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"content": "\n\u003cp>A tropical storm is forming off the coast of Baja \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California,\u003c/a> a system that national forecasters say has a virtually nonexistent chance of intensifying into a hurricane.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The National Hurricane Center is predicting a \u003ca href=\"https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/gtwo.php?basin=epac&fdays=7\">90% chance\u003c/a> of a tropical storm forming in the Baja California area within the next 48 hours and within the next seven days. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The storm brewing off the Baja coast is fueled in part by the very strong El Niño, a natural climate pattern that is gaining momentum and warming sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. Temperatures off the coast of San Diego are about \u003ca href=\"https://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/Scripps-Pier/seatemp\">8 degrees above the average\u003c/a> for this time of year, according to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, said the warming of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean is one consequence of human-caused climate change.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1325\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12037679\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-800x530.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1020x676.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1536x1018.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1920x1272.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An automated National Weather Service weather station collects data on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Montara, California, on April 5, 2016. (Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During his YouTube \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDPdXP-EnQQ\">office hours\u003c/a> on Monday, Swain said that the ocean off the coast of Southern California and off the west coast of Mexico “is the warmest it has ever been in recorded history.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There is a record-breaking amount of potential energy stored in that surface ocean,” Swain said. “There is a lot of extra moisture in the overlying atmosphere because, of course, warm water means more evaporation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But meteorologists are making it clear that California’s coast has a small chance of a tropical storm making landfall, and an even smaller chance of a hurricane, over the next week. NWS forecasters reported that it’s the “least likely outcome at this point.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Everything in between is also on the table,” Los Angeles-based weather service meteorologists wrote in their daily \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=lox&issuedby=LOX&product=AFD\">forecast discussion\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If the storm forms and veers west, California will likely get very little rain or wind, forecasters said. But if it moves northeast, remnants of the tropical storm increase the chances of rain in Southern California and eventually the Bay Area.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“To be clear, there is virtually no chance that a hurricane will make landfall in California,” Bay Area weather forecasters wrote in their daily forecast discussion. “The actual water temperature is still far too cold to support a tropical cyclone.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lauren Villafane, a meteorologist with the NWS San Diego office, said cooler water off the California coast usually protects the state from the effects of intense tropical storms or hurricanes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Until it actually develops into something and we get more confidence in its track, I can’t put out anything with any real confidence,” Villafane said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Even with our above-average temperatures that we have going on currently, it’s still not those ideal temperatures for tropical cyclone formation,” Villafane said. “Our cold water actually has the tendency to kill things off. So, which is why we usually end up with tropical remnants over the area if we get anything at all.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1708\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A man walks next to a large highway that has been completely blockaded by debris.\" class=\"wp-image-11958712\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Coachella Valley Water District worker surveys a debris flow following heavy rains from Tropical Storm Hilary, at Thunderbird Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, on Aug. 21, 2023. (David Swanson/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The last time a tropical storm swept over California was in \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20080229155402/http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sgx/research/Guide/weatherhistory.pdf\">1939\u003c/a>. But remnants of tropical storms have made landfall — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958562/hurricane-hilary-hits-what-california-and-the-bay-area-can-expect\">Hilary\u003c/a> brought significant rain and flooding to Southern California in August 2023, causing nearly a billion dollars in damage to the state.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It wasn’t a hurricane by the time it reached here,” Villafane said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sea surface temperatures are in the mid- to upper-50s off the Bay Area coast. “Warm water is one of the things you need for a tropical cyclone formation, which is what El Niño really is,” Villafane said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Models show a range of possibilities for the storm’s track once it forms, including one with a 5% chance of direct impacts on Southern California, she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If you cherry-pick models, it makes it look like we’re going to get it,” Villafane said. “But a lot of the other models have it going in a different direction.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If the system moves north, it could lead to a higher chance of precipitation — but not significantly windy conditions, according to Brian Garcia, warning coordination meteorologist for the NWS Bay Area office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/GettyImages-2227074366-scaled-e1758749155173.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12050295\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A view of the Pacific Ocean along the coastline at Pacifica Municipal Pier in Pacifica, California, United States on July 30, 2025. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In terms of seeing any sort of storm come up towards the Bay Area or even as close as the Central Coast, it’s pretty much a nonstarter,” Garcia said. “We can’t get a hurricane up across these waters because the waters are just too cold.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“But we could get moisture to build across our area, which could bring significant rainfall,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Garcia also said that a cold, low-pressure system moving south from the Gulf of Alaska, which could affect the Pacific Northwest by midweek, could reach the Bay Area near the end of the workweek. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It could provide a highway for the remnants of the tropical system to ride along and bring it across different portions of California,” Garcia said. “It is definitely something that we’re watching, we’re keeping an eye on, and we’ll be messaging out to our partners as things become a little bit more concrete.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But meteorologists are making it clear that California’s coast has a small chance of a tropical storm making landfall, and an even smaller chance of a hurricane, over the next week. NWS forecasters reported that it’s the “least likely outcome at this point.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But meteorologists are making it clear that California’s coast has a small chance of a tropical storm making landfall, and an even smaller chance of a hurricane, over the next week. NWS forecasters reported that it’s the “least likely outcome at this point.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Everything in between is also on the table,” Los Angeles-based weather service meteorologists wrote in their daily \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=lox&issuedby=LOX&product=AFD\">forecast discussion\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If the storm forms and veers west, California will likely get very little rain or wind, forecasters said. But if it moves northeast, remnants of the tropical storm increase the chances of rain in Southern California and eventually the Bay Area.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“To be clear, there is virtually no chance that a hurricane will make landfall in California,” Bay Area weather forecasters wrote in their daily forecast discussion. “The actual water temperature is still far too cold to support a tropical cyclone.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If the storm forms and veers west, California will likely get very little rain or wind, forecasters said. But if it moves northeast, remnants of the tropical storm increase the chances of rain in Southern California and eventually the Bay Area.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“To be clear, there is virtually no chance that a hurricane will make landfall in California,” Bay Area weather forecasters wrote in their daily forecast discussion. “The actual water temperature is still far too cold to support a tropical cyclone.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lauren Villafane, a meteorologist with the NWS San Diego office, said cooler water off the California coast usually protects the state from the effects of intense tropical storms or hurricanes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Lauren Villafane, a meteorologist with the NWS San Diego office, said cooler water off the California coast usually protects the state from the effects of intense tropical storms or hurricanes. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Until it actually develops into something and we get more confidence in its track, I can’t put out anything with any real confidence,” Villafane said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Until it actually develops into something and we get more confidence in its track, I can’t put out anything with any real confidence,” Villafane said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Even with our above-average temperatures that we have going on currently, it’s still not those ideal temperatures for tropical cyclone formation,” Villafane said. “Our cold water actually has the tendency to kill things off. So, which is why we usually end up with tropical remnants over the area if we get anything at all.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Even with our above-average temperatures that we have going on currently, it’s still not those ideal temperatures for tropical cyclone formation,” Villafane said. “Our cold water actually has the tendency to kill things off. So, which is why we usually end up with tropical remnants over the area if we get anything at all.”\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/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A man walks next to a large highway that has been completely blockaded by debris.\" class=\"wp-image-11958712\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Coachella Valley Water District worker surveys a debris flow following heavy rains from Tropical Storm Hilary, at Thunderbird Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, on Aug. 21, 2023.