who face varying degrees of exposure to toxic emissions.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re not here talking about multiple types of pollution, sulfur dioxide, nitrous, particulate matter in general from multiple sources,” said Dr. Rohan Radhakrishna, health officer for the Air District. “This is narrow, but it’s still significant.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’re not here talking about multiple types of pollution, sulfur dioxide, nitrous, particulate matter in general from multiple sources,” said Dr. Rohan Radhakrishna, health officer for the Air District. “This is narrow, but it’s still significant.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Radhakrishna said it might help to consider how data from the Institute of Highway Safety is used to measure the risk of dying from driving.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11612980\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-800x520.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-1020x664.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-1180x768.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-960x625.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-240x156.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-375x244.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-520x338.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Heat rises from stacks at the Chevron refinery in Richmond, California. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11612980\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Heat rises from stacks at the Chevron refinery in Richmond, California. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The risk of dying in a motor vehicle accident for driving for a year is 37 in a million,” Radhakrishna said, “which is the same for the risk presented by cancer.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Air District is empowered to conduct assessments to measure health risks posed by high-impact industrial facilities like Chevron’s Richmond refinery \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/rules-and-compliance/rules/regulation-11-rule-18-reduction-of-risk-from-air-toxic-emissions-at-existing-facilities\">under regulations\u003c/a> it adopted in 2017 and modified in June.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The rules aim to get the Richmond facility and others to reduce emissions.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Air District is empowered to conduct assessments to measure health risks posed by high-impact industrial facilities like Chevron’s Richmond refinery \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/rules-and-compliance/rules/regulation-11-rule-18-reduction-of-risk-from-air-toxic-emissions-at-existing-facilities\">under regulations\u003c/a> it adopted in 2017 and modified in June.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The rules aim to get the Richmond facility and others to reduce emissions.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For community members who’ve spent decades trying to combat toxic emissions at the Chevron refinery, the assessment is the first scientific study to measure the risks from air pollution from the facility. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For community members who’ve spent decades trying to combat toxic emissions at the Chevron refinery, the assessment is the first scientific study to measure the risks from air pollution from the facility. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ This finding provides data for what our community has known for decades: that Chevron is polluting our community and making people sick,” said Scott Nanos-Luz, the Richmond organizer for the \u003ca href=\"https://apen4ej.org/our-work/\">Asian Pacific Environmental Network\u003c/a>. “‘This is the science of it. This is the proof.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ This finding provides data for what our community has known for decades: that Chevron is polluting our community and making people sick,” said Scott Nanos-Luz, the Richmond organizer for the \u003ca href=\"https://apen4ej.org/our-work/\">Asian Pacific Environmental Network\u003c/a>. “‘This is the science of it. This is the proof.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The risk assessment does not include data from major incidents, such as the 2012 explosion and fire that sent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11666438/from-shelter-in-place-to-settlement-in-place\">15,000 nearby residents \u003c/a>to seek medical treatment. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The risk assessment does not include data from major incidents, such as the 2012 explosion and fire that sent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11666438/from-shelter-in-place-to-settlement-in-place\">15,000 nearby residents \u003c/a>to seek medical treatment. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Instead, its purpose is to identify routine emissions that occur over the long term and can be prevented going forward, said Ariana Husain, a manager in the Air District’s Engineering Division who conducted the health risk assessment.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Instead, its purpose is to identify routine emissions that occur over the long term and can be prevented going forward, said Ariana Husain, a manager in the Air District’s Engineering Division who conducted the health risk assessment.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Air District identified ten specific sources of toxic emissions, including storage tanks, pipe fittings, valves and a wastewater treatment plan.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Air District identified ten specific sources of toxic emissions, including storage tanks, pipe fittings, valves and a wastewater treatment plan.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They’re looking at ten sources within one facility that have a few toxic air contaminants that can raise your cancer risk,” Radhakrishna said. “It doesn’t go beyond that, so it doesn’t link to correlation or causation to other health conditions.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“They’re looking at ten sources within one facility that have a few toxic air contaminants that can raise your cancer risk,” Radhakrishna said. “It doesn’t go beyond that, so it doesn’t link to correlation or causation to other health conditions.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One contaminant regulators identified is benzo[a]pyrene, which has been proven to cause cancer and can affect the developmental system, the reproductive system and the immune system. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>One contaminant regulators identified is benzo[a]pyrene, which has been proven to cause cancer and can affect the developmental system, the reproductive system and the immune system. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Benzene, the other toxic contaminant identified as over the regulatory limit for one-hour exposure, can irritate the respiratory system.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Benzene, the other toxic contaminant identified as over the regulatory limit for one-hour exposure, can irritate the respiratory system.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The provisional health risk assessment is open for public comment until Nov. 23 at 5 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The provisional health risk assessment is open for public comment until Nov. 23 at 5 p.m.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Air District is seeking input from Richmond residents, scientists and experts and said it will be working closely with city officials to hold additional informational sessions.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Air District is seeking input from Richmond residents, scientists and experts and said it will be working closely with city officials to hold additional informational sessions.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ What we’re looking for during public comment period would be, are we missing things? Do you have input on the thresholds?” Radhakrishna said. “Are there sources that we should be considering, other methodologies that you’d like to mention? Did you double-check our results and come up with something higher or lower?” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ What we’re looking for during public comment period would be, are we missing things? Do you have input on the thresholds?” Radhakrishna said. “Are there sources that we should be considering, other methodologies that you’d like to mention? Did you double-check our results and come up with something higher or lower?” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Caitlin Powell, a spokesperson for the Chevron Richmond Refinery, said the company plans to provide technical comments and updated information to the air district.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Caitlin Powell, a spokesperson for the Chevron Richmond Refinery, said the company plans to provide technical comments and updated information to the air district.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12054074\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Chevron Refinery in Richmond, California, on March 27, 2014.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Josh Cassidy/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12054074\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Chevron Refinery in Richmond, California, on March 27, 2014.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Josh Cassidy/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“A health-protective assessment should also be accurate,” Powell said in a statement, adding that the company has identified outdated equipment and assumptions the Air District made about the Richmond refinery “that do not reflect actual operations.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“A health-protective assessment should also be accurate,” Powell said in a statement, adding that the company has identified outdated equipment and assumptions the Air District made about the Richmond refinery “that do not reflect actual operations.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Air District has acknowledged that additional data may increase or decrease the final risk assessment.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ We’ll review all comments, and any new data will then be verified,” Husain said. “If this data is found to affect the health risk assessment, we will be revising the health risk assessment.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ We’ll review all comments, and any new data will then be verified,” Husain said. “If this data is found to affect the health risk assessment, we will be revising the health risk assessment.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chevron is the first facility for which the Air District conducted a health risk assessment, but according to a list on the agency website, regulators plan to look at the Martinez Refining Company’s facility in Martinez and the now-shuttered Valero refinery in Benicia. The agency has prioritized industrial sites with the greatest emissions. Refineries make up the \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/facility-risk-reduction/hra-facilities/rule1118_phase_i_facilities-pdf.pdf?rev=c9f015471e23486c9cfbe0154821fac8&sc_lang=en\">top four \u003c/a>facilities on the list.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Chevron is the first facility for which the Air District conducted a health risk assessment, but according to a list on the agency website, regulators plan to look at the Martinez Refining Company’s facility in Martinez and the now-shuttered Valero refinery in Benicia. The agency has prioritized industrial sites with the greatest emissions. Refineries make up the \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/facility-risk-reduction/hra-facilities/rule1118_phase_i_facilities-pdf.pdf?rev=c9f015471e23486c9cfbe0154821fac8&sc_lang=en\">top four \u003c/a>facilities on the list.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Air District officials on Monday said their finding that people living close to Chevron’s Richmond Refinery face an elevated cancer risk was \"significant\" and tried to explain the modeling study.",
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"title": "Richmond Residents Living Near Refinery Seek Clarity After Cancer Risk Report | KQED",
"description": "Air District officials on Monday said their finding that people living close to Chevron’s Richmond Refinery face an elevated cancer risk was "significant" and tried to explain the modeling study.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>East Bay residents wanted answers this week, after a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001777/residents-near-chevrons-richmond-refinery-face-higher-risk-of-cancer-air-district-says\">major new report\u003c/a> by air regulators found that people living close to the Chevron Richmond Refinery face an elevated risk of developing cancer over a lifetime, and other illnesses from short exposure to excess emissions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Bay Area Air District released the preliminary health \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/facility-risk-reduction/hra-facilities/fid10/fid10_preliminary-hra.pdf\">risk assessment\u003c/a> on Aug. 21. Most of the cancer risk came from toxic air contaminants that seeped from pipe fittings and storage tanks throughout the petroleum refinery, according to the report. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The model analysis examined the highest cancer risk over a lifetime posed by exposure to facility emissions and found it to be more than three times higher than its threshold for action.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The regulator requires facilities to take action to reduce the risk if it equals or exceeds 10 in a million. The Air District found the Richmond refinery exposure to be 37 chances in a million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12000181\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/017_Richmond_ChevronRefinery_01132022_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Chevron Refinery, a petroleum refinery, can be seen from Point Richmond on Jan. 13, 2022. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At a public hearing, Richmond City Councilmember Sue Wilson said residents have been confused by the technical analysis and asked air officials to clarify what the report means for the constituents in her district.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ I appreciate that you’ve been trying to frame it in a way that we can understand,” Wilson said. “But I still don’t understand what it means to have a risk action level of 37 in a million.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That was the question of the evening, repeated by many and for which the answer was a highly technical explanation of the limits of the study, which frustrated people who wanted to know the cumulative impacts from all refinery emissions in Richmond.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Bay Area Air District findings measured risk levels over 30 years for residents, workers and students who face varying degrees of exposure to toxic emissions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re not here talking about multiple types of pollution, sulfur dioxide, nitrous, particulate matter in general from multiple sources,” said Dr. Rohan Radhakrishna, health officer for the Air District. “This is narrow, but it’s still significant.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Radhakrishna said it might help to consider how data from the Institute of Highway Safety is used to measure the risk of dying from driving.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1249\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11612980\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-800x520.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-1020x664.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-1180x768.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-960x625.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-240x156.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-375x244.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/08/RS26276_GettyImages-108323682-qut-520x338.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Heat rises from stacks at the Chevron refinery in Richmond, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The risk of dying in a motor vehicle accident for driving for a year is 37 in a million,” Radhakrishna said, “which is the same for the risk presented by cancer.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District is empowered to conduct assessments to measure health risks posed by high-impact industrial facilities like Chevron’s Richmond refinery \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/rules-and-compliance/rules/regulation-11-rule-18-reduction-of-risk-from-air-toxic-emissions-at-existing-facilities\">under regulations\u003c/a> it adopted in 2017 and modified in June.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The rules aim to get the Richmond facility and others to reduce emissions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For community members who’ve spent decades trying to combat toxic emissions at the Chevron refinery, the assessment is the first scientific study to measure the risks from air pollution from the facility. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ This finding provides data for what our community has known for decades: that Chevron is polluting our community and making people sick,” said Scott Nanos-Luz, the Richmond organizer for the \u003ca href=\"https://apen4ej.org/our-work/\">Asian Pacific Environmental Network\u003c/a>. “‘This is the science of it. This is the proof.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Risk assessment data\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The risk assessment does not include data from major incidents, such as the 2012 explosion and fire that sent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11666438/from-shelter-in-place-to-settlement-in-place\">15,000 nearby residents \u003c/a>to seek medical treatment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, its purpose is to identify routine emissions that occur over the long term and can be prevented going forward, said Ariana Husain, a manager in the Air District’s Engineering Division who conducted the health risk assessment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District identified ten specific sources of toxic emissions, including storage tanks, pipe fittings, valves and a wastewater treatment plan.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They’re looking at ten sources within one facility that have a few toxic air contaminants that can raise your cancer risk,” Radhakrishna said. “It doesn’t go beyond that, so it doesn’t link to correlation or causation to other health conditions.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One contaminant regulators identified is benzo[a]pyrene, which has been proven to cause cancer and can affect the developmental system, the reproductive system and the immune system. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Benzene, the other toxic contaminant identified as over the regulatory limit for one-hour exposure, can irritate the respiratory system.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Community participation\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The provisional health risk assessment is open for public comment until Nov. 23 at 5 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District is seeking input from Richmond residents, scientists and experts and said it will be working closely with city officials to hold additional informational sessions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ What we’re looking for during public comment period would be, are we missing things? Do you have input on the thresholds?” Radhakrishna said. “Are there sources that we should be considering, other methodologies that you’d like to mention? Did you double-check our results and come up with something higher or lower?” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Caitlin Powell, a spokesperson for the Chevron Richmond Refinery, said the company plans to provide technical comments and updated information to the air district.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12054074\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/Chevron032714-JoshC-5177_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Chevron Refinery in Richmond, California, on March 27, 2014. (Josh Cassidy/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“A health-protective assessment should also be accurate,” Powell said in a statement, adding that the company has identified outdated equipment and assumptions the Air District made about the Richmond refinery “that do not reflect actual operations.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District has acknowledged that additional data may increase or decrease the final risk assessment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We’ll review all comments, and any new data will then be verified,” Husain said. “If this data is found to affect the health risk assessment, we will be revising the health risk assessment.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chevron is the first facility for which the Air District conducted a health risk assessment, but according to a list on the agency website, regulators plan to look at the Martinez Refining Company’s facility in Martinez and the now-shuttered Valero refinery in Benicia. The agency has prioritized industrial sites with the greatest emissions. Refineries make up the \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/facility-risk-reduction/hra-facilities/rule1118_phase_i_facilities-pdf.pdf?rev=c9f015471e23486c9cfbe0154821fac8&sc_lang=en\">top four \u003c/a>facilities on the list.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "angel-island-prescribed-burn-to-resume-this-week",