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (David Swanson/AFP via 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/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A man walks next to a large highway that has been completely blockaded by debris.\" class=\"wp-image-11958712\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Coachella Valley Water District worker surveys a debris flow following heavy rains from Tropical Storm Hilary, at Thunderbird Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, on Aug. 21, 2023.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (David Swanson/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The last time a tropical storm swept over California was in \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20080229155402/http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sgx/research/Guide/weatherhistory.pdf\">1939\u003c/a>. But remnants of tropical storms have made landfall — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958562/hurricane-hilary-hits-what-california-and-the-bay-area-can-expect\">Hilary\u003c/a> brought significant rain and flooding to Southern California in August 2023, causing nearly a billion dollars in damage to the state.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The last time a tropical storm swept over California was in \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20080229155402/http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sgx/research/Guide/weatherhistory.pdf\">1939\u003c/a>. But remnants of tropical storms have made landfall — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958562/hurricane-hilary-hits-what-california-and-the-bay-area-can-expect\">Hilary\u003c/a> brought significant rain and flooding to Southern California in August 2023, causing nearly a billion dollars in damage to the state.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It wasn’t a hurricane by the time it reached here,” Villafane said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It wasn’t a hurricane by the time it reached here,” Villafane said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sea surface temperatures are in the mid- to upper-50s off the Bay Area coast. “Warm water is one of the things you need for a tropical cyclone formation, which is what El Niño really is,” Villafane said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Sea surface temperatures are in the mid- to upper-50s off the Bay Area coast. “Warm water is one of the things you need for a tropical cyclone formation, which is what El Niño really is,” Villafane said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Models show a range of possibilities for the storm’s track once it forms, including one with a 5% chance of direct impacts on Southern California, she said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Models show a range of possibilities for the storm’s track once it forms, including one with a 5% chance of direct impacts on Southern California, she said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If you cherry-pick models, it makes it look like we’re going to get it,” Villafane said. “But a lot of the other models have it going in a different direction.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“If you cherry-pick models, it makes it look like we’re going to get it,” Villafane said. “But a lot of the other models have it going in a different direction.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If the system moves north, it could lead to a higher chance of precipitation — but not significantly windy conditions, according to Brian Garcia, warning coordination meteorologist for the NWS Bay Area office.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If the system moves north, it could lead to a higher chance of precipitation — but not significantly windy conditions, according to Brian Garcia, warning coordination meteorologist for the NWS Bay Area office.\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/10/2025/07/GettyImages-2227074366-scaled-e1758749155173.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12050295\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A view of the Pacific Ocean along the coastline at Pacifica Municipal Pier in Pacifica, California, United States on July 30, 2025. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via 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/10/2025/07/GettyImages-2227074366-scaled-e1758749155173.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12050295\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A view of the Pacific Ocean along the coastline at Pacifica Municipal Pier in Pacifica, California, United States on July 30, 2025. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“In terms of seeing any sort of storm come up towards the Bay Area or even as close as the Central Coast, it’s pretty much a nonstarter,” Garcia said. “We can’t get a hurricane up across these waters because the waters are just too cold.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“But we could get moisture to build across our area, which could bring significant rainfall,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“In terms of seeing any sort of storm come up towards the Bay Area or even as close as the Central Coast, it’s pretty much a nonstarter,” Garcia said. “We can’t get a hurricane up across these waters because the waters are just too cold.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“But we could get moisture to build across our area, which could bring significant rainfall,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Garcia also said that a cold, low-pressure system moving south from the Gulf of Alaska, which could affect the Pacific Northwest by midweek, could reach the Bay Area near the end of the workweek. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Garcia also said that a cold, low-pressure system moving south from the Gulf of Alaska, which could affect the Pacific Northwest by midweek, could reach the Bay Area near the end of the workweek. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It could provide a highway for the remnants of the tropical system to ride along and bring it across different portions of California,” Garcia said. “It is definitely something that we’re watching, we’re keeping an eye on, and we’ll be messaging out to our partners as things become a little bit more concrete.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It could provide a highway for the remnants of the tropical system to ride along and bring it across different portions of California,” Garcia said. “It is definitely something that we’re watching, we’re keeping an eye on, and we’ll be messaging out to our partners as things become a little bit more concrete.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "A tropical storm could send rain toward California, but forecasters say that a direct hit remains a long shot.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>A tropical storm is forming off the coast of Baja \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California,\u003c/a> a system that national forecasters say has a virtually nonexistent chance of intensifying into a hurricane.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The National Hurricane Center is predicting a \u003ca href=\"https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/gtwo.php?basin=epac&fdays=7\">90% chance\u003c/a> of a tropical storm forming in the Baja California area within the next 48 hours and within the next seven days. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The storm brewing off the Baja coast is fueled in part by the very strong El Niño, a natural climate pattern that is gaining momentum and warming sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. Temperatures off the coast of San Diego are about \u003ca href=\"https://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/Scripps-Pier/seatemp\">8 degrees above the average\u003c/a> for this time of year, according to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, said the warming of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean is one consequence of human-caused climate change.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1325\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12037679\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-800x530.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1020x676.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1536x1018.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/NationalWeatherServiceGetty-1920x1272.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An automated National Weather Service weather station collects data on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Montara, California, on April 5, 2016. (Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During his YouTube \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDPdXP-EnQQ\">office hours\u003c/a> on Monday, Swain said that the ocean off the coast of Southern California and off the west coast of Mexico “is the warmest it has ever been in recorded history.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There is a record-breaking amount of potential energy stored in that surface ocean,” Swain said. “There is a lot of extra moisture in the overlying atmosphere because, of course, warm water means more evaporation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But meteorologists are making it clear that California’s coast has a small chance of a tropical storm making landfall, and an even smaller chance of a hurricane, over the next week. NWS forecasters reported that it’s the “least likely outcome at this point.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Everything in between is also on the table,” Los Angeles-based weather service meteorologists wrote in their daily \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=lox&issuedby=LOX&product=AFD\">forecast discussion\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If the storm forms and veers west, California will likely get very little rain or wind, forecasters said. But if it moves northeast, remnants of the tropical storm increase the chances of rain in Southern California and eventually the Bay Area.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“To be clear, there is virtually no chance that a hurricane will make landfall in California,” Bay Area weather forecasters wrote in their daily forecast discussion. “The actual water temperature is still far too cold to support a tropical cyclone.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lauren Villafane, a meteorologist with the NWS San Diego office, said cooler water off the California coast usually protects the state from the effects of intense tropical storms or hurricanes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Until it actually develops into something and we get more confidence in its track, I can’t put out anything with any real confidence,” Villafane said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Even with our above-average temperatures that we have going on currently, it’s still not those ideal temperatures for tropical cyclone formation,” Villafane said. “Our cold water actually has the tendency to kill things off. So, which is why we usually end up with tropical remnants over the area if we get anything at all.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1708\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A man walks next to a large highway that has been completely blockaded by debris.