"title": "Angel Island Prescribed Burn to Resume This Week",
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"headTitle": "Angel Island Prescribed Burn to Resume This Week | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>If you see smoke rising over \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/angel-island\">Angel Island\u003c/a> this week, don’t be alarmed — fire crews are set to continue a prescribed burn two weeks after a previous operation was paused. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A planned burn on Sept. 8 covered just 62 acres before stopping due to air quality concerns, according to a State Parks press release. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Smoke from Angel Island, the largest island in the San Francisco Bay, was visible throughout the East Bay and San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ryan Forbes, a spokesperson for California State Parks, said that fire officials decided to hold off after looking at upcoming weather conditions and receiving feedback from the community. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We actually plan around needing to postpone burns,” Forbes said. “We really only like to burn when conditions are ideal, and we’re in San Francisco, where weather conditions can change a lot.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100937\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter works on Angel Island during a prescribed burn on Sept. 8, 2026. State parks, in partnership with Cal Fire and Marin County, plan to continue the prescribed burn started two weeks ago. (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While prescribed burns make air quality worse in the short run, contributing to negative \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/air-research/wildland-fire-research-human-health\">health\u003c/a> outcomes, Stanford University researchers have shown that annual prescribed burns can \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001297/can-controlled-burns-reduce-californias-air-pollution\">reduce exposure to wildfire smoke\u003c/a> by as much as \u003ca href=\"https://sustainability.stanford.edu/news/prescribed-fires-can-cut-smoke-pollution-years-miles-beyond-burn-areas\">25%\u003c/a> in California’s worst wildfire years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Forbes said State Parks takes a number of environmental factors into consideration while planning burn days. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re not burning on super wet ground,” he said. “We are not burning on a day where the air is really stale, and it’s just going to sit right where we are. We want good dispersal and we also want it to be on a day, where there’s not as many particulates in the air.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cal Fire and the Marin County Fire Department will work with State Parks on Wednesday to finish the burn aimed at reducing the amount of grass, shrubbery and other flammable vegetation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Periodically burning this vegetation \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/articles/what-is-a-prescribed-fire.htm\">reduces\u003c/a> wildfire risk and gets funded through a Proposition 4 \u003ca href=\"https://bondaccountability.resources.ca.gov/Propositions/Proposition_4_Climate_Bond\">2024 Climate Bond\u003c/a>, the press release said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2008, a wildfire burned almost \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/people-caused-the-angel-island-fire/1840143/\">half\u003c/a> of the island — the prescribed burn aims to avoid another catastrophe before it’s too late. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s very difficult to get resources over there on a quick timeline,” Forbes said. “We need to bring them over on a landing craft — of which there’s really only one in the Bay.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The park remains \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/NewsRelease/1581\">open\u003c/a>, although the park’s fire and perimeter roads, as well as portions of the Ida Trail and Sunset Trail, will be closed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State Parks officials asked residents not to call 911 if smoke appears over the island and said that residents will likely see smoke from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on burn days and up to three days after. Most of the smoke will come in the early morning and early afternoon, Forbes said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/nnavarro\">\u003cem>Natalia Navarro\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100937\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter works on Angel Island during a prescribed burn on Sept. 8, 2026. State parks, in partnership with Cal Fire and Marin County, plan to continue the prescribed burn started two weeks ago.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100937\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter works on Angel Island during a prescribed burn on Sept. 8, 2026. State parks, in partnership with Cal Fire and Marin County, plan to continue the prescribed burn started two weeks ago.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While prescribed burns make air quality worse in the short run, contributing to negative \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/air-research/wildland-fire-research-human-health\">health\u003c/a> outcomes, Stanford University researchers have shown that annual prescribed burns can \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001297/can-controlled-burns-reduce-californias-air-pollution\">reduce exposure to wildfire smoke\u003c/a> by as much as \u003ca href=\"https://sustainability.stanford.edu/news/prescribed-fires-can-cut-smoke-pollution-years-miles-beyond-burn-areas\">25%\u003c/a> in California’s worst wildfire years. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While prescribed burns make air quality worse in the short run, contributing to negative \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/air-research/wildland-fire-research-human-health\">health\u003c/a> outcomes, Stanford University researchers have shown that annual prescribed burns can \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001297/can-controlled-burns-reduce-californias-air-pollution\">reduce exposure to wildfire smoke\u003c/a> by as much as \u003ca href=\"https://sustainability.stanford.edu/news/prescribed-fires-can-cut-smoke-pollution-years-miles-beyond-burn-areas\">25%\u003c/a> in California’s worst wildfire years. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Forbes said State Parks takes a number of environmental factors into consideration while planning burn days. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re not burning on super wet ground,” he said. “We are not burning on a day where the air is really stale, and it’s just going to sit right where we are. We want good dispersal and we also want it to be on a day, where there’s not as many particulates in the air.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’re not burning on super wet ground,” he said. “We are not burning on a day where the air is really stale, and it’s just going to sit right where we are. We want good dispersal and we also want it to be on a day, where there’s not as many particulates in the air.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Cal Fire and the Marin County Fire Department will work with State Parks on Wednesday to finish the burn aimed at reducing the amount of grass, shrubbery and other flammable vegetation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Periodically burning this vegetation \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/articles/what-is-a-prescribed-fire.htm\">reduces\u003c/a> wildfire risk and gets funded through a Proposition 4 \u003ca href=\"https://bondaccountability.resources.ca.gov/Propositions/Proposition_4_Climate_Bond\">2024 Climate Bond\u003c/a>, the press release said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Periodically burning this vegetation \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/articles/what-is-a-prescribed-fire.htm\">reduces\u003c/a> wildfire risk and gets funded through a Proposition 4 \u003ca href=\"https://bondaccountability.resources.ca.gov/Propositions/Proposition_4_Climate_Bond\">2024 Climate Bond\u003c/a>, the press release said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In 2008, a wildfire burned almost \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/people-caused-the-angel-island-fire/1840143/\">half\u003c/a> of the island — the prescribed burn aims to avoid another catastrophe before it’s too late. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In 2008, a wildfire burned almost \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/people-caused-the-angel-island-fire/1840143/\">half\u003c/a> of the island — the prescribed burn aims to avoid another catastrophe before it’s too late. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s very difficult to get resources over there on a quick timeline,” Forbes said. “We need to bring them over on a landing craft — of which there’s really only one in the Bay.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s very difficult to get resources over there on a quick timeline,” Forbes said. “We need to bring them over on a landing craft — of which there’s really only one in the Bay.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The park remains \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/NewsRelease/1581\">open\u003c/a>, although the park’s fire and perimeter roads, as well as portions of the Ida Trail and Sunset Trail, will be closed. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The park remains \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/NewsRelease/1581\">open\u003c/a>, although the park’s fire and perimeter roads, as well as portions of the Ida Trail and Sunset Trail, will be closed. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>State Parks officials asked residents not to call 911 if smoke appears over the island and said that residents will likely see smoke from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on burn days and up to three days after. Most of the smoke will come in the early morning and early afternoon, Forbes said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>State Parks officials asked residents not to call 911 if smoke appears over the island and said that residents will likely see smoke from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on burn days and up to three days after. Most of the smoke will come in the early morning and early afternoon, Forbes said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/nnavarro\">\u003cem>Natalia Navarro\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/nnavarro\">\u003cem>Natalia Navarro\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Don’t call 911: Fire crews are aiming to prevent future wildfires by burning grass and shrubs on the island.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>If you see smoke rising over \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/angel-island\">Angel Island\u003c/a> this week, don’t be alarmed — fire crews are set to continue a prescribed burn two weeks after a previous operation was paused. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A planned burn on Sept. 8 covered just 62 acres before stopping due to air quality concerns, according to a State Parks press release. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Smoke from Angel Island, the largest island in the San Francisco Bay, was visible throughout the East Bay and San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ryan Forbes, a spokesperson for California State Parks, said that fire officials decided to hold off after looking at upcoming weather conditions and receiving feedback from the community. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We actually plan around needing to postpone burns,” Forbes said. “We really only like to burn when conditions are ideal, and we’re in San Francisco, where weather conditions can change a lot.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12100937\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/AngelIslandPrescribedBurn-KQED_1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter works on Angel Island during a prescribed burn on Sept. 8, 2026. State parks, in partnership with Cal Fire and Marin County, plan to continue the prescribed burn started two weeks ago. (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While prescribed burns make air quality worse in the short run, contributing to negative \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/air-research/wildland-fire-research-human-health\">health\u003c/a> outcomes, Stanford University researchers have shown that annual prescribed burns can \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001297/can-controlled-burns-reduce-californias-air-pollution\">reduce exposure to wildfire smoke\u003c/a> by as much as \u003ca href=\"https://sustainability.stanford.edu/news/prescribed-fires-can-cut-smoke-pollution-years-miles-beyond-burn-areas\">25%\u003c/a> in California’s worst wildfire years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Forbes said State Parks takes a number of environmental factors into consideration while planning burn days. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re not burning on super wet ground,” he said. “We are not burning on a day where the air is really stale, and it’s just going to sit right where we are. We want good dispersal and we also want it to be on a day, where there’s not as many particulates in the air.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cal Fire and the Marin County Fire Department will work with State Parks on Wednesday to finish the burn aimed at reducing the amount of grass, shrubbery and other flammable vegetation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Periodically burning this vegetation \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/articles/what-is-a-prescribed-fire.htm\">reduces\u003c/a> wildfire risk and gets funded through a Proposition 4 \u003ca href=\"https://bondaccountability.resources.ca.gov/Propositions/Proposition_4_Climate_Bond\">2024 Climate Bond\u003c/a>, the press release said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 2008, a wildfire burned almost \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/people-caused-the-angel-island-fire/1840143/\">half\u003c/a> of the island — the prescribed burn aims to avoid another catastrophe before it’s too late. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s very difficult to get resources over there on a quick timeline,” Forbes said. “We need to bring them over on a landing craft — of which there’s really only one in the Bay.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The park remains \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/NewsRelease/1581\">open\u003c/a>, although the park’s fire and perimeter roads, as well as portions of the Ida Trail and Sunset Trail, will be closed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State Parks officials asked residents not to call 911 if smoke appears over the island and said that residents will likely see smoke from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on burn days and up to three days after. Most of the smoke will come in the early morning and early afternoon, Forbes said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/nnavarro\">\u003cem>Natalia Navarro\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "a-powerful-el-nino-is-brewing-newsom-wants-california-ready-for-the-worst",
"title": "A Powerful El Niño is Brewing. Newsom Wants California Ready for the Worst",