\" class=\"wp-image-11958712\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/GettyImages-1614120563-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Coachella Valley Water District worker surveys a debris flow following heavy rains from Tropical Storm Hilary, at Thunderbird Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, on Aug. 21, 2023. (David Swanson/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The last time a tropical storm swept over California was in \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20080229155402/http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sgx/research/Guide/weatherhistory.pdf\">1939\u003c/a>. But remnants of tropical storms have made landfall — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958562/hurricane-hilary-hits-what-california-and-the-bay-area-can-expect\">Hilary\u003c/a> brought significant rain and flooding to Southern California in August 2023, causing nearly a billion dollars in damage to the state.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It wasn’t a hurricane by the time it reached here,” Villafane said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sea surface temperatures are in the mid- to upper-50s off the Bay Area coast. “Warm water is one of the things you need for a tropical cyclone formation, which is what El Niño really is,” Villafane said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Models show a range of possibilities for the storm’s track once it forms, including one with a 5% chance of direct impacts on Southern California, she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If you cherry-pick models, it makes it look like we’re going to get it,” Villafane said. “But a lot of the other models have it going in a different direction.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If the system moves north, it could lead to a higher chance of precipitation — but not significantly windy conditions, according to Brian Garcia, warning coordination meteorologist for the NWS Bay Area office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/GettyImages-2227074366-scaled-e1758749155173.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12050295\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A view of the Pacific Ocean along the coastline at Pacifica Municipal Pier in Pacifica, California, United States on July 30, 2025. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In terms of seeing any sort of storm come up towards the Bay Area or even as close as the Central Coast, it’s pretty much a nonstarter,” Garcia said. “We can’t get a hurricane up across these waters because the waters are just too cold.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“But we could get moisture to build across our area, which could bring significant rainfall,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Garcia also said that a cold, low-pressure system moving south from the Gulf of Alaska, which could affect the Pacific Northwest by midweek, could reach the Bay Area near the end of the workweek. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It could provide a highway for the remnants of the tropical system to ride along and bring it across different portions of California,” Garcia said. “It is definitely something that we’re watching, we’re keeping an eye on, and we’ll be messaging out to our partners as things become a little bit more concrete.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "big-sur-fires-cost-around-80-million-so-far-could-burn-until-october-rains",
"title": "Big Sur Fires Cost Around $80 Million So Far, Could Burn Until October Rains",
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"headTitle": "Big Sur Fires Cost Around $80 Million So Far, Could Burn Until October Rains | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>As firefighters continue to battle the two major blazes in the Big Sur area, the U.S. Forest Service estimates that the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097303/crews-struggle-to-contain-big-sur-fires-with-el-nino-on-the-horizon\">Timber and Plaskett fires\u003c/a> have cost $80 million so far and could burn until October.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097092/timber-fire-big-sur-highway-1-closed-again-wildfire-map-evacuation-august-2026\">Plaskett Fire\u003c/a> near Big Sur almost doubled in size over the weekend, burning 15,479 acres with just 1% containment. The fire triggered new evacuation orders on Sunday, in both \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/MontereyCountySheriffsOffice/\">Monterey\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/slocountyoes\">San Luis Obispo \u003c/a>counties, and has ignited land that has not burned since the 1970s, said Lee Beyer, a U.S. Forest Service spokesperson. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The nearly 25,000-acre \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096883/timber-fire-now-third-largest-in-state-chp-announces-highway-1-closure\">Timber Fire\u003c/a>, now in its fourth week, slowed overnight thanks to a change in weather, which draped a thick marine layer over Highway 1, said Josh Silveira, a Cal Fire spokesperson.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It remains the third-largest wildfire in California this year, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">Cal Fire\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/55484414192_e9eb07140e_o-scaled-e1787935469462.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097295\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. Forest Service biologists survey the Timber Fire area on Aug. 24, 2026. (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an email to KQED, the Forest Service estimated that fighting the blazes has racked up $80 million in firefighting costs so far, due to the use of “expensive” aircraft. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Given the remote and difficult terrain and the high value of the communities at risk along the Big Sur coast, we have used a lot of aircraft,” Beyer wrote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Silveira warned the weather may get warmer and drier midweek, which could “potentially put the fire into conditions where it’s going to grow a little more steadily.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fires in Big Sur can burn into October, Beyer said, when early winter rain can fully extinguish the most remote flames. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Silveira said fires in this part of the Ventana Wilderness — the rugged, mountainous area just inland from Big Sur — typically last longer \u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>because they are so remote, so difficult to access.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s some hiking trails that lead back into the backcountry, but there’s no real vehicle access,” Silveira said. “So that steep, really rugged, inaccessible terrain is a historic challenge that we’ve had on all the fires in this area. And that’s one of the reasons that we love the Big Sur coast because it is that untamed natural beauty. On the back end of it, though, it just makes things difficult when we do get fires.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Road closures remain in effect on U.S. Highway 1 between Little Sur River and Salmon Creek. Smoke from the fires is expected to impact air quality in the Bay Area on Monday and Tuesday, the air district said Monday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Silveira added that “monsoonal moisture,” or the humid, rainy weather on Monday, combined with southerly winds, will push the smoke towards the Bay Area. Though the smoke will stay relatively high in the sky, “residents in the Bay should be aware that there is going to be smoke from both of these fires in the area.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Firefighters from across the state, including engine strike teams from Contra Costa, Santa Clara and Alameda counties — and from across the country — have helped manage the flames, he added. \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/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094843\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles with flames as the Timber Fire continues in Big Sur, California, Aug. 10, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Two firefighters have been injured so far, and no civilians have been injured, Silveira said. Cal Fire has not yet identified the cause of the fire, citing dangerous conditions for investigators.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The community does an amazing job with home hardening and preparedness because they’ve lived through fires in this area,” Silveira said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Evacuation \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/incident-archive/2026-timber-fire\">shelters\u003c/a> remain open at Carmel Mission Inn Conference Room in Carmel and the Veteran’s Building in Cambria. Monterey County’s SPCA is providing emergency rescue and sheltering for animals impacted. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/calam\">\u003cem>Christopher Alam\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As firefighters continue to battle the two major blazes in the Big Sur area, the U.S. Forest Service estimates that the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097303/crews-struggle-to-contain-big-sur-fires-with-el-nino-on-the-horizon\">Timber and Plaskett fires\u003c/a> have cost $80 million so far and could burn until October.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As firefighters continue to battle the two major blazes in the Big Sur area, the U.S. Forest Service estimates that the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097303/crews-struggle-to-contain-big-sur-fires-with-el-nino-on-the-horizon\">Timber and Plaskett fires\u003c/a> have cost $80 million so far and could burn until October.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097092/timber-fire-big-sur-highway-1-closed-again-wildfire-map-evacuation-august-2026\">Plaskett Fire\u003c/a> near Big Sur almost doubled in size over the weekend, burning 15,479 acres with just 1% containment. The fire triggered new evacuation orders on Sunday, in both \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/MontereyCountySheriffsOffice/\">Monterey\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/slocountyoes\">San Luis Obispo \u003c/a>counties, and has ignited land that has not burned since the 1970s, said Lee Beyer, a U.S. Forest Service spokesperson. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097092/timber-fire-big-sur-highway-1-closed-again-wildfire-map-evacuation-august-2026\">Plaskett Fire\u003c/a> near Big Sur almost doubled in size over the weekend, burning 15,479 acres with just 1% containment. The fire triggered new evacuation orders on Sunday, in both \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/MontereyCountySheriffsOffice/\">Monterey\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/slocountyoes\">San Luis Obispo \u003c/a>counties, and has ignited land that has not burned since the 1970s, said Lee Beyer, a U.S. Forest Service spokesperson. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The nearly 25,000-acre \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096883/timber-fire-now-third-largest-in-state-chp-announces-highway-1-closure\">Timber Fire\u003c/a>, now in its fourth week, slowed overnight thanks to a change in weather, which draped a thick marine layer over Highway 1, said Josh Silveira, a Cal Fire spokesperson.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The nearly 25,000-acre \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096883/timber-fire-now-third-largest-in-state-chp-announces-highway-1-closure\">Timber Fire\u003c/a>, now in its fourth week, slowed overnight thanks to a change in weather, which draped a thick marine layer over Highway 1, said Josh Silveira, a Cal Fire spokesperson.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It remains the third-largest wildfire in California this year, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">Cal Fire\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It remains the third-largest wildfire in California this year, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">Cal Fire\u003c/a>. \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/10/2026/08/55484414192_e9eb07140e_o-scaled-e1787935469462.