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"headTitle": "A Powerful El Niño is Brewing. Newsom Wants California Ready for the Worst | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>As a potentially historic \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097546/el-nino-could-bring-a-wet-wild-winter-how-can-you-and-your-home-be-ready\">El Niño\u003c/a> continues to build, Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/09/21/governor-newsom-proclaims-state-of-emergency-to-bolster-statewide-el-nino-preparedness-protect-california/\">state of emergency\u003c/a> on Monday ahead of winter storms and high tides that could wreak havoc on the state. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Forecasters predict that much of California could have \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/seasonal.php?lead=1\">above-average\u003c/a> precipitation and temperatures this winter. The potential storms could pile on top of El Niño-induced \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001688/strong-el-nino-may-bring-record-sea-level-and-coastal-flooding-to-bay-area\">higher sea levels and record-high king tides\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As a result, Newsom is directing state agencies to begin preparing vulnerable communities and roads, stage emergency supplies and work in at-risk areas to reduce flooding potential. He has also directed state agencies to fast-track permitting and cut red tape to ready the state for El Niño effects.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/FloodingMarinCountyAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12068729\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/FloodingMarinCountyAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/FloodingMarinCountyAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/FloodingMarinCountyAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cars drive on Highway 101 flooded by the “King Tides” on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, near Corte Madera in Marin County, California. (Ethan Swope/AP Photo)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are preparing for this El Niño early because every Californian deserves to be safe in their home, connected to their community, and protected when severe weather comes,” Newsom said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/09/21/governor-newsom-proclaims-state-of-emergency-to-bolster-statewide-el-nino-preparedness-protect-california/\">statement\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>El Niño forms when tropical trade winds weaken or reverse, allowing warm ocean water near Asia to slosh toward the Pacific Coast. That warming can reshape the jet stream and bring stormier weather across California while disrupting the ocean’s nutrient-rich upwelling, heating coastal waters, raising sea levels and stressing marine life. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>National forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report that the natural climate phenomenon is strengthening, with a greater than 90% chance of a very strong event and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/ensodisc.shtml\">75% chance of a historic\u003c/a> event this fall and winter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Exactly what the weather will look like this fall and winter is — quite literally — still up in the air. But similar events in past El Niño years have brought torrential downpours, coastal flooding, mudslides, power outages and giant waves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Climate-driven El Niño conditions could mean months of dangerous weather, heavy rain, strong winds, deep mountain snow, flooding, and Californians should understand this clearly,” said Caroline Thomas Jacobs, director of the California Office of Emergency Services. “Storms are among the deadliest disasters we face here in California, and one of the greatest dangers is still people underestimating the power of water.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To prepare for what might happen, the emergency proclamation mobilizes resources in support of the state’s flood-risk-reduction efforts. The California Department of Water Resources has staged 4.4 million sandbags, 400,000 tons of rock, 68 stockpile locations, eight warehouses and 211 flood material containers across the state. State leaders have not yet put a price tag on the flood work. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Laura Hollender, deputy director of the Department of Water Resources, stressed that Bay Area counties, like Marin, that deal with flooding issues should alert the public as soon as possible about the risk because “even without storms” coastal areas may see flooding this winter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think early messaging and early preparation for those communities is going to be really important this year,” Hollender said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Caltrans will also place traffic-control, road-closure and snow-removal equipment along the highways most at risk. The California National Guard will also be ready for things like flood response and search-and-rescue operations. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061526Flooding_GH_011-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12087668\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061526Flooding_GH_011-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061526Flooding_GH_011-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061526Flooding_GH_011-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Plastic sheeting and sandbags are placed outside a home along Golden Hind Passage, as residents prepare for potential king tide flooding, in Corte Madera, on June 15, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State agencies are also preparing for the adverse effects of too much precipitation, flooding, landslides and debris flows by fast-tracking permitting and identifying other ways to cut red tape.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The emergency order is very clear that we are to exercise whatever emergency authorities we have and our entities within our agencies have to enable this work to happen quickly and efficiently to be in place for when this fall weather could come this winter,” said Wade Crowfoot, California Secretary of Natural Resources.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Newsom’s order also directs the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to expand multilingual messaging about preparedness, power outages, extreme weather, evacuation and alerts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State leaders are also prepared to ask the federal government for assistance if needed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We remain hopeful that they will be responsive when we do have the need, if we were to get an incident that rose to the level of needing a federal declaration,” Thomas Jacobs said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As a potentially historic \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097546/el-nino-could-bring-a-wet-wild-winter-how-can-you-and-your-home-be-ready\">El Niño\u003c/a> continues to build, Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/09/21/governor-newsom-proclaims-state-of-emergency-to-bolster-statewide-el-nino-preparedness-protect-california/\">state of emergency\u003c/a> on Monday ahead of winter storms and high tides that could wreak havoc on the state. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Forecasters predict that much of California could have \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/seasonal.php?lead=1\">above-average\u003c/a> precipitation and temperatures this winter. The potential storms could pile on top of El Niño-induced \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001688/strong-el-nino-may-bring-record-sea-level-and-coastal-flooding-to-bay-area\">higher sea levels and record-high king tides\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Forecasters predict that much of California could have \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/seasonal.php?lead=1\">above-average\u003c/a> precipitation and temperatures this winter. The potential storms could pile on top of El Niño-induced \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001688/strong-el-nino-may-bring-record-sea-level-and-coastal-flooding-to-bay-area\">higher sea levels and record-high king tides\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As a result, Newsom is directing state agencies to begin preparing vulnerable communities and roads, stage emergency supplies and work in at-risk areas to reduce flooding potential. He has also directed state agencies to fast-track permitting and cut red tape to ready the state for El Niño effects.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As a result, Newsom is directing state agencies to begin preparing vulnerable communities and roads, stage emergency supplies and work in at-risk areas to reduce flooding potential. He has also directed state agencies to fast-track permitting and cut red tape to ready the state for El Niño effects.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/FloodingMarinCountyAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12068729\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/FloodingMarinCountyAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/FloodingMarinCountyAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/FloodingMarinCountyAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cars drive on Highway 101 flooded by the “King Tides” on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, near Corte Madera in Marin County, California.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Ethan Swope/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/FloodingMarinCountyAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12068729\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cars drive on Highway 101 flooded by the “King Tides” on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, near Corte Madera in Marin County, California.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Ethan Swope/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We are preparing for this El Niño early because every Californian deserves to be safe in their home, connected to their community, and protected when severe weather comes,” Newsom said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/09/21/governor-newsom-proclaims-state-of-emergency-to-bolster-statewide-el-nino-preparedness-protect-california/\">statement\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We are preparing for this El Niño early because every Californian deserves to be safe in their home, connected to their community, and protected when severe weather comes,” Newsom said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/09/21/governor-newsom-proclaims-state-of-emergency-to-bolster-statewide-el-nino-preparedness-protect-california/\">statement\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>El Niño forms when tropical trade winds weaken or reverse, allowing warm ocean water near Asia to slosh toward the Pacific Coast. That warming can reshape the jet stream and bring stormier weather across California while disrupting the ocean’s nutrient-rich upwelling, heating coastal waters, raising sea levels and stressing marine life. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>El Niño forms when tropical trade winds weaken or reverse, allowing warm ocean water near Asia to slosh toward the Pacific Coast. That warming can reshape the jet stream and bring stormier weather across California while disrupting the ocean’s nutrient-rich upwelling, heating coastal waters, raising sea levels and stressing marine life. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>National forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report that the natural climate phenomenon is strengthening, with a greater than 90% chance of a very strong event and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/ensodisc.shtml\">75% chance of a historic\u003c/a> event this fall and winter.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>National forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report that the natural climate phenomenon is strengthening, with a greater than 90% chance of a very strong event and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/ensodisc.shtml\">75% chance of a historic\u003c/a> event this fall and winter.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Exactly what the weather will look like this fall and winter is — quite literally — still up in the air. But similar events in past El Niño years have brought torrential downpours, coastal flooding, mudslides, power outages and giant waves.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Exactly what the weather will look like this fall and winter is — quite literally — still up in the air. But similar events in past El Niño years have brought torrential downpours, coastal flooding, mudslides, power outages and giant waves.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Climate-driven El Niño conditions could mean months of dangerous weather, heavy rain, strong winds, deep mountain snow, flooding, and Californians should understand this clearly,” said Caroline Thomas Jacobs, director of the California Office of Emergency Services. “Storms are among the deadliest disasters we face here in California, and one of the greatest dangers is still people underestimating the power of water.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Climate-driven El Niño conditions could mean months of dangerous weather, heavy rain, strong winds, deep mountain snow, flooding, and Californians should understand this clearly,” said Caroline Thomas Jacobs, director of the California Office of Emergency Services. “Storms are among the deadliest disasters we face here in California, and one of the greatest dangers is still people underestimating the power of water.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To prepare for what might happen, the emergency proclamation mobilizes resources in support of the state’s flood-risk-reduction efforts. The California Department of Water Resources has staged 4.4 million sandbags, 400,000 tons of rock, 68 stockpile locations, eight warehouses and 211 flood material containers across the state. State leaders have not yet put a price tag on the flood work. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>To prepare for what might happen, the emergency proclamation mobilizes resources in support of the state’s flood-risk-reduction efforts. The California Department of Water Resources has staged 4.4 million sandbags, 400,000 tons of rock, 68 stockpile locations, eight warehouses and 211 flood material containers across the state. State leaders have not yet put a price tag on the flood work. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Laura Hollender, deputy director of the Department of Water Resources, stressed that Bay Area counties, like Marin, that deal with flooding issues should alert the public as soon as possible about the risk because “even without storms” coastal areas may see flooding this winter.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Laura Hollender, deputy director of the Department of Water Resources, stressed that Bay Area counties, like Marin, that deal with flooding issues should alert the public as soon as possible about the risk because “even without storms” coastal areas may see flooding this winter.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I think early messaging and early preparation for those communities is going to be really important this year,” Hollender said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I think early messaging and early preparation for those communities is going to be really important this year,” Hollender said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Caltrans will also place traffic-control, road-closure and snow-removal equipment along the highways most at risk. The California National Guard will also be ready for things like flood response and search-and-rescue operations. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Caltrans will also place traffic-control, road-closure and snow-removal equipment along the highways most at risk. The California National Guard will also be ready for things like flood response and search-and-rescue operations. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061526Flooding_GH_011-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12087668\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061526Flooding_GH_011-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061526Flooding_GH_011-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061526Flooding_GH_011-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Plastic sheeting and sandbags are placed outside a home along Golden Hind Passage, as residents prepare for potential king tide flooding, in Corte Madera, on June 15, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061526Flooding_GH_011-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12087668\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Plastic sheeting and sandbags are placed outside a home along Golden Hind Passage, as residents prepare for potential king tide flooding, in Corte Madera, on June 15, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>State agencies are also preparing for the adverse effects of too much precipitation, flooding, landslides and debris flows by fast-tracking permitting and identifying other ways to cut red tape.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>State agencies are also preparing for the adverse effects of too much precipitation, flooding, landslides and debris flows by fast-tracking permitting and identifying other ways to cut red tape.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The emergency order is very clear that we are to exercise whatever emergency authorities we have and our entities within our agencies have to enable this work to happen quickly and efficiently to be in place for when this fall weather could come this winter,” said Wade Crowfoot, California Secretary of Natural Resources.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The emergency order is very clear that we are to exercise whatever emergency authorities we have and our entities within our agencies have to enable this work to happen quickly and efficiently to be in place for when this fall weather could come this winter,” said Wade Crowfoot, California Secretary of Natural Resources.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Newsom’s order also directs the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to expand multilingual messaging about preparedness, power outages, extreme weather, evacuation and alerts.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Newsom’s order also directs the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to expand multilingual messaging about preparedness, power outages, extreme weather, evacuation and alerts.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>State leaders are also prepared to ask the federal government for assistance if needed. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We remain hopeful that they will be responsive when we do have the need, if we were to get an incident that rose to the level of needing a federal declaration,” Thomas Jacobs said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>As a potentially historic \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097546/el-nino-could-bring-a-wet-wild-winter-how-can-you-and-your-home-be-ready\">El Niño\u003c/a> continues to build, Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/09/21/governor-newsom-proclaims-state-of-emergency-to-bolster-statewide-el-nino-preparedness-protect-california/\">state of emergency\u003c/a> on Monday ahead of winter storms and high tides that could wreak havoc on the state. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Forecasters predict that much of California could have \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/seasonal.php?lead=1\">above-average\u003c/a> precipitation and temperatures this winter. The potential storms could pile on top of El Niño-induced \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001688/strong-el-nino-may-bring-record-sea-level-and-coastal-flooding-to-bay-area\">higher sea levels and record-high king tides\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As a result, Newsom is directing state agencies to begin preparing vulnerable communities and roads, stage emergency supplies and work in at-risk areas to reduce flooding potential. He has also directed state agencies to fast-track permitting and cut red tape to ready the state for El Niño effects.