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097295\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. Forest Service biologists survey the Timber Fire area on Aug. 24, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In an email to KQED, the Forest Service estimated that fighting the blazes has racked up $80 million in firefighting costs so far, due to the use of “expensive” aircraft. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In an email to KQED, the Forest Service estimated that fighting the blazes has racked up $80 million in firefighting costs so far, due to the use of “expensive” aircraft. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Given the remote and difficult terrain and the high value of the communities at risk along the Big Sur coast, we have used a lot of aircraft,” Beyer wrote.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Silveira warned the weather may get warmer and drier midweek, which could “potentially put the fire into conditions where it’s going to grow a little more steadily.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Silveira warned the weather may get warmer and drier midweek, which could “potentially put the fire into conditions where it’s going to grow a little more steadily.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fires in Big Sur can burn into October, Beyer said, when early winter rain can fully extinguish the most remote flames. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Fires in Big Sur can burn into October, Beyer said, when early winter rain can fully extinguish the most remote flames. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Silveira said fires in this part of the Ventana Wilderness — the rugged, mountainous area just inland from Big Sur — typically last longer \u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>because they are so remote, so difficult to access.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Silveira said fires in this part of the Ventana Wilderness — the rugged, mountainous area just inland from Big Sur — typically last longer \u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>because they are so remote, so difficult to access.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There’s some hiking trails that lead back into the backcountry, but there’s no real vehicle access,” Silveira said. “So that steep, really rugged, inaccessible terrain is a historic challenge that we’ve had on all the fires in this area. And that’s one of the reasons that we love the Big Sur coast because it is that untamed natural beauty. On the back end of it, though, it just makes things difficult when we do get fires.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“There’s some hiking trails that lead back into the backcountry, but there’s no real vehicle access,” Silveira said. “So that steep, really rugged, inaccessible terrain is a historic challenge that we’ve had on all the fires in this area. And that’s one of the reasons that we love the Big Sur coast because it is that untamed natural beauty. On the back end of it, though, it just makes things difficult when we do get fires.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Road closures remain in effect on U.S. Highway 1 between Little Sur River and Salmon Creek. Smoke from the fires is expected to impact air quality in the Bay Area on Monday and Tuesday, the air district said Monday. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Road closures remain in effect on U.S. Highway 1 between Little Sur River and Salmon Creek. Smoke from the fires is expected to impact air quality in the Bay Area on Monday and Tuesday, the air district said Monday. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Silveira added that “monsoonal moisture,” or the humid, rainy weather on Monday, combined with southerly winds, will push the smoke towards the Bay Area. Though the smoke will stay relatively high in the sky, “residents in the Bay should be aware that there is going to be smoke from both of these fires in the area.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Silveira added that “monsoonal moisture,” or the humid, rainy weather on Monday, combined with southerly winds, will push the smoke towards the Bay Area. Though the smoke will stay relatively high in the sky, “residents in the Bay should be aware that there is going to be smoke from both of these fires in the area.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Firefighters from across the state, including engine strike teams from Contra Costa, Santa Clara and Alameda counties — and from across the country — have helped manage the flames, he added. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Firefighters from across the state, including engine strike teams from Contra Costa, Santa Clara and Alameda counties — and from across the country — have helped manage the flames, he added. \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/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094843\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-1536x1024.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 battles with flames as the Timber Fire continues in Big Sur, California, Aug. 10, 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/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094843\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles with flames as the Timber Fire continues in Big Sur, California, Aug. 10, 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>Two firefighters have been injured so far, and no civilians have been injured, Silveira said. Cal Fire has not yet identified the cause of the fire, citing dangerous conditions for investigators.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The community does an amazing job with home hardening and preparedness because they’ve lived through fires in this area,” Silveira said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Evacuation \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/incident-archive/2026-timber-fire\">shelters\u003c/a> remain open at Carmel Mission Inn Conference Room in Carmel and the Veteran’s Building in Cambria. Monterey County’s SPCA is providing emergency rescue and sheltering for animals impacted. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Evacuation \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/incident-archive/2026-timber-fire\">shelters\u003c/a> remain open at Carmel Mission Inn Conference Room in Carmel and the Veteran’s Building in Cambria. Monterey County’s SPCA is providing emergency rescue and sheltering for animals impacted. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/calam\">\u003cem>Christopher Alam\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The Plaskett and Timber fires raging in the Monterey County wilderness have burned more than 40,000 acres — and show no sign of stopping.",
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"title": "Big Sur Fires Cost Around $80 Million So Far, Could Burn Until October Rains | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>As firefighters continue to battle the two major blazes in the Big Sur area, the U.S. Forest Service estimates that the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097303/crews-struggle-to-contain-big-sur-fires-with-el-nino-on-the-horizon\">Timber and Plaskett fires\u003c/a> have cost $80 million so far and could burn until October.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097092/timber-fire-big-sur-highway-1-closed-again-wildfire-map-evacuation-august-2026\">Plaskett Fire\u003c/a> near Big Sur almost doubled in size over the weekend, burning 15,479 acres with just 1% containment. The fire triggered new evacuation orders on Sunday, in both \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/MontereyCountySheriffsOffice/\">Monterey\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/slocountyoes\">San Luis Obispo \u003c/a>counties, and has ignited land that has not burned since the 1970s, said Lee Beyer, a U.S. Forest Service spokesperson. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The nearly 25,000-acre \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096883/timber-fire-now-third-largest-in-state-chp-announces-highway-1-closure\">Timber Fire\u003c/a>, now in its fourth week, slowed overnight thanks to a change in weather, which draped a thick marine layer over Highway 1, said Josh Silveira, a Cal Fire spokesperson.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It remains the third-largest wildfire in California this year, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">Cal Fire\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/55484414192_e9eb07140e_o-scaled-e1787935469462.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097295\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. Forest Service biologists survey the Timber Fire area on Aug. 24, 2026. (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an email to KQED, the Forest Service estimated that fighting the blazes has racked up $80 million in firefighting costs so far, due to the use of “expensive” aircraft. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Given the remote and difficult terrain and the high value of the communities at risk along the Big Sur coast, we have used a lot of aircraft,” Beyer wrote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Silveira warned the weather may get warmer and drier midweek, which could “potentially put the fire into conditions where it’s going to grow a little more steadily.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fires in Big Sur can burn into October, Beyer said, when early winter rain can fully extinguish the most remote flames. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Silveira said fires in this part of the Ventana Wilderness — the rugged, mountainous area just inland from Big Sur — typically last longer \u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>because they are so remote, so difficult to access.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s some hiking trails that lead back into the backcountry, but there’s no real vehicle access,” Silveira said. “So that steep, really rugged, inaccessible terrain is a historic challenge that we’ve had on all the fires in this area. And that’s one of the reasons that we love the Big Sur coast because it is that untamed natural beauty. On the back end of it, though, it just makes things difficult when we do get fires.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Road closures remain in effect on U.S. Highway 1 between Little Sur River and Salmon Creek. Smoke from the fires is expected to impact air quality in the Bay Area on Monday and Tuesday, the air district said Monday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Silveira added that “monsoonal moisture,” or the humid, rainy weather on Monday, combined with southerly winds, will push the smoke towards the Bay Area. Though the smoke will stay relatively high in the sky, “residents in the Bay should be aware that there is going to be smoke from both of these fires in the area.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Firefighters from across the state, including engine strike teams from Contra Costa, Santa Clara and Alameda counties — and from across the country — have helped manage the flames, he added. \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/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094843\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles with flames as the Timber Fire continues in Big Sur, California, Aug. 10, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Two firefighters have been injured so far, and no civilians have been injured, Silveira said. Cal Fire has not yet identified the cause of the fire, citing dangerous conditions for investigators.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The community does an amazing job with home hardening and preparedness because they’ve lived through fires in this area,” Silveira said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Evacuation \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/incident-archive/2026-timber-fire\">shelters\u003c/a> remain open at Carmel Mission Inn Conference Room in Carmel and the Veteran’s Building in Cambria. Monterey County’s SPCA is providing emergency rescue and sheltering for animals impacted. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/calam\">\u003cem>Christopher Alam\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "nepali-solidarity-takes-root-in-east-bay-after-apocalyptic-flash-flooding",
"title": "Nepali Solidarity Takes Root in East Bay After ‘Apocalyptic’ Flash Flooding",
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"headTitle": "Nepali Solidarity Takes Root in East Bay After ‘Apocalyptic’ Flash Flooding | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>More than a dozen members of Janak Raj Dhungana’s family are still missing following the flash flooding in Nepal and Tibet. Another two dozen of the \u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/news/tag/richmond\">Richmond \u003c/a>resident’s friends – some from his childhood in Nepal – are also unaccounted for. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s really very hard to control my emotions,” he said at a candlelight vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond. “We are praying for them. We can’t do nothing.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At least 676 people died in the flooding that swept through the Nepal-Tibet border region on Wednesday, and almost 3,000 people are still missing, according to Saturday morning figures from both governments. Nepali authorities said that 65 U.S. citizens are among the missing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1998\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_020_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097502\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_020_qed.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_020_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_020_qed-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1998px) 100vw, 1998px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees sit and stand around candles arranged on the ground during a vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Raj Dhungana was with about 100 people who said a prayer thousands of miles away for their families and friends who number among the missing and dead.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Members of the Nepali Association of Northern California bowed their heads on Friday night at its community center, surrounding candles they had placed on the ground in patterns. One of the arrangements spelled out the word: “PRAY.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sheela Dawadi, a Pittsburg resident, said she doesn’t have any blood relatives affected by the floods, but that “family” includes everyone right now. \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/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_004_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097503\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_004_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_004_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_004_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sheela Dawadi kneels as she places rows of candles before a vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“[The whole of] Nepal is family right now,” Dawadi said. “I’m far away. I feel so hopeless.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Bay Area is home to upwards of 35,000 Nepali people in the diaspora, according to Preetesh Karki, president of the Nepali Association of Northern California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The U.S. Geological Survey said the flooding was “likely triggered” by rapid slope failure that involved a glacier. Though the agency hasn’t definitely said the cause is a melting glacier and \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/08/28/world/nepal-tibet-flash-floods\">an investigation into the incident\u003c/a> is still underway, climate experts say that it’s likely. \u003c/p>\n\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=\"12097504\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_009_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097504\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_009_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_009_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_009_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An attendee bows her head as people gather around candles during a vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/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=\"12097501\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_007_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097501\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_007_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_007_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_007_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yashoda Bhattarai, center, and her daughter Ravya listen to speakers during a candlelight vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Climate change has increased the speed at which glaciers defrost, meaning events like those in Nepal are becoming \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/08/28/nx-s1-5945799/nepal-floods-climate-change-himalayas\">more frequent\u003c/a>. Karki and Tika Lamsal, president of the Buddha Nepal Peace Foundation, said the disaster didn’t have to happen. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s kind of surreal, apocalyptic for all of us,” Lamsal said at the vigil. “It is not only Nepal that is suffering right now, it’s all the community in the world because global warming is real.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Karki agreed, blasting other countries that disproportionately contribute to climate change. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People from a country like mine who have nothing to do with all this impact are the people who are losing life,” Karki said before the vigil. “Nepal don’t just need your prayer. We need your apology.” \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/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_001_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097510\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_001_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_001_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_001_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees light candles during a vigil for victims of flooding in Nepal at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nepal contributed less than 1% of the world’s carbon emissions in 2023, according to the International Energy Agency. In comparison, the U.S. made up 15.5% and China, 32.1%, that same year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The recent wars in Iran and Russia also contribute to the increase in emissions, Karki said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People living in the world, especially in developed countries, are enjoying their everyday life, that luxury is being paid by someone remote who has nothing to do [with it],” Karki said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Nepali Association of Northern California said it is \u003ca href=\"https://nancusa.org/donations/support-nepal-flood-victims/\">doubling donations\u003c/a> going toward flood relief.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/psibulo\">\u003cem>Paula Sibulo\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> and \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/kmonahan\">\u003cem>Katherine Monahan\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s really very hard to control my emotions,” he said at a candlelight vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond. “We are praying for them. We can’t do nothing.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At least 676 people died in the flooding that swept through the Nepal-Tibet border region on Wednesday, and almost 3,000 people are still missing, according to Saturday morning figures from both governments. Nepali authorities said that 65 U.S. citizens are among the missing. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Raj Dhungana was with about 100 people who said a prayer thousands of miles away for their families and friends who number among the missing and dead.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Members of the Nepali Association of Northern California bowed their heads on Friday night at its community center, surrounding candles they had placed on the ground in patterns. One of the arrangements spelled out the word: “PRAY.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sheela Dawadi, a Pittsburg resident, said she doesn’t have any blood relatives affected by the floods, but that “family” includes everyone right now. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“[The whole of] Nepal is family right now,” Dawadi said. “I’m far away. I feel so hopeless.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Bay Area is home to upwards of 35,000 Nepali people in the diaspora, according to Preetesh Karki, president of the Nepali Association of Northern California. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The U.S. Geological Survey said the flooding was “likely triggered” by rapid slope failure that involved a glacier. Though the agency hasn’t definitely said the cause is a melting glacier and \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/08/28/world/nepal-tibet-flash-floods\">an investigation into the incident\u003c/a> is still underway, climate experts say that it’s likely. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Climate change has increased the speed at which glaciers defrost, meaning events like those in Nepal are becoming \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/08/28/nx-s1-5945799/nepal-floods-climate-change-himalayas\">more frequent\u003c/a>. Karki and Tika Lamsal, president of the Buddha Nepal Peace Foundation, said the disaster didn’t have to happen. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Climate change has increased the speed at which glaciers defrost, meaning events like those in Nepal are becoming \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/08/28/nx-s1-5945799/nepal-floods-climate-change-himalayas\">more frequent\u003c/a>. Karki and Tika Lamsal, president of the Buddha Nepal Peace Foundation, said the disaster didn’t have to happen. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s kind of surreal, apocalyptic for all of us,” Lamsal said at the vigil. “It is not only Nepal that is suffering right now, it’s all the community in the world because global warming is real.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s kind of surreal, apocalyptic for all of us,” Lamsal said at the vigil. “It is not only Nepal that is suffering right now, it’s all the community in the world because global warming is real.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Karki agreed, blasting other countries that disproportionately contribute to climate change. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“People from a country like mine who have nothing to do with all this impact are the people who are losing life,” Karki said before the vigil. “Nepal don’t just need your prayer. We need your apology.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“People from a country like mine who have nothing to do with all this impact are the people who are losing life,” Karki said before the vigil. “Nepal don’t just need your prayer. We need your apology.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Nepal contributed less than 1% of the world’s carbon emissions in 2023, according to the International Energy Agency. In comparison, the U.S. made up 15.5% and China, 32.1%, that same year. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The recent wars in Iran and Russia also contribute to the increase in emissions, Karki said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“People living in the world, especially in developed countries, are enjoying their everyday life, that luxury is being paid by someone remote who has nothing to do [with it],” Karki said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Nepali Association of Northern California said it is \u003ca href=\"https://nancusa.org/donations/support-nepal-flood-victims/\">doubling donations\u003c/a> going toward flood relief.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/psibulo\">\u003cem>Paula Sibulo\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> and \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/kmonahan\">\u003cem>Katherine Monahan\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Contra Costa residents prayed for loved ones following this week’s flash flooding at the country’s border while blasting climate change for the event. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>More than a dozen members of Janak Raj Dhungana’s family are still missing following the flash flooding in Nepal and Tibet. Another two dozen of the \u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/news/tag/richmond\">Richmond \u003c/a>resident’s friends – some from his childhood in Nepal – are also unaccounted for. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s really very hard to control my emotions,” he said at a candlelight vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond. “We are praying for them. We can’t do nothing.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At least 676 people died in the flooding that swept through the Nepal-Tibet border region on Wednesday, and almost 3,000 people are still missing, according to Saturday morning figures from both governments. Nepali authorities said that 65 U.S. citizens are among the missing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1998\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_020_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097502\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_020_qed.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_020_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_020_qed-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1998px) 100vw, 1998px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees sit and stand around candles arranged on the ground during a vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Raj Dhungana was with about 100 people who said a prayer thousands of miles away for their families and friends who number among the missing and dead.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Members of the Nepali Association of Northern California bowed their heads on Friday night at its community center, surrounding candles they had placed on the ground in patterns. One of the arrangements spelled out the word: “PRAY.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sheela Dawadi, a Pittsburg resident, said she doesn’t have any blood relatives affected by the floods, but that “family” includes everyone right now. \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/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_004_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097503\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_004_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_004_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_004_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sheela Dawadi kneels as she places rows of candles before a vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“[The whole of] Nepal is family right now,” Dawadi said. “I’m far away. I feel so hopeless.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Bay Area is home to upwards of 35,000 Nepali people in the diaspora, according to Preetesh Karki, president of the Nepali Association of Northern California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The U.S. Geological Survey said the flooding was “likely triggered” by rapid slope failure that involved a glacier. Though the agency hasn’t definitely said the cause is a melting glacier and \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/08/28/world/nepal-tibet-flash-floods\">an investigation into the incident\u003c/a> is still underway, climate experts say that it’s likely. \u003c/p>\n\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=\"12097504\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_009_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097504\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_009_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_009_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_009_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An attendee bows her head as people gather around candles during a vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/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=\"12097501\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_007_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097501\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_007_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_007_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_007_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yashoda Bhattarai, center, and her daughter Ravya listen to speakers during a candlelight vigil at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Climate change has increased the speed at which glaciers defrost, meaning events like those in Nepal are becoming \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/08/28/nx-s1-5945799/nepal-floods-climate-change-himalayas\">more frequent\u003c/a>. Karki and Tika Lamsal, president of the Buddha Nepal Peace Foundation, said the disaster didn’t have to happen. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s kind of surreal, apocalyptic for all of us,” Lamsal said at the vigil. “It is not only Nepal that is suffering right now, it’s all the community in the world because global warming is real.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Karki agreed, blasting other countries that disproportionately contribute to climate change. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People from a country like mine who have nothing to do with all this impact are the people who are losing life,” Karki said before the vigil. “Nepal don’t just need your prayer. We need your apology.” \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/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_001_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097510\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_001_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_001_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/082826_NepalVigil_GH_001_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees light candles during a vigil for victims of flooding in Nepal at the Nepali Community Center in Richmond on Aug. 28, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nepal contributed less than 1% of the world’s carbon emissions in 2023, according to the International Energy Agency. In comparison, the U.S. made up 15.5% and China, 32.1%, that same year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The recent wars in Iran and Russia also contribute to the increase in emissions, Karki said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People living in the world, especially in developed countries, are enjoying their everyday life, that luxury is being paid by someone remote who has nothing to do [with it],” Karki said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Nepali Association of Northern California said it is \u003ca href=\"https://nancusa.org/donations/support-nepal-flood-victims/\">doubling donations\u003c/a> going toward flood relief.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/psibulo\">\u003cem>Paula Sibulo\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> and \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/kmonahan\">\u003cem>Katherine Monahan\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Newsom, Lawmakers Reach Last-Minute Deal on Wildfire Fallout",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Seeking to lower California’s soaring electricity rates and improve payouts to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/wildfires\">wildfire\u003c/a> survivors, Gov. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gavin-newsom\">Gavin Newsom\u003c/a> and legislative leaders late Friday reached an eleventh-hour deal on changes to rules around wildfire liability.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the heart of the deal is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097383/newsoms-wildfire-gamble-and-two-voting-court-cases\">the question of who pays\u003c/a> when utility-owned equipment sparks a damaging wildfire — costs that have ballooned into the tens of billions of dollars in recent fire disasters. The plan, which comes after months of largely closed-door negotiations, seeks to protect ratepayers by stopping hedge funds from extracting massive payouts from utilities in the wake of wildfires, while also restricting utility executives from receiving bonuses when their equipment causes a fire.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is one of the most consequential pieces of legislation for victims and survivors of wildfires that we’ve ever done,” state Sen. Josh Becker, D–Menlo Park, told KQED on Saturday. “Getting them paid fairly and quickly, limiting the role of Wall Street in profiting off of these fires [and] holding utilities accountable.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The legislation authored by Becker, \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB492\">Senate Bill 492\u003c/a>, would also create a program to speed up the payment of claims for wildfire survivors. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the agreement fell short of Newsom’s original aim: to prevent insurance companies from suing utilities to recover the damages that insurers pay out to fire victims. That process, known as subrogation, has helped drive up the cost of electricity bills by adding massive liability costs to power companies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"The charred remains of two cars after a fire passed by the area.\" class=\"wp-image-11882560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Power lines lay on the smoldering remains of vehicles during the Dixie Fire in an unincorporated area of Plumas County on July 25, 2021. (Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, lawmakers are hoping to restrict insurance companies from selling their right to sue to private equity firms, which under the current system can purchase claims at a discount and drive up payout costs through pricey litigation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is all real progress for future fire survivors,” Newsom said in a statement on Saturday. “Nonetheless, this system needs full structural reform — not a partial one.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The agreement will require a two-thirds vote in the Assembly and Senate as soon as Tuesday under an urgency clause that allows it to be voted on after Monday night’s scheduled close of California’s legislative session. For Newsom, it will bookend a tenure as governor that began in crisis in the wake of the deadliest, most destructive wildfire in the state’s modern history. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California law holds power companies, such as PG&E and Southern California Edison, responsible for the damage caused by their equipment — even without any finding of negligence, unlike other states. Liability from the 2018 Camp Fire pushed PG&E \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11879943/a-year-after-pge-left-bankruptcy-spending-by-fire-victim-trust-remains-a-mystery\">to declare bankruptcy\u003c/a> the following January, just weeks after Newsom took office. Damages from the 2025 \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12076246/the-eaton-fire-ravaged-black-altadena-a-journalist-documents-its-resilience\">Eaton Fire in Altadena\u003c/a>, which was started by a SoCal Edison transmission line, could reach $45 billion. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the last decade, investor-owned utilities have spent billions to both shoulder wildfire liability and protect power lines from sparking future blazes. That spending has been passed along to California’s utility customers, who pay the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081882/san-francisco-has-been-trying-to-leave-pge-for-100-years-will-this-time-be-different\">second-highest electricity rates\u003c/a> in the nation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wildfire-related charges now add roughly $41 a month to the average PG&E bill and $27 a month for SoCal Edison customers, according to a state \u003ca href=\"https://www.cawildfirefund.com/sb-254-natural-catastrophe-resilience-study\">report released\u003c/a> this spring that served as a jumping-off point for the utility negotiations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, the spending by power companies will not completely eliminate the risk of utility-sparked wildfires, said Meredith Fowlie, faculty director at UC Berkeley’s Energy Institute at Haas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That means there’s fire risk for people living in high-risk areas, close to power system infrastructure that they are not seeing in their insurance premiums,” Fowlie said. “We’re seeing them on our electricity bills.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While many California power customers, especially those in hotter inland areas, have few options in the face of escalating rates, Fowlie said homeowners can receive insurance discounts if they fire-proof their homes and \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/08/19/nx-s1-5937926/california-wildfire-rules-zone-zero-vegetation\">increase the defensible space\u003c/a> around their property. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Shifting more of the risk onto homeowners and property owners in higher-risk areas does dial up the financial incentives to do more mitigation to reduce premiums via discounts,” she added. \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/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Several homes and mobile homes sit on a hillsides where grasses have been removed.\" class=\"wp-image-11955391\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A home in Nevada County that has created defensible space to help protect against damage due to wildfires on June 26, 2023. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But California’s insurance industry is in the midst of its own interwoven crisis. Wildfire losses have led many insurers to either stop renewing policies or leave the state — pushing residents in fire-prone areas onto \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094860/california-fair-plan-announces-29-1-rate-hike-for-homeowners-this-fall\">the FAIR Plan\u003c/a>, the state’s insurer of last resort. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Newsom’s original plan, meanwhile, was also \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093430/la-fire-survivors-say-newsom-is-trying-to-help-utilities-reduce-their-wildfire-costs-again\">criticized by wildfire survivor groups\u003c/a> and trial attorneys — the latter group holding particular influence among Democrats in the Legislature who were wary of signing on to a deal that could be perceived as a utility bailout. Wildfire survivor groups took aim at elements of Newsom’s original proposal that would have limited some claims of noneconomic damages.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Survivors from across California came to Sacramento and asked our elected representatives to stand with the people whose homes, communities and lives have been devastated,” Joy Chen, executive director of Every Fire Survivor’s Network, said in a statement on Saturday. “They listened. And in the face of extraordinary pressure from some of the most powerful interests in our state, they centered survivors and California families.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The deal Newsom reached with legislative leaders will prevent law firms from making unsolicited communications to survivors for 30 days after the disaster and cap attorney fees in insurance subrogation cases to 10% of the final settlement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The opponents [were] quite a strange grouping of bedfellows,” said Dave Jones, a former California insurance commissioner and director of the Climate Risk Initiative at the UC Berkeley School of Law’s Center for Law, Energy & the Environment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jones said that if utilities remain forced to shoulder the financial liabilities for wildfires, they will be incentivized to invest in grid safety and vegetation management. Shifting more of the burden to insurers, he said, will put more stress on fire survivors, local taxpayers and insurance policyholders. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Legislative rules prevent changes from being made to bills for 72 hours before a final vote. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sen. Roger Niello, R–Fair Oaks, the Republican leader-elect, questioned whether three days was enough time for lawmakers to digest complex changes to wildfire rules. For the second consecutive year, lawmakers will be voting on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12055461/california-lawmakers-reach-last-minute-deals-on-climate-energy\">consequential energy legislation\u003c/a> in the waning moments of the session.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve raised concerns before about major policy being pushed through at the last minute without public input,” Niello said in a statement. “I am committed to working with the next administration to craft financially sound solutions and double down on wildfire mitigation and prevention efforts.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Why did Newsom choose to close the final legislative session of his career with a complicated battle involving utilities, insurance companies and trial attorneys — all political heavyweights at the Capitol?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Just weeks after Newsom took office in early 2019, PG&E declared bankruptcy. The utility giant was facing tens of billions of dollars in wildfire liabilities after its equipment sparked the Camp Fire, which destroyed the town of Paradise and left 85 people dead. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The company lacked sufficient cash, held inadequate wildfire insurance and ultimately suffered a credit crisis. As the extent of its liabilities became clear, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11716710/ratings-service-slashes-pge-credit-to-junk-status\">credit rating agencies downgraded PG&E\u003c/a> so that the value of its debt became almost worthless. It couldn’t get access to lines of short-term credit, so it couldn’t function day to day. It declared bankruptcy to halt the active lawsuits, pause servicing its debt and regroup. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He had a baptism by fire, so to speak, when he was elected right before the massive and deadly fires in Northern California,” said Becker, a longtime Newsom ally. “I think he feels a real obligation and responsibility to leave the state better than when he found it.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the aftermath of the Camp Fire, Newsom and the Legislature designated $21 billion — half from utility shareholders, half from ratepayers — for a fund to compensate victims of fires sparked by utility equipment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It was designed as a long-term safety net, but the massive claims stemming from the Los Angeles fires in early 2025 threatened to drain the fund entirely. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Legislature replenished it with an additional $18 billion last summer, but another catastrophic fire could again threaten the solvency of the fund, providing the governor practical motivations for pursuing this deal. While the legislative session will end on Monday, Newsom’s final term runs through the fall months that constitute the heart of California’s modern wildfire season.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That means another disaster could leave Newsom with a utility hurtling toward bankruptcy just as he leaves office — and prepares for an expected run for president.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He’s concerned about, ‘Hey, one big fire could take that [fund] out,’” Becker said. “Then what happens?” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At the heart of the deal is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097383/newsoms-wildfire-gamble-and-two-voting-court-cases\">the question of who pays\u003c/a> when utility-owned equipment sparks a damaging wildfire — costs that have ballooned into the tens of billions of dollars in recent fire disasters. The plan, which comes after months of largely closed-door negotiations, seeks to protect ratepayers by stopping hedge funds from extracting massive payouts from utilities in the wake of wildfires, while also restricting utility executives from receiving bonuses when their equipment causes a fire.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>At the heart of the deal is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097383/newsoms-wildfire-gamble-and-two-voting-court-cases\">the question of who pays\u003c/a> when utility-owned equipment sparks a damaging wildfire — costs that have ballooned into the tens of billions of dollars in recent fire disasters. The plan, which comes after months of largely closed-door negotiations, seeks to protect ratepayers by stopping hedge funds from extracting massive payouts from utilities in the wake of wildfires, while also restricting utility executives from receiving bonuses when their equipment causes a fire.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is one of the most consequential pieces of legislation for victims and survivors of wildfires that we’ve ever done,” state Sen. Josh Becker, D–Menlo Park, told KQED on Saturday. “Getting them paid fairly and quickly, limiting the role of Wall Street in profiting off of these fires [and] holding utilities accountable.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This is one of the most consequential pieces of legislation for victims and survivors of wildfires that we’ve ever done,” state Sen. Josh Becker, D–Menlo Park, told KQED on Saturday. “Getting them paid fairly and quickly, limiting the role of Wall Street in profiting off of these fires [and] holding utilities accountable.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The legislation authored by Becker, \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB492\">Senate Bill 492\u003c/a>, would also create a program to speed up the payment of claims for wildfire survivors. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The legislation authored by Becker, \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB492\">Senate Bill 492\u003c/a>, would also create a program to speed up the payment of claims for wildfire survivors. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the agreement fell short of Newsom’s original aim: to prevent insurance companies from suing utilities to recover the damages that insurers pay out to fire victims. That process, known as subrogation, has helped drive up the cost of electricity bills by adding massive liability costs to power companies. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But the agreement fell short of Newsom’s original aim: to prevent insurance companies from suing utilities to recover the damages that insurers pay out to fire victims. That process, known as subrogation, has helped drive up the cost of electricity bills by adding massive liability costs to power companies. \u003c/p>\n"