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/FloodingMarinCountyAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12068729\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/FloodingMarinCountyAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/FloodingMarinCountyAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/FloodingMarinCountyAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cars drive on Highway 101 flooded by the “King Tides” on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, near Corte Madera in Marin County, California. (Ethan Swope/AP Photo)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are preparing for this El Niño early because every Californian deserves to be safe in their home, connected to their community, and protected when severe weather comes,” Newsom said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/09/21/governor-newsom-proclaims-state-of-emergency-to-bolster-statewide-el-nino-preparedness-protect-california/\">statement\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>El Niño forms when tropical trade winds weaken or reverse, allowing warm ocean water near Asia to slosh toward the Pacific Coast. That warming can reshape the jet stream and bring stormier weather across California while disrupting the ocean’s nutrient-rich upwelling, heating coastal waters, raising sea levels and stressing marine life. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>National forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report that the natural climate phenomenon is strengthening, with a greater than 90% chance of a very strong event and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/ensodisc.shtml\">75% chance of a historic\u003c/a> event this fall and winter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Exactly what the weather will look like this fall and winter is — quite literally — still up in the air. But similar events in past El Niño years have brought torrential downpours, coastal flooding, mudslides, power outages and giant waves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Climate-driven El Niño conditions could mean months of dangerous weather, heavy rain, strong winds, deep mountain snow, flooding, and Californians should understand this clearly,” said Caroline Thomas Jacobs, director of the California Office of Emergency Services. “Storms are among the deadliest disasters we face here in California, and one of the greatest dangers is still people underestimating the power of water.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To prepare for what might happen, the emergency proclamation mobilizes resources in support of the state’s flood-risk-reduction efforts. The California Department of Water Resources has staged 4.4 million sandbags, 400,000 tons of rock, 68 stockpile locations, eight warehouses and 211 flood material containers across the state. State leaders have not yet put a price tag on the flood work. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Laura Hollender, deputy director of the Department of Water Resources, stressed that Bay Area counties, like Marin, that deal with flooding issues should alert the public as soon as possible about the risk because “even without storms” coastal areas may see flooding this winter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think early messaging and early preparation for those communities is going to be really important this year,” Hollender said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Caltrans will also place traffic-control, road-closure and snow-removal equipment along the highways most at risk. The California National Guard will also be ready for things like flood response and search-and-rescue operations. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061526Flooding_GH_011-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12087668\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061526Flooding_GH_011-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061526Flooding_GH_011-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061526Flooding_GH_011-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Plastic sheeting and sandbags are placed outside a home along Golden Hind Passage, as residents prepare for potential king tide flooding, in Corte Madera, on June 15, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State agencies are also preparing for the adverse effects of too much precipitation, flooding, landslides and debris flows by fast-tracking permitting and identifying other ways to cut red tape.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The emergency order is very clear that we are to exercise whatever emergency authorities we have and our entities within our agencies have to enable this work to happen quickly and efficiently to be in place for when this fall weather could come this winter,” said Wade Crowfoot, California Secretary of Natural Resources.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Newsom’s order also directs the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to expand multilingual messaging about preparedness, power outages, extreme weather, evacuation and alerts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State leaders are also prepared to ask the federal government for assistance if needed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We remain hopeful that they will be responsive when we do have the need, if we were to get an incident that rose to the level of needing a federal declaration,” Thomas Jacobs said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "As Fast-Moving Wildfire Near Truckee Burns 640 Acres, I-80 Remains Closed",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>A rapidly spreading \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/wildfires\">wildfire \u003c/a>near Truckee that shuttered a span of Interstate-80 and prompted swift evacuation warnings has expanded to 640 acres.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Floriston Fire in Nevada County, in California, broke out just after 10 a.m. Wednesday and exploded to nearly 300 acres within hours, spreading at a “dangerous rate” without containment, Cal Fire said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The vegetation fire sparked on the hillside near the Floriston exit of I-80, closing the road’s westbound lanes near the Nevada state line and prompting evacuation warnings in three zones near Truckee. Cal Fire said the fast-moving blaze nine miles west of the town is threatening the thoroughfare, along with the Truckee watershed and nearby natural resources. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalFireGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093449\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalFireGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalFireGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalFireGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Cal Fire patch is seen on the shoulder of a firefighter on Sept. 26, 2025, in San Diego, California. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Although it’s late in the season and the temperatures have dropped significantly, we’re still really dry,” said Chris Vestal, a spokesperson for CalFire. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fuel moisture in the area is at a historic low after an abnormally dry winter and there’s zero precipitation in the long-range forecast, Vestal said. “We didn’t have a huge winter last year, so some of the larger diameter stuff did not have the opportunity to absorb the moisture that it would have in a more productive winter.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is the sixth fire reported in Nevada County this summer, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">CalFire’s archive\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bulldozers and hand crews made significant progress securing the perimeter of the fire overnight, Vestal said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>20 engines, 10 water tenders, two helicopters, eight dozers and 12 hand firefighting crews continue to combat the blaze this morning which is now 5% contained according to CalFire.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Portions of both Nevada County and Sierra County remain under evacuation warnings today, CalFire said, and an evacuation order is in place for Nevada County, NCO-E379-A. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California Highway Patrol said there is currently no estimate for reopening I-80 and urged motorists to avoid the area and expect significant delays.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s not just the fire danger that poses a hazard to travelers,” Vestal said, explaining that root systems hold soil, dirt and rock together above the road. When they burn, rocks and other debris can “roll onto the highway.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CalFire said residents should continue to pay attention to both Sierra and Nevada County’s Sheriff’s offices for additional updates. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a developing story and will be updated.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A rapidly spreading \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/wildfires\">wildfire \u003c/a>near Truckee that shuttered a span of Interstate-80 and prompted swift evacuation warnings has expanded to 640 acres.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A rapidly spreading \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/wildfires\">wildfire \u003c/a>near Truckee that shuttered a span of Interstate-80 and prompted swift evacuation warnings has expanded to 640 acres.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Floriston Fire in Nevada County, in California, broke out just after 10 a.m. Wednesday and exploded to nearly 300 acres within hours, spreading at a “dangerous rate” without containment, Cal Fire said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Floriston Fire in Nevada County, in California, broke out just after 10 a.m. Wednesday and exploded to nearly 300 acres within hours, spreading at a “dangerous rate” without containment, Cal Fire said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The vegetation fire sparked on the hillside near the Floriston exit of I-80, closing the road’s westbound lanes near the Nevada state line and prompting evacuation warnings in three zones near Truckee. Cal Fire said the fast-moving blaze nine miles west of the town is threatening the thoroughfare, along with the Truckee watershed and nearby natural resources. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The vegetation fire sparked on the hillside near the Floriston exit of I-80, closing the road’s westbound lanes near the Nevada state line and prompting evacuation warnings in three zones near Truckee. Cal Fire said the fast-moving blaze nine miles west of the town is threatening the thoroughfare, along with the Truckee watershed and nearby natural resources. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Although it’s late in the season and the temperatures have dropped significantly, we’re still really dry,” said Chris Vestal, a spokesperson for CalFire. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fuel moisture in the area is at a historic low after an abnormally dry winter and there’s zero precipitation in the long-range forecast, Vestal said. “We didn’t have a huge winter last year, so some of the larger diameter stuff did not have the opportunity to absorb the moisture that it would have in a more productive winter.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bulldozers and hand crews made significant progress securing the perimeter of the fire overnight, Vestal said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>20 engines, 10 water tenders, two helicopters, eight dozers and 12 hand firefighting crews continue to combat the blaze this morning which is now 5% contained according to CalFire.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Portions of both Nevada County and Sierra County remain under evacuation warnings today, CalFire said, and an evacuation order is in place for Nevada County, NCO-E379-A. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California Highway Patrol said there is currently no estimate for reopening I-80 and urged motorists to avoid the area and expect significant delays.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s not just the fire danger that poses a hazard to travelers,” Vestal said, explaining that root systems hold soil, dirt and rock together above the road. When they burn, rocks and other debris can “roll onto the highway.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s not just the fire danger that poses a hazard to travelers,” Vestal said, explaining that root systems hold soil, dirt and rock together above the road. When they burn, rocks and other debris can “roll onto the highway.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>CalFire said residents should continue to pay attention to both Sierra and Nevada County’s Sheriff’s offices for additional updates. \u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The fire continues to burn with a dry weekend ahead, according to CalFire.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>A rapidly spreading \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/wildfires\">wildfire \u003c/a>near Truckee that shuttered a span of Interstate-80 and prompted swift evacuation warnings has expanded to 640 acres.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Floriston Fire in Nevada County, in California, broke out just after 10 a.m. Wednesday and exploded to nearly 300 acres within hours, spreading at a “dangerous rate” without containment, Cal Fire said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The vegetation fire sparked on the hillside near the Floriston exit of I-80, closing the road’s westbound lanes near the Nevada state line and prompting evacuation warnings in three zones near Truckee. Cal Fire said the fast-moving blaze nine miles west of the town is threatening the thoroughfare, along with the Truckee watershed and nearby natural resources. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalFireGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093449\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalFireGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalFireGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/CalFireGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Cal Fire patch is seen on the shoulder of a firefighter on Sept. 26, 2025, in San Diego, California. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Although it’s late in the season and the temperatures have dropped significantly, we’re still really dry,” said Chris Vestal, a spokesperson for CalFire. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fuel moisture in the area is at a historic low after an abnormally dry winter and there’s zero precipitation in the long-range forecast, Vestal said. “We didn’t have a huge winter last year, so some of the larger diameter stuff did not have the opportunity to absorb the moisture that it would have in a more productive winter.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is the sixth fire reported in Nevada County this summer, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">CalFire’s archive\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bulldozers and hand crews made significant progress securing the perimeter of the fire overnight, Vestal said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>20 engines, 10 water tenders, two helicopters, eight dozers and 12 hand firefighting crews continue to combat the blaze this morning which is now 5% contained according to CalFire.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Portions of both Nevada County and Sierra County remain under evacuation warnings today, CalFire said, and an evacuation order is in place for Nevada County, NCO-E379-A. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California Highway Patrol said there is currently no estimate for reopening I-80 and urged motorists to avoid the area and expect significant delays.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s not just the fire danger that poses a hazard to travelers,” Vestal said, explaining that root systems hold soil, dirt and rock together above the road. When they burn, rocks and other debris can “roll onto the highway.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CalFire said residents should continue to pay attention to both Sierra and Nevada County’s Sheriff’s offices for additional updates. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a developing story and will be updated.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "scientists-warn-this-years-el-nino-can-trigger-unprecedented-flooding",
"title": "Scientists Warn This Year's El Niño Can Trigger Unprecedented Flooding",
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"headTitle": "Scientists Warn This Year’s El Niño Can Trigger Unprecedented Flooding | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Wednesday, September 16, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/lanina/enso_evolution-status-fcsts-web.pdf\">Federal scientists now say\u003c/a> it’s very likely that a strong El Niño will continue through the end of the year. The natural phenomenon is pushing a massive stretch of warm water toward California, and climate scientists worry that t\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097946/a-super-el-nino-in-the-bay-area-what-you-need-to-know\">his process could trigger monumental flooding\u003c/a> later this year.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>California just became the first state in the nation to pass\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/california-los-angeles-palisades-eaton-fires-smoke-damage-bills-signed-wildfire-insurance\"> rules that require insurance companies to address smoke damage\u003c/a> after major fires.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Backers of a November ballot measure that would levy a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099825/california-billionaires-tax-has-a-slim-lead-in-new-poll-but-still-a-lot-of-work-to-do\">tax on billionaires are facing an uphill battle\u003c/a>, according to a new poll released today.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097946/a-super-el-nino-in-the-bay-area-what-you-need-to-know\">Bay Area Cities Preparing Infrastructure for Rising Tides\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Derek Bentley is practicing karate on new blue mats in his San Rafael studio. His business is just yards from a marina connected to San Francisco Bay. The building flooded through seams in the foundation during a January storm, stacked on top of a king tide. Some of the old dirty mats are still stacked in a corner.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We were closed for about a week after the flood and then we opened but we had like air dryers and some of the mats were still wet,” said Bentley. “Took a little bit of a credit card to it, but we got some new mats finally. We’re slowly rebuilding.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He fears that a very strong El Niño will raise water levels and steer storms toward the Bay Area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As for his worst fear, Bentley says, “That this place goes completely under water.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Climate \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/lanina/enso_evolution-status-fcsts-web.pdf\">scientists warn\u003c/a> the effects of El Niño could result in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097546/el-nino-could-bring-a-wet-wild-winter-how-can-you-and-your-home-be-ready\">unprecedented flooding around the region. \u003c/a>Warm water expanding could contribute several inches of temporary sea-level rise. Plus, a slow-moving pulse of water, known as Kelvin waves, could cause a rise of up to 9 inches or more over days or weeks. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Daniel Swain is a UC system climate scientist Daniel Swain says we could see potential for record-breaking water levels in some areas.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Add changes in pressure, a storm surge, and natural king tides, which will be among the highest on record in December, and Swain says some places could experience as much as 5 – 6 feet of temporary inundation above historical high tide levels at times.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Anything that’s tidally influenced will be affected. You’re also generally going to see that all the way inland into the Delta to Stockton.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The high water has already begun and is about 6 inches above normal at the tide gauge near the Golden Gate Bridge. Sean Vitousek is a research oceanographer at the U.S. Geological Survey.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“And that’s partially because of El Niño,” he said. “And they will probably get larger in the winter as you get more of the storm surge effects.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To find out how cities are preparing, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097946/a-super-el-nino-in-the-bay-area-what-you-need-to-know\">KQED checked in with officials across the region\u003c/a>. Up north, San Rafael is coordinating with critical agencies to enable quick road closures. Kate Hagemann is the city’s climate adaptation resilience planner.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That unfortunately doesn’t reduce the risk that those roads flood or those facilities are impacted.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Travel south to the island city of Alameda, and officials are beginning to service pumps, clear out storm drains and prepare barricades. Erin Smith is the city’s public works director.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have a vacuum truck that’s able to quickly dislodge material that may be preventing the storm water from flowing.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Head west to San Francisco and officials are planning similar steps along a stretch of seven and half miles of shoreline. Crews will prepare sandbags, stage pumps and plan traffic detours. Brad Benson is with the Port of San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The king tides and these El Niño events are a glimpse into the future. Some of these areas, we have very important assets,” said Benson, referring to Muni and public spaces like the Ferry Building. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you drive west until you reach the Golden Gate Bridge, you’ll find the Pacific Ocean forcing waves into San Francisco Bay. Kristina Hill and I chatted near Fort Point, with a view of San Francisco’s seawall, beaches and skyscrapers. Hill studies sea-level rise at UC Berkeley and thinks the temporary high-water line could expose weaknesses in the Bay Area’s human-made barriers meant to keep water out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve been trying to fill the cracks in the bathtub by putting out little informal levees, and then occasionally a very big project like the San Francisco seawall,” said Hill.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She says flooding this winter could show decisionmakers that it’s time to think about long-range solutions differently. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“And the things we’ve done in the past to prevent coastal flooding won’t work when that water doesn’t go back down again.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hill added that higher water levels are predicted to become an everyday reality in just a couple of decades.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/california-los-angeles-palisades-eaton-fires-smoke-damage-bills-signed-wildfire-insurance\">California Becomes First State to Pass Requirements for Insurers to Clean Smoke Damage After Fires\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bills 1642 and 1795, which will require insurers to test for smoke damage, cover the cost of cleaning contaminants like lead and asbestos, and keep paying for a homeowner’s alternative living expenses until the home is found safe to reoccupy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The California Department of Toxic Substances Control will have until the end of 2028 to develop testing and cleaning standards for lead and asbestos, and until the end of 2029 to set rules for heavy metals and other pollutants.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The change comes after the L.A. County fires last year, which left thousands of homes standing, but covered in toxic fire residue. Homeowners have been fighting their insurers to cover the cost of dealing with smoke damage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the state Department of Insurance, property owners filed 13,000 smoke damage claims for standing homes after the January 2025 fires. While insurers have covered testing and cleaning in many cases, other homeowners are still unable to return home as they battle with insurance companies over addressing smoke damage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Insurance industry groups fought the new rules, saying they opposed shifting regulation away from the state Department of Insurance and to the Department of Toxic Substances Control.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But proponents say they’ll help families displaced by future fires get home faster.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099825/california-billionaires-tax-has-a-slim-lead-in-new-poll-but-still-a-lot-of-work-to-do\">California Billionaires Tax Has a Slim Lead in New Poll, but Still ‘a Lot of Work to Do’ \u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Voters will weigh in Nov. 3 on Proposition 40, which would impose a one-time, 5% wealth tax on billionaires who lived in California as of Jan. 1, 2026. The tax is estimated to raise up to $100 billion and would be used to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093303/the-union-man-taking-on-the-democratic-establishment-with-a-billionaire-tax\">offset deep federal healthcare cuts\u003c/a> imposed last year by Congress. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The poll by the Public Policy Institute of California found 52% of likely voters saying they will vote yes on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/billionaire-tax\">the billionaire tax\u003c/a>, known as Proposition 40, with 46% opposed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That’s a slim margin to begin with — but the survey also found voters narrowly lining up behind two ballot measures that could nullify the billionaire tax.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Proposition 41, which would make any new taxes subject to the state’s existing spending limit, is leading in the Public Policy Institute of California poll 51% to 44%. Proposition 42 would prohibit taxes on financial assets such as stocks and other personal property other than real estate. It’s leading in the poll 54% to 43%. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If all three pass, but Proposition 41 or 42 gets more votes than Proposition 40 gets, the state will be prohibited from enforcing the billionaire tax.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mark Baldassare is the Public Policy Institute’s statewide survey director.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“So the supporters [of Proposition 40] have the work to do of both keeping their support, which is now just above 50%, in the majority range, and also raising questions about Propositions 41 and 42 that may reduce support below what Proposition 40 is getting,” Baldassare said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That task will likely be made even harder by the large amount of money being spent by billionaires against the proposed wealth tax: Opponents of the billionaire tax have already raised nearly $120 million to fight Proposition 40 and support Propositions 41 and 42. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In all, California voters will weigh in on 14 ballot measures this fall, and PPIC found voters “exhausted” by the responsibility: Nearly 80% of respondents said they’re frustrated with the size of the ballot.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/lanina/enso_evolution-status-fcsts-web.pdf\">Federal scientists now say\u003c/a> it’s very likely that a strong El Niño will continue through the end of the year. The natural phenomenon is pushing a massive stretch of warm water toward California, and climate scientists worry that t\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097946/a-super-el-nino-in-the-bay-area-what-you-need-to-know\">his process could trigger monumental flooding\u003c/a> later this year.\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/lanina/enso_evolution-status-fcsts-web.pdf\">Federal scientists now say\u003c/a> it’s very likely that a strong El Niño will continue through the end of the year. The natural phenomenon is pushing a massive stretch of warm water toward California, and climate scientists worry that t\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097946/a-super-el-nino-in-the-bay-area-what-you-need-to-know\">his process could trigger monumental flooding\u003c/a> later this year.\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>California just became the first state in the nation to pass\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/california-los-angeles-palisades-eaton-fires-smoke-damage-bills-signed-wildfire-insurance\"> rules that require insurance companies to address smoke damage\u003c/a> after major fires.\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>California just became the first state in the nation to pass\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/california-los-angeles-palisades-eaton-fires-smoke-damage-bills-signed-wildfire-insurance\"> rules that require insurance companies to address smoke damage\u003c/a> after major fires.\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>Backers of a November ballot measure that would levy a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099825/california-billionaires-tax-has-a-slim-lead-in-new-poll-but-still-a-lot-of-work-to-do\">tax on billionaires are facing an uphill battle\u003c/a>, according to a new poll released today.\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>Backers of a November ballot measure that would levy a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099825/california-billionaires-tax-has-a-slim-lead-in-new-poll-but-still-a-lot-of-work-to-do\">tax on billionaires are facing an uphill battle\u003c/a>, according to a new poll released today.\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097946/a-super-el-nino-in-the-bay-area-what-you-need-to-know\">Bay Area Cities Preparing Infrastructure for Rising Tides\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Derek Bentley is practicing karate on new blue mats in his San Rafael studio. His business is just yards from a marina connected to San Francisco Bay. The building flooded through seams in the foundation during a January storm, stacked on top of a king tide. Some of the old dirty mats are still stacked in a corner.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Derek Bentley is practicing karate on new blue mats in his San Rafael studio. His business is just yards from a marina connected to San Francisco Bay. The building flooded through seams in the foundation during a January storm, stacked on top of a king tide. Some of the old dirty mats are still stacked in a corner.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We were closed for about a week after the flood and then we opened but we had like air dryers and some of the mats were still wet,” said Bentley. “Took a little bit of a credit card to it, but we got some new mats finally. We’re slowly rebuilding.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We were closed for about a week after the flood and then we opened but we had like air dryers and some of the mats were still wet,” said Bentley. “Took a little bit of a credit card to it, but we got some new mats finally. We’re slowly rebuilding.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He fears that a very strong El Niño will raise water levels and steer storms toward the Bay Area. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As for his worst fear, Bentley says, “That this place goes completely under water.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As for his worst fear, Bentley says, “That this place goes completely under water.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Climate \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/lanina/enso_evolution-status-fcsts-web.pdf\">scientists warn\u003c/a> the effects of El Niño could result in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097546/el-nino-could-bring-a-wet-wild-winter-how-can-you-and-your-home-be-ready\">unprecedented flooding around the region. \u003c/a>Warm water expanding could contribute several inches of temporary sea-level rise. Plus, a slow-moving pulse of water, known as Kelvin waves, could cause a rise of up to 9 inches or more over days or weeks. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Climate \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/lanina/enso_evolution-status-fcsts-web.pdf\">scientists warn\u003c/a> the effects of El Niño could result in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097546/el-nino-could-bring-a-wet-wild-winter-how-can-you-and-your-home-be-ready\">unprecedented flooding around the region. \u003c/a>Warm water expanding could contribute several inches of temporary sea-level rise. Plus, a slow-moving pulse of water, known as Kelvin waves, could cause a rise of up to 9 inches or more over days or weeks. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Daniel Swain is a UC system climate scientist Daniel Swain says we could see potential for record-breaking water levels in some areas.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Add changes in pressure, a storm surge, and natural king tides, which will be among the highest on record in December, and Swain says some places could experience as much as 5 – 6 feet of temporary inundation above historical high tide levels at times.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Add changes in pressure, a storm surge, and natural king tides, which will be among the highest on record in December, and Swain says some places could experience as much as 5 – 6 feet of temporary inundation above historical high tide levels at times.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Anything that’s tidally influenced will be affected. You’re also generally going to see that all the way inland into the Delta to Stockton.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The high water has already begun and is about 6 inches above normal at the tide gauge near the Golden Gate Bridge. Sean Vitousek is a research oceanographer at the U.S. Geological Survey.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The high water has already begun and is about 6 inches above normal at the tide gauge near the Golden Gate Bridge. Sean Vitousek is a research oceanographer at the U.S. Geological Survey.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“And that’s partially because of El Niño,” he said. “And they will probably get larger in the winter as you get more of the storm surge effects.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“And that’s partially because of El Niño,” he said. “And they will probably get larger in the winter as you get more of the storm surge effects.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To find out how cities are preparing, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097946/a-super-el-nino-in-the-bay-area-what-you-need-to-know\">KQED checked in with officials across the region\u003c/a>. Up north, San Rafael is coordinating with critical agencies to enable quick road closures. Kate Hagemann is the city’s climate adaptation resilience planner.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>To find out how cities are preparing, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097946/a-super-el-nino-in-the-bay-area-what-you-need-to-know\">KQED checked in with officials across the region\u003c/a>. Up north, San Rafael is coordinating with critical agencies to enable quick road closures. Kate Hagemann is the city’s climate adaptation resilience planner.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“That unfortunately doesn’t reduce the risk that those roads flood or those facilities are impacted.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“That unfortunately doesn’t reduce the risk that those roads flood or those facilities are impacted.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Travel south to the island city of Alameda, and officials are beginning to service pumps, clear out storm drains and prepare barricades. Erin Smith is the city’s public works director.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Travel south to the island city of Alameda, and officials are beginning to service pumps, clear out storm drains and prepare barricades. Erin Smith is the city’s public works director.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We have a vacuum truck that’s able to quickly dislodge material that may be preventing the storm water from flowing.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Head west to San Francisco and officials are planning similar steps along a stretch of seven and half miles of shoreline. Crews will prepare sandbags, stage pumps and plan traffic detours. Brad Benson is with the Port of San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Head west to San Francisco and officials are planning similar steps along a stretch of seven and half miles of shoreline. Crews will prepare sandbags, stage pumps and plan traffic detours. Brad Benson is with the Port of San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The king tides and these El Niño events are a glimpse into the future. Some of these areas, we have very important assets,” said Benson, referring to Muni and public spaces like the Ferry Building. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The king tides and these El Niño events are a glimpse into the future. Some of these areas, we have very important assets,” said Benson, referring to Muni and public spaces like the Ferry Building. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you drive west until you reach the Golden Gate Bridge, you’ll find the Pacific Ocean forcing waves into San Francisco Bay. Kristina Hill and I chatted near Fort Point, with a view of San Francisco’s seawall, beaches and skyscrapers. Hill studies sea-level rise at UC Berkeley and thinks the temporary high-water line could expose weaknesses in the Bay Area’s human-made barriers meant to keep water out.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you drive west until you reach the Golden Gate Bridge, you’ll find the Pacific Ocean forcing waves into San Francisco Bay. Kristina Hill and I chatted near Fort Point, with a view of San Francisco’s seawall, beaches and skyscrapers. Hill studies sea-level rise at UC Berkeley and thinks the temporary high-water line could expose weaknesses in the Bay Area’s human-made barriers meant to keep water out.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’ve been trying to fill the cracks in the bathtub by putting out little informal levees, and then occasionally a very big project like the San Francisco seawall,” said Hill.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We’ve been trying to fill the cracks in the bathtub by putting out little informal levees, and then occasionally a very big project like the San Francisco seawall,” said Hill.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She says flooding this winter could show decisionmakers that it’s time to think about long-range solutions differently. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>She says flooding this winter could show decisionmakers that it’s time to think about long-range solutions differently. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“And the things we’ve done in the past to prevent coastal flooding won’t work when that water doesn’t go back down again.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“And the things we’ve done in the past to prevent coastal flooding won’t work when that water doesn’t go back down again.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hill added that higher water levels are predicted to become an everyday reality in just a couple of decades.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Hill added that higher water levels are predicted to become an everyday reality in just a couple of decades.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "California Becomes First State to Pass Requirements for Insurers to Clean Smoke Damage After Fires",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/california-los-angeles-palisades-eaton-fires-smoke-damage-bills-signed-wildfire-insurance\">California Becomes First State to Pass Requirements for Insurers to Clean Smoke Damage After Fires\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/california-los-angeles-palisades-eaton-fires-smoke-damage-bills-signed-wildfire-insurance\">California Becomes First State to Pass Requirements for Insurers to Clean Smoke Damage After Fires\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bills 1642 and 1795, which will require insurers to test for smoke damage, cover the cost of cleaning contaminants like lead and asbestos, and keep paying for a homeowner’s alternative living expenses until the home is found safe to reoccupy.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bills 1642 and 1795, which will require insurers to test for smoke damage, cover the cost of cleaning contaminants like lead and asbestos, and keep paying for a homeowner’s alternative living expenses until the home is found safe to reoccupy.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The California Department of Toxic Substances Control will have until the end of 2028 to develop testing and cleaning standards for lead and asbestos, and until the end of 2029 to set rules for heavy metals and other pollutants.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The California Department of Toxic Substances Control will have until the end of 2028 to develop testing and cleaning standards for lead and asbestos, and until the end of 2029 to set rules for heavy metals and other pollutants.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The change comes after the L.A. County fires last year, which left thousands of homes standing, but covered in toxic fire residue. Homeowners have been fighting their insurers to cover the cost of dealing with smoke damage.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The change comes after the L.A. County fires last year, which left thousands of homes standing, but covered in toxic fire residue. Homeowners have been fighting their insurers to cover the cost of dealing with smoke damage.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to the state Department of Insurance, property owners filed 13,000 smoke damage claims for standing homes after the January 2025 fires. While insurers have covered testing and cleaning in many cases, other homeowners are still unable to return home as they battle with insurance companies over addressing smoke damage.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>According to the state Department of Insurance, property owners filed 13,000 smoke damage claims for standing homes after the January 2025 fires. While insurers have covered testing and cleaning in many cases, other homeowners are still unable to return home as they battle with insurance companies over addressing smoke damage.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Insurance industry groups fought the new rules, saying they opposed shifting regulation away from the state Department of Insurance and to the Department of Toxic Substances Control.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Insurance industry groups fought the new rules, saying they opposed shifting regulation away from the state Department of Insurance and to the Department of Toxic Substances Control.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But proponents say they’ll help families displaced by future fires get home faster.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But proponents say they’ll help families displaced by future fires get home faster.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "California Billionaires Tax Has a Slim Lead in New Poll, but Still ‘a Lot of Work to Do’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099825/california-billionaires-tax-has-a-slim-lead-in-new-poll-but-still-a-lot-of-work-to-do\">California Billionaires Tax Has a Slim Lead in New Poll, but Still ‘a Lot of Work to Do’ \u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099825/california-billionaires-tax-has-a-slim-lead-in-new-poll-but-still-a-lot-of-work-to-do\">California Billionaires Tax Has a Slim Lead in New Poll, but Still ‘a Lot of Work to Do’ \u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Voters will weigh in Nov. 3 on Proposition 40, which would impose a one-time, 5% wealth tax on billionaires who lived in California as of Jan. 1, 2026. The tax is estimated to raise up to $100 billion and would be used to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093303/the-union-man-taking-on-the-democratic-establishment-with-a-billionaire-tax\">offset deep federal healthcare cuts\u003c/a> imposed last year by Congress. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Voters will weigh in Nov. 3 on Proposition 40, which would impose a one-time, 5% wealth tax on billionaires who lived in California as of Jan. 1, 2026. The tax is estimated to raise up to $100 billion and would be used to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093303/the-union-man-taking-on-the-democratic-establishment-with-a-billionaire-tax\">offset deep federal healthcare cuts\u003c/a> imposed last year by Congress. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The poll by the Public Policy Institute of California found 52% of likely voters saying they will vote yes on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/billionaire-tax\">the billionaire tax\u003c/a>, known as Proposition 40, with 46% opposed.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The poll by the Public Policy Institute of California found 52% of likely voters saying they will vote yes on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/billionaire-tax\">the billionaire tax\u003c/a>, known as Proposition 40, with 46% opposed.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That’s a slim margin to begin with — but the survey also found voters narrowly lining up behind two ballot measures that could nullify the billionaire tax.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>That’s a slim margin to begin with — but the survey also found voters narrowly lining up behind two ballot measures that could nullify the billionaire tax.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Proposition 41, which would make any new taxes subject to the state’s existing spending limit, is leading in the Public Policy Institute of California poll 51% to 44%. Proposition 42 would prohibit taxes on financial assets such as stocks and other personal property other than real estate. It’s leading in the poll 54% to 43%. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Proposition 41, which would make any new taxes subject to the state’s existing spending limit, is leading in the Public Policy Institute of California poll 51% to 44%. Proposition 42 would prohibit taxes on financial assets such as stocks and other personal property other than real estate. It’s leading in the poll 54% to 43%. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If all three pass, but Proposition 41 or 42 gets more votes than Proposition 40 gets, the state will be prohibited from enforcing the billionaire tax.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If all three pass, but Proposition 41 or 42 gets more votes than Proposition 40 gets, the state will be prohibited from enforcing the billionaire tax.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mark Baldassare is the Public Policy Institute’s statewide survey director.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“So the supporters [of Proposition 40] have the work to do of both keeping their support, which is now just above 50%, in the majority range, and also raising questions about Propositions 41 and 42 that may reduce support below what Proposition 40 is getting,” Baldassare said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“So the supporters [of Proposition 40] have the work to do of both keeping their support, which is now just above 50%, in the majority range, and also raising questions about Propositions 41 and 42 that may reduce support below what Proposition 40 is getting,” Baldassare said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That task will likely be made even harder by the large amount of money being spent by billionaires against the proposed wealth tax: Opponents of the billionaire tax have already raised nearly $120 million to fight Proposition 40 and support Propositions 41 and 42. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>That task will likely be made even harder by the large amount of money being spent by billionaires against the proposed wealth tax: Opponents of the billionaire tax have already raised nearly $120 million to fight Proposition 40 and support Propositions 41 and 42. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In all, California voters will weigh in on 14 ballot measures this fall, and PPIC found voters “exhausted” by the responsibility: Nearly 80% of respondents said they’re frustrated with the size of the ballot.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In all, California voters will weigh in on 14 ballot measures this fall, and PPIC found voters “exhausted” by the responsibility: Nearly 80% of respondents said they’re frustrated with the size of the ballot.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "The natural weather phenomenon is pushing a massive stretch of warm water toward California. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Wednesday, September 16, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/lanina/enso_evolution-status-fcsts-web.pdf\">Federal scientists now say\u003c/a> it’s very likely that a strong El Niño will continue through the end of the year. The natural phenomenon is pushing a massive stretch of warm water toward California, and climate scientists worry that t\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097946/a-super-el-nino-in-the-bay-area-what-you-need-to-know\">his process could trigger monumental flooding\u003c/a> later this year.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>California just became the first state in the nation to pass\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/california-los-angeles-palisades-eaton-fires-smoke-damage-bills-signed-wildfire-insurance\"> rules that require insurance companies to address smoke damage\u003c/a> after major fires.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Backers of a November ballot measure that would levy a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099825/california-billionaires-tax-has-a-slim-lead-in-new-poll-but-still-a-lot-of-work-to-do\">tax on billionaires are facing an uphill battle\u003c/a>, according to a new poll released today.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097946/a-super-el-nino-in-the-bay-area-what-you-need-to-know\">Bay Area Cities Preparing Infrastructure for Rising Tides\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Derek Bentley is practicing karate on new blue mats in his San Rafael studio. His business is just yards from a marina connected to San Francisco Bay. The building flooded through seams in the foundation during a January storm, stacked on top of a king tide. Some of the old dirty mats are still stacked in a corner.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We were closed for about a week after the flood and then we opened but we had like air dryers and some of the mats were still wet,” said Bentley. “Took a little bit of a credit card to it, but we got some new mats finally. We’re slowly rebuilding.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He fears that a very strong El Niño will raise water levels and steer storms toward the Bay Area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As for his worst fear, Bentley says, “That this place goes completely under water.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Climate \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/lanina/enso_evolution-status-fcsts-web.pdf\">scientists warn\u003c/a> the effects of El Niño could result in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097546/el-nino-could-bring-a-wet-wild-winter-how-can-you-and-your-home-be-ready\">unprecedented flooding around the region. \u003c/a>Warm water expanding could contribute several inches of temporary sea-level rise. Plus, a slow-moving pulse of water, known as Kelvin waves, could cause a rise of up to 9 inches or more over days or weeks. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Daniel Swain is a UC system climate scientist Daniel Swain says we could see potential for record-breaking water levels in some areas.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Add changes in pressure, a storm surge, and natural king tides, which will be among the highest on record in December, and Swain says some places could experience as much as 5 – 6 feet of temporary inundation above historical high tide levels at times.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Anything that’s tidally influenced will be affected. You’re also generally going to see that all the way inland into the Delta to Stockton.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The high water has already begun and is about 6 inches above normal at the tide gauge near the Golden Gate Bridge. Sean Vitousek is a research oceanographer at the U.S. Geological Survey.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“And that’s partially because of El Niño,” he said. “And they will probably get larger in the winter as you get more of the storm surge effects.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To find out how cities are preparing, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097946/a-super-el-nino-in-the-bay-area-what-you-need-to-know\">KQED checked in with officials across the region\u003c/a>. Up north, San Rafael is coordinating with critical agencies to enable quick road closures. Kate Hagemann is the city’s climate adaptation resilience planner.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That unfortunately doesn’t reduce the risk that those roads flood or those facilities are impacted.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Travel south to the island city of Alameda, and officials are beginning to service pumps, clear out storm drains and prepare barricades. Erin Smith is the city’s public works director.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have a vacuum truck that’s able to quickly dislodge material that may be preventing the storm water from flowing.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Head west to San Francisco and officials are planning similar steps along a stretch of seven and half miles of shoreline. Crews will prepare sandbags, stage pumps and plan traffic detours. Brad Benson is with the Port of San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The king tides and these El Niño events are a glimpse into the future. Some of these areas, we have very important assets,” said Benson, referring to Muni and public spaces like the Ferry Building. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you drive west until you reach the Golden Gate Bridge, you’ll find the Pacific Ocean forcing waves into San Francisco Bay. Kristina Hill and I chatted near Fort Point, with a view of San Francisco’s seawall, beaches and skyscrapers. Hill studies sea-level rise at UC Berkeley and thinks the temporary high-water line could expose weaknesses in the Bay Area’s human-made barriers meant to keep water out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve been trying to fill the cracks in the bathtub by putting out little informal levees, and then occasionally a very big project like the San Francisco seawall,” said Hill.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She says flooding this winter could show decisionmakers that it’s time to think about long-range solutions differently. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“And the things we’ve done in the past to prevent coastal flooding won’t work when that water doesn’t go back down again.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hill added that higher water levels are predicted to become an everyday reality in just a couple of decades.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/california-los-angeles-palisades-eaton-fires-smoke-damage-bills-signed-wildfire-insurance\">California Becomes First State to Pass Requirements for Insurers to Clean Smoke Damage After Fires\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bills 1642 and 1795, which will require insurers to test for smoke damage, cover the cost of cleaning contaminants like lead and asbestos, and keep paying for a homeowner’s alternative living expenses until the home is found safe to reoccupy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The California Department of Toxic Substances Control will have until the end of 2028 to develop testing and cleaning standards for lead and asbestos, and until the end of 2029 to set rules for heavy metals and other pollutants.