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"alt": "The charred remains of two cars after a fire passed by the area.",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-1920x1280.jpg 1920w",
"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/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"The charred remains of two cars after a fire passed by the area.\" class=\"wp-image-11882560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Power lines lay on the smoldering remains of vehicles during the Dixie Fire in an unincorporated area of Plumas County on July 25, 2021.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Josh Edelson/AFP via 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/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"The charred remains of two cars after a fire passed by the area.\" class=\"wp-image-11882560\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Power lines lay on the smoldering remains of vehicles during the Dixie Fire in an unincorporated area of Plumas County on July 25, 2021.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Instead, lawmakers are hoping to restrict insurance companies from selling their right to sue to private equity firms, which under the current system can purchase claims at a discount and drive up payout costs through pricey litigation. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Instead, lawmakers are hoping to restrict insurance companies from selling their right to sue to private equity firms, which under the current system can purchase claims at a discount and drive up payout costs through pricey litigation. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is all real progress for future fire survivors,” Newsom said in a statement on Saturday. “Nonetheless, this system needs full structural reform — not a partial one.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This is all real progress for future fire survivors,” Newsom said in a statement on Saturday. “Nonetheless, this system needs full structural reform — not a partial one.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The agreement will require a two-thirds vote in the Assembly and Senate as soon as Tuesday under an urgency clause that allows it to be voted on after Monday night’s scheduled close of California’s legislative session. For Newsom, it will bookend a tenure as governor that began in crisis in the wake of the deadliest, most destructive wildfire in the state’s modern history. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The agreement will require a two-thirds vote in the Assembly and Senate as soon as Tuesday under an urgency clause that allows it to be voted on after Monday night’s scheduled close of California’s legislative session. For Newsom, it will bookend a tenure as governor that began in crisis in the wake of the deadliest, most destructive wildfire in the state’s modern history. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California law holds power companies, such as PG&E and Southern California Edison, responsible for the damage caused by their equipment — even without any finding of negligence, unlike other states. Liability from the 2018 Camp Fire pushed PG&E \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11879943/a-year-after-pge-left-bankruptcy-spending-by-fire-victim-trust-remains-a-mystery\">to declare bankruptcy\u003c/a> the following January, just weeks after Newsom took office. Damages from the 2025 \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12076246/the-eaton-fire-ravaged-black-altadena-a-journalist-documents-its-resilience\">Eaton Fire in Altadena\u003c/a>, which was started by a SoCal Edison transmission line, could reach $45 billion. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>California law holds power companies, such as PG&E and Southern California Edison, responsible for the damage caused by their equipment — even without any finding of negligence, unlike other states. Liability from the 2018 Camp Fire pushed PG&E \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11879943/a-year-after-pge-left-bankruptcy-spending-by-fire-victim-trust-remains-a-mystery\">to declare bankruptcy\u003c/a> the following January, just weeks after Newsom took office. Damages from the 2025 \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12076246/the-eaton-fire-ravaged-black-altadena-a-journalist-documents-its-resilience\">Eaton Fire in Altadena\u003c/a>, which was started by a SoCal Edison transmission line, could reach $45 billion. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the last decade, investor-owned utilities have spent billions to both shoulder wildfire liability and protect power lines from sparking future blazes. That spending has been passed along to California’s utility customers, who pay the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081882/san-francisco-has-been-trying-to-leave-pge-for-100-years-will-this-time-be-different\">second-highest electricity rates\u003c/a> in the nation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the last decade, investor-owned utilities have spent billions to both shoulder wildfire liability and protect power lines from sparking future blazes. That spending has been passed along to California’s utility customers, who pay the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081882/san-francisco-has-been-trying-to-leave-pge-for-100-years-will-this-time-be-different\">second-highest electricity rates\u003c/a> in the nation. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Wildfire-related charges now add roughly $41 a month to the average PG&E bill and $27 a month for SoCal Edison customers, according to a state \u003ca href=\"https://www.cawildfirefund.com/sb-254-natural-catastrophe-resilience-study\">report released\u003c/a> this spring that served as a jumping-off point for the utility negotiations.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Wildfire-related charges now add roughly $41 a month to the average PG&E bill and $27 a month for SoCal Edison customers, according to a state \u003ca href=\"https://www.cawildfirefund.com/sb-254-natural-catastrophe-resilience-study\">report released\u003c/a> this spring that served as a jumping-off point for the utility negotiations.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Still, the spending by power companies will not completely eliminate the risk of utility-sparked wildfires, said Meredith Fowlie, faculty director at UC Berkeley’s Energy Institute at Haas. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Still, the spending by power companies will not completely eliminate the risk of utility-sparked wildfires, said Meredith Fowlie, faculty director at UC Berkeley’s Energy Institute at Haas. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“That means there’s fire risk for people living in high-risk areas, close to power system infrastructure that they are not seeing in their insurance premiums,” Fowlie said. “We’re seeing them on our electricity bills.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“That means there’s fire risk for people living in high-risk areas, close to power system infrastructure that they are not seeing in their insurance premiums,” Fowlie said. “We’re seeing them on our electricity bills.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While many California power customers, especially those in hotter inland areas, have few options in the face of escalating rates, Fowlie said homeowners can receive insurance discounts if they fire-proof their homes and \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/08/19/nx-s1-5937926/california-wildfire-rules-zone-zero-vegetation\">increase the defensible space\u003c/a> around their property. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While many California power customers, especially those in hotter inland areas, have few options in the face of escalating rates, Fowlie said homeowners can receive insurance discounts if they fire-proof their homes and \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/08/19/nx-s1-5937926/california-wildfire-rules-zone-zero-vegetation\">increase the defensible space\u003c/a> around their property. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Shifting more of the risk onto homeowners and property owners in higher-risk areas does dial up the financial incentives to do more mitigation to reduce premiums via discounts,” she added. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Shifting more of the risk onto homeowners and property owners in higher-risk areas does dial up the financial incentives to do more mitigation to reduce premiums via discounts,” she added. \u003c/p>\n"
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"alt": "Several homes and mobile homes sit on a hillsides where grasses have been removed.",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w",
"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/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Several homes and mobile homes sit on a hillsides where grasses have been removed.\" class=\"wp-image-11955391\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A home in Nevada County that has created defensible space to help protect against damage due to wildfires on June 26, 2023.\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/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Several homes and mobile homes sit on a hillsides where grasses have been removed.\" class=\"wp-image-11955391\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A home in Nevada County that has created defensible space to help protect against damage due to wildfires on June 26, 2023.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But California’s insurance industry is in the midst of its own interwoven crisis. Wildfire losses have led many insurers to either stop renewing policies or leave the state — pushing residents in fire-prone areas onto \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094860/california-fair-plan-announces-29-1-rate-hike-for-homeowners-this-fall\">the FAIR Plan\u003c/a>, the state’s insurer of last resort. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But California’s insurance industry is in the midst of its own interwoven crisis. Wildfire losses have led many insurers to either stop renewing policies or leave the state — pushing residents in fire-prone areas onto \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094860/california-fair-plan-announces-29-1-rate-hike-for-homeowners-this-fall\">the FAIR Plan\u003c/a>, the state’s insurer of last resort. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Newsom’s original plan, meanwhile, was also \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093430/la-fire-survivors-say-newsom-is-trying-to-help-utilities-reduce-their-wildfire-costs-again\">criticized by wildfire survivor groups\u003c/a> and trial attorneys — the latter group holding particular influence among Democrats in the Legislature who were wary of signing on to a deal that could be perceived as a utility bailout. Wildfire survivor groups took aim at elements of Newsom’s original proposal that would have limited some claims of noneconomic damages.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Newsom’s original plan, meanwhile, was also \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093430/la-fire-survivors-say-newsom-is-trying-to-help-utilities-reduce-their-wildfire-costs-again\">criticized by wildfire survivor groups\u003c/a> and trial attorneys — the latter group holding particular influence among Democrats in the Legislature who were wary of signing on to a deal that could be perceived as a utility bailout. Wildfire survivor groups took aim at elements of Newsom’s