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The change comes after the L.A. County fires last year, which left thousands of homes standing, but covered in toxic fire residue. Homeowners have been fighting their insurers to cover the cost of dealing with smoke damage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the state Department of Insurance, property owners filed 13,000 smoke damage claims for standing homes after the January 2025 fires. While insurers have covered testing and cleaning in many cases, other homeowners are still unable to return home as they battle with insurance companies over addressing smoke damage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Insurance industry groups fought the new rules, saying they opposed shifting regulation away from the state Department of Insurance and to the Department of Toxic Substances Control.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But proponents say they’ll help families displaced by future fires get home faster.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099825/california-billionaires-tax-has-a-slim-lead-in-new-poll-but-still-a-lot-of-work-to-do\">California Billionaires Tax Has a Slim Lead in New Poll, but Still ‘a Lot of Work to Do’ \u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Voters will weigh in Nov. 3 on Proposition 40, which would impose a one-time, 5% wealth tax on billionaires who lived in California as of Jan. 1, 2026. The tax is estimated to raise up to $100 billion and would be used to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093303/the-union-man-taking-on-the-democratic-establishment-with-a-billionaire-tax\">offset deep federal healthcare cuts\u003c/a> imposed last year by Congress. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The poll by the Public Policy Institute of California found 52% of likely voters saying they will vote yes on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/billionaire-tax\">the billionaire tax\u003c/a>, known as Proposition 40, with 46% opposed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That’s a slim margin to begin with — but the survey also found voters narrowly lining up behind two ballot measures that could nullify the billionaire tax.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Proposition 41, which would make any new taxes subject to the state’s existing spending limit, is leading in the Public Policy Institute of California poll 51% to 44%. Proposition 42 would prohibit taxes on financial assets such as stocks and other personal property other than real estate. It’s leading in the poll 54% to 43%. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If all three pass, but Proposition 41 or 42 gets more votes than Proposition 40 gets, the state will be prohibited from enforcing the billionaire tax.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mark Baldassare is the Public Policy Institute’s statewide survey director.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“So the supporters [of Proposition 40] have the work to do of both keeping their support, which is now just above 50%, in the majority range, and also raising questions about Propositions 41 and 42 that may reduce support below what Proposition 40 is getting,” Baldassare said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That task will likely be made even harder by the large amount of money being spent by billionaires against the proposed wealth tax: Opponents of the billionaire tax have already raised nearly $120 million to fight Proposition 40 and support Propositions 41 and 42. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In all, California voters will weigh in on 14 ballot measures this fall, and PPIC found voters “exhausted” by the responsibility: Nearly 80% of respondents said they’re frustrated with the size of the ballot.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "pge-warns-14000-northern-california-residents-could-see-power-cuts-due-to-fire-risk",
"title": "PG&E Warns 14,000 Northern California Residents Could See Power Cuts Due to Fire Risk",
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"headTitle": "PG&E Warns 14,000 Northern California Residents Could See Power Cuts Due to Fire Risk | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Residents in large parts of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/northern-california\">Northern California\u003c/a> could have their electricity turned off over the weekend as the region is hit with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098784/summer-finally-kicks-off-in-san-francisco-with-hot-weather-stretch-across-the-bay-area\">critical fire weather\u003c/a> conditions, according to PG&E.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The utility said that public safety power shutoffs are likely on Saturday and Sunday in eight counties around the Sierra Nevada and Sacramento Valley due to high winds and dry conditions. Additional counties will be under watch as the weekend progresses, and some will continue to be monitored through Monday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The Emergency Operations Center remains activated, and PG&E meteorology is continuing to monitor the potential for elevated fire weather conditions to occur tomorrow through Monday morning,” PG&E said in its Friday forecast. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>PG&E has issued Public Safety Power Shutoff warnings for El Dorado, Lassen, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra and Tehama counties on Saturday and Sunday, meaning electricity shutoffs are likely. The utility will expand its monitoring to Butte, Colusa, Glenn and Yolo counties on Sunday, meaning shutoffs could be necessary. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"969\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/DSC5078-e1570605801462.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11778921\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/DSC5078-e1570605801462.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/DSC5078-e1570605801462-160x81.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/DSC5078-e1570605801462-800x404.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/DSC5078-e1570605801462-1020x515.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/DSC5078-e1570605801462-1200x606.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">PG&E is monitoring northeastern counties for elevated fire risk. (Stephanie Lister/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>By Monday, only Tehama County will be under watch for likely power cuts, while Butte, Colusa and Glenn counties continue to be monitored.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>PG&E said that shutoffs aren’t expected countywide, and where they’re necessary will be determined at a “granular” level. On Thursday, the utility \u003ca href=\"https://www.pge.com/en/newsroom/currents/safety/potential-public-safety-power-shutoff-could-impact-portions-of-11.html\">predicted\u003c/a> that around 14,000 customers across 11 counties could be affected.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cooler weather is expected to blow into Northern California from the Pacific Northwest throughout the weekend after a week of extreme heat, but those milder temperatures will be accompanied by fast-moving winds, which threaten to quickly spread any fires that break out among dried-up brush and grasses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>PG&E said the Bay Area should expect gusty winds between 25 and 35 mph on Saturday, while further north, over the North and Central Sierra, gusts could hit 40 to 50 mph. Those winds, combined with a period of low relative humidity, will contribute to elevated fire potential, according to PG&E. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On its tail, another offshore flow of winds up to 35 mph is expected to develop over the Sacramento Valley, extending fire risk to the region on Sunday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Any fires that develop will spread rapidly,” the National Weather Service wrote in a \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=STO&wwa=fire%20weather%20watch\">Fire Weather Watch\u003c/a> issued Friday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>NWS predicts that between 11 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Monday, relative humidity will drop to between 10% and 25%, further drying out flammable dead forest fuels. PG&E said in its forecast that dead fuel moisture values are already trending near or below normal for this time of year, and moisture content in brush is steadily declining, putting most species at “critically flammable levels.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After the weekend, “fair, dry and seasonable” weather is expected to return to the region for the remainder of next week.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Throughout the fall, the Northern Operations Predictive Services’ latest four-month seasonal outlook for significant fire potential predicts near- to above-normal potential in northeastern California throughout September, followed by normal fire potential in October through December. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Residents in large parts of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/northern-california\">Northern California\u003c/a> could have their electricity turned off over the weekend as the region is hit with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098784/summer-finally-kicks-off-in-san-francisco-with-hot-weather-stretch-across-the-bay-area\">critical fire weather\u003c/a> conditions, according to PG&E.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Residents in large parts of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/northern-california\">Northern California\u003c/a> could have their electricity turned off over the weekend as the region is hit with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098784/summer-finally-kicks-off-in-san-francisco-with-hot-weather-stretch-across-the-bay-area\">critical fire weather\u003c/a> conditions, according to PG&E.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The utility said that public safety power shutoffs are likely on Saturday and Sunday in eight counties around the Sierra Nevada and Sacramento Valley due to high winds and dry conditions. Additional counties will be under watch as the weekend progresses, and some will continue to be monitored through Monday.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The utility said that public safety power shutoffs are likely on Saturday and Sunday in eight counties around the Sierra Nevada and Sacramento Valley due to high winds and dry conditions. Additional counties will be under watch as the weekend progresses, and some will continue to be monitored through Monday.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The Emergency Operations Center remains activated, and PG&E meteorology is continuing to monitor the potential for elevated fire weather conditions to occur tomorrow through Monday morning,” PG&E said in its Friday forecast. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The Emergency Operations Center remains activated, and PG&E meteorology is continuing to monitor the potential for elevated fire weather conditions to occur tomorrow through Monday morning,” PG&E said in its Friday forecast. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>PG&E has issued Public Safety Power Shutoff warnings for El Dorado, Lassen, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra and Tehama counties on Saturday and Sunday, meaning electricity shutoffs are likely. The utility will expand its monitoring to Butte, Colusa, Glenn and Yolo counties on Sunday, meaning shutoffs could be necessary. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>PG&E has issued Public Safety Power Shutoff warnings for El Dorado, Lassen, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra and Tehama counties on Saturday and Sunday, meaning electricity shutoffs are likely. The utility will expand its monitoring to Butte, Colusa, Glenn and Yolo counties on Sunday, meaning shutoffs could be necessary. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/DSC5078-e1570605801462.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11778921\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/DSC5078-e1570605801462.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/DSC5078-e1570605801462-160x81.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/DSC5078-e1570605801462-800x404.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/DSC5078-e1570605801462-1020x515.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/DSC5078-e1570605801462-1200x606.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">PG&E is monitoring northeastern counties for elevated fire risk.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Stephanie Lister/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>By Monday, only Tehama County will be under watch for likely power cuts, while Butte, Colusa and Glenn counties continue to be monitored.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>By Monday, only Tehama County will be under watch for likely power cuts, while Butte, Colusa and Glenn counties continue to be monitored.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>PG&E said that shutoffs aren’t expected countywide, and where they’re necessary will be determined at a “granular” level. On Thursday, the utility \u003ca href=\"https://www.pge.com/en/newsroom/currents/safety/potential-public-safety-power-shutoff-could-impact-portions-of-11.html\">predicted\u003c/a> that around 14,000 customers across 11 counties could be affected.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>PG&E said that shutoffs aren’t expected countywide, and where they’re necessary will be determined at a “granular” level. On Thursday, the utility \u003ca href=\"https://www.pge.com/en/newsroom/currents/safety/potential-public-safety-power-shutoff-could-impact-portions-of-11.html\">predicted\u003c/a> that around 14,000 customers across 11 counties could be affected.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Cooler weather is expected to blow into Northern California from the Pacific Northwest throughout the weekend after a week of extreme heat, but those milder temperatures will be accompanied by fast-moving winds, which threaten to quickly spread any fires that break out among dried-up brush and grasses. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Cooler weather is expected to blow into Northern California from the Pacific Northwest throughout the weekend after a week of extreme heat, but those milder temperatures will be accompanied by fast-moving winds, which threaten to quickly spread any fires that break out among dried-up brush and grasses. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>PG&E said the Bay Area should expect gusty winds between 25 and 35 mph on Saturday, while further north, over the North and Central Sierra, gusts could hit 40 to 50 mph. Those winds, combined with a period of low relative humidity, will contribute to elevated fire potential, according to PG&E. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>PG&E said the Bay Area should expect gusty winds between 25 and 35 mph on Saturday, while further north, over the North and Central Sierra, gusts could hit 40 to 50 mph. Those winds, combined with a period of low relative humidity, will contribute to elevated fire potential, according to PG&E. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On its tail, another offshore flow of winds up to 35 mph is expected to develop over the Sacramento Valley, extending fire risk to the region on Sunday. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On its tail, another offshore flow of winds up to 35 mph is expected to develop over the Sacramento Valley, extending fire risk to the region on Sunday. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Any fires that develop will spread rapidly,” the National Weather Service wrote in a \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=STO&wwa=fire%20weather%20watch\">Fire Weather Watch\u003c/a> issued Friday. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Any fires that develop will spread rapidly,” the National Weather Service wrote in a \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=STO&wwa=fire%20weather%20watch\">Fire Weather Watch\u003c/a> issued Friday. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>NWS predicts that between 11 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Monday, relative humidity will drop to between 10% and 25%, further drying out flammable dead forest fuels. PG&E said in its forecast that dead fuel moisture values are already trending near or below normal for this time of year, and moisture content in brush is steadily declining, putting most species at “critically flammable levels.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>NWS predicts that between 11 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Monday, relative humidity will drop to between 10% and 25%, further drying out flammable dead forest fuels. PG&E said in its forecast that dead fuel moisture values are already trending near or below normal for this time of year, and moisture content in brush is steadily declining, putting most species at “critically flammable levels.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After the weekend, “fair, dry and seasonable” weather is expected to return to the region for the remainder of next week.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>After the weekend, “fair, dry and seasonable” weather is expected to return to the region for the remainder of next week.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Throughout the fall, the Northern Operations Predictive Services’ latest four-month seasonal outlook for significant fire potential predicts near- to above-normal potential in northeastern California throughout September, followed by normal fire potential in October through December. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Throughout the fall, the Northern Operations Predictive Services’ latest four-month seasonal outlook for significant fire potential predicts near- to above-normal potential in northeastern California throughout September, followed by normal fire potential in October through December. \u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Residents across the Sierra Nevada and Sacramento Valley are bracing for possible shutoffs this weekend due to high winds and dry conditions. ",
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"title": "PG&E Warns 14,000 Northern California Residents Could See Power Cuts Due to Fire Risk | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Residents in large parts of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/northern-california\">Northern California\u003c/a> could have their electricity turned off over the weekend as the region is hit with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098784/summer-finally-kicks-off-in-san-francisco-with-hot-weather-stretch-across-the-bay-area\">critical fire weather\u003c/a> conditions, according to PG&E.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The utility said that public safety power shutoffs are likely on Saturday and Sunday in eight counties around the Sierra Nevada and Sacramento Valley due to high winds and dry conditions. Additional counties will be under watch as the weekend progresses, and some will continue to be monitored through Monday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The Emergency Operations Center remains activated, and PG&E meteorology is continuing to monitor the potential for elevated fire weather conditions to occur tomorrow through Monday morning,” PG&E said in its Friday forecast. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>PG&E has issued Public Safety Power Shutoff warnings for El Dorado, Lassen, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra and Tehama counties on Saturday and Sunday, meaning electricity shutoffs are likely. The utility will expand its monitoring to Butte, Colusa, Glenn and Yolo counties on Sunday, meaning shutoffs could be necessary. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"969\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/DSC5078-e1570605801462.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11778921\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/DSC5078-e1570605801462.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/DSC5078-e1570605801462-160x81.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/DSC5078-e1570605801462-800x404.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/DSC5078-e1570605801462-1020x515.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/DSC5078-e1570605801462-1200x606.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">PG&E is monitoring northeastern counties for elevated fire risk. (Stephanie Lister/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>By Monday, only Tehama County will be under watch for likely power cuts, while Butte, Colusa and Glenn counties continue to be monitored.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>PG&E said that shutoffs aren’t expected countywide, and where they’re necessary will be determined at a “granular” level. On Thursday, the utility \u003ca href=\"https://www.pge.com/en/newsroom/currents/safety/potential-public-safety-power-shutoff-could-impact-portions-of-11.html\">predicted\u003c/a> that around 14,000 customers across 11 counties could be affected.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cooler weather is expected to blow into Northern California from the Pacific Northwest throughout the weekend after a week of extreme heat, but those milder temperatures will be accompanied by fast-moving winds, which threaten to quickly spread any fires that break out among dried-up brush and grasses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>PG&E said the Bay Area should expect gusty winds between 25 and 35 mph on Saturday, while further north, over the North and Central Sierra, gusts could hit 40 to 50 mph. Those winds, combined with a period of low relative humidity, will contribute to elevated fire potential, according to PG&E. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On its tail, another offshore flow of winds up to 35 mph is expected to develop over the Sacramento Valley, extending fire risk to the region on Sunday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Any fires that develop will spread rapidly,” the National Weather Service wrote in a \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=STO&wwa=fire%20weather%20watch\">Fire Weather Watch\u003c/a> issued Friday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>NWS predicts that between 11 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Monday, relative humidity will drop to between 10% and 25%, further drying out flammable dead forest fuels. PG&E said in its forecast that dead fuel moisture values are already trending near or below normal for this time of year, and moisture content in brush is steadily declining, putting most species at “critically flammable levels.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After the weekend, “fair, dry and seasonable” weather is expected to return to the region for the remainder of next week.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Throughout the fall, the Northern Operations Predictive Services’ latest four-month seasonal outlook for significant fire potential predicts near- to above-normal potential in northeastern California throughout September, followed by normal fire potential in October through December. \u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "bay-area-heat-wave-breaks-records-in-these-4-cities-with-relief-ahead",
"title": "Bay Area Heat Wave Breaks Records in These 4 Cities, With Relief Ahead ",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>This week’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098784/summer-finally-kicks-off-in-san-francisco-with-hot-weather-stretch-across-the-bay-area\">heat wave\u003c/a> caused four Bay Area cities to break daily high records on Wednesday, and forecasters expect at least one more day of above-average heat this week.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Rafael reached 104 degrees, downtown Oakland soared to 97 degrees, San Francisco’s airport flew to 94 degrees, and Half Moon Bay peaked at 83 degrees, said Nicole Sarment, a Bay Area National Weather Service meteorologist.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wednesday’s temperatures were \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098629/3-day-heat-wave-scorches-the-bay-area-this-week\">10 to 20 degrees\u003c/a> above normal for this time of year, though Sarment noted that September is the hottest month for most parts of the region. And according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the country experienced its \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/national-climate-202608\">hottest\u003c/a> meteorological summer on record, while California set a record for its warmest August average temperature.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-25_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098993\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-25_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-25_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-25_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People congregate at Crissy Field Beach in San Francisco on Sept. 9, 2026. Temperatures reached over 90 degrees in parts of San Francisco on Wednesday. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1537\" height=\"1025\" data-id=\"12098991\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098991\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-8.jpg 1537w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-8-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1537px) 100vw, 1537px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A customer uses a water-spray fan at Bi-Rite Creamery in San Francisco’s Mission District on Sept. 9, 2026. Temperatures reached over 90 degrees in parts of San Francisco on Wednesday. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12098992\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-13_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098992\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-13_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-13_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-13_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People lay in the shade at Dolores Park in San Francisco’s Mission District on Sept. 9, 2026. Temperatures reached over 90 degrees in parts of San Francisco on Wednesday. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For the rest of the week, Sarment forecasts temperatures to drop slightly on Thursday and decrease by around 10 degrees on Friday, dipping a couple of degrees each day after. Some spots, like the interior East Bay and the furthest reaches of the North Bay, could still reach into the triple digits on Thursday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It may be hard to tell, but we already kind of are cooling off,” Sarment said. “It will be in the 90s, and the city may be up to 80. It’s still going to be warm. I don’t want to undersell that, but we’re not expecting it to be as hot as it was yesterday.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sarment said Bay Area residents should also be on the lookout for wildfire starts because of the heat, dryness and potential winds as the weather pattern slowly changes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The main thing is going to be just preventing sparks,” Sarment said. “Don’t go out and do landscaping.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Forecasters expect the strong high-pressure system from the east that caused this week’s soaring temperatures to stick around through Thursday. But that will change Friday, as a “pulse of energy” from the north will slowly begin to flatten the ridge and help temperatures drop, meteorologists wrote in their daily forecast discussion.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Onshore flow, winds from the Pacific Ocean toward the coast, return Thursday, “which is really going to be the saving grace for the coast,” Sarment said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And then there’s the promise of the marine layer making a return Thursday night. Although Sarment said she’s “cautiously optimistic” that the marine layer will make a full comeback tonight, it’s currently “so far away.” With the current temperatures, it will be difficult to form.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>By the weekend, Sarment expects highs to drop into the mid-70s to mid-80s inland and the upper 60s to upper 70s close to the coast.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Rafael reached 104 degrees, downtown Oakland soared to 97 degrees, San Francisco’s airport flew to 94 degrees, and Half Moon Bay peaked at 83 degrees, said Nicole Sarment, a Bay Area National Weather Service meteorologist.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For the rest of the week, Sarment forecasts temperatures to drop slightly on Thursday and decrease by around 10 degrees on Friday, dipping a couple of degrees each day after. Some spots, like the interior East Bay and the furthest reaches of the North Bay, could still reach into the triple digits on Thursday. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For the rest of the week, Sarment forecasts temperatures to drop slightly on Thursday and decrease by around 10 degrees on Friday, dipping a couple of degrees each day after. Some spots, like the interior East Bay and the furthest reaches of the North Bay, could still reach into the triple digits on Thursday. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It may be hard to tell, but we already kind of are cooling off,” Sarment said. “It will be in the 90s, and the city may be up to 80. It’s still going to be warm. I don’t want to undersell that, but we’re not expecting it to be as hot as it was yesterday.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It may be hard to tell, but we already kind of are cooling off,” Sarment said. “It will be in the 90s, and the city may be up to 80. It’s still going to be warm. I don’t want to undersell that, but we’re not expecting it to be as hot as it was yesterday.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sarment said Bay Area residents should also be on the lookout for wildfire starts because of the heat, dryness and potential winds as the weather pattern slowly changes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Sarment said Bay Area residents should also be on the lookout for wildfire starts because of the heat, dryness and potential winds as the weather pattern slowly changes. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The main thing is going to be just preventing sparks,” Sarment said. “Don’t go out and do landscaping.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Forecasters expect the strong high-pressure system from the east that caused this week’s soaring temperatures to stick around through Thursday. But that will change Friday, as a “pulse of energy” from the north will slowly begin to flatten the ridge and help temperatures drop, meteorologists wrote in their daily forecast discussion.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Onshore flow, winds from the Pacific Ocean toward the coast, return Thursday, “which is really going to be the saving grace for the coast,” Sarment said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And then there’s the promise of the marine layer making a return Thursday night. Although Sarment said she’s “cautiously optimistic” that the marine layer will make a full comeback tonight, it’s currently “so far away.” With the current temperatures, it will be difficult to form.\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>This week’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098784/summer-finally-kicks-off-in-san-francisco-with-hot-weather-stretch-across-the-bay-area\">heat wave\u003c/a> caused four Bay Area cities to break daily high records on Wednesday, and forecasters expect at least one more day of above-average heat this week.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Rafael reached 104 degrees, downtown Oakland soared to 97 degrees, San Francisco’s airport flew to 94 degrees, and Half Moon Bay peaked at 83 degrees, said Nicole Sarment, a Bay Area National Weather Service meteorologist.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wednesday’s temperatures were \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098629/3-day-heat-wave-scorches-the-bay-area-this-week\">10 to 20 degrees\u003c/a> above normal for this time of year, though Sarment noted that September is the hottest month for most parts of the region. And according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the country experienced its \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/national-climate-202608\">hottest\u003c/a> meteorological summer on record, while California set a record for its warmest August average temperature.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-25_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098993\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-25_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-25_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-25_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People congregate at Crissy Field Beach in San Francisco on Sept. 9, 2026. Temperatures reached over 90 degrees in parts of San Francisco on Wednesday. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1537\" height=\"1025\" data-id=\"12098991\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098991\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-8.jpg 1537w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-8-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1537px) 100vw, 1537px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A customer uses a water-spray fan at Bi-Rite Creamery in San Francisco’s Mission District on Sept. 9, 2026. Temperatures reached over 90 degrees in parts of San Francisco on Wednesday. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12098992\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-13_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098992\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-13_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-13_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260909-HeatFile-NG-13_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People lay in the shade at Dolores Park in San Francisco’s Mission District on Sept. 9, 2026. Temperatures reached over 90 degrees in parts of San Francisco on Wednesday. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For the rest of the week, Sarment forecasts temperatures to drop slightly on Thursday and decrease by around 10 degrees on Friday, dipping a couple of degrees each day after. Some spots, like the interior East Bay and the furthest reaches of the North Bay, could still reach into the triple digits on Thursday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It may be hard to tell, but we already kind of are cooling off,” Sarment said. “It will be in the 90s, and the city may be up to 80. It’s still going to be warm. I don’t want to undersell that, but we’re not expecting it to be as hot as it was yesterday.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sarment said Bay Area residents should also be on the lookout for wildfire starts because of the heat, dryness and potential winds as the weather pattern slowly changes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The main thing is going to be just preventing sparks,” Sarment said. “Don’t go out and do landscaping.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Forecasters expect the strong high-pressure system from the east that caused this week’s soaring temperatures to stick around through Thursday. But that will change Friday, as a “pulse of energy” from the north will slowly begin to flatten the ridge and help temperatures drop, meteorologists wrote in their daily forecast discussion.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Onshore flow, winds from the Pacific Ocean toward the coast, return Thursday, “which is really going to be the saving grace for the coast,” Sarment said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And then there’s the promise of the marine layer making a return Thursday night. Although Sarment said she’s “cautiously optimistic” that the marine layer will make a full comeback tonight, it’s currently “so far away.” With the current temperatures, it will be difficult to form.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>By the weekend, Sarment expects highs to drop into the mid-70s to mid-80s inland and the upper 60s to upper 70s close to the coast.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"marketplace": {
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"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
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"masters-of-scale": {
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},
"mindshift": {
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"order": 12
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
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"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"on-the-media": {
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"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
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},
"pbs-newshour": {
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},
"perspectives": {
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"order": 14
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"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
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"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
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},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
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"politicalbreakdown": {
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"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Political-Breakdown-2024-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
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"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
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"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
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},
"pri-the-world": {
"id": "pri-the-world",
"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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},
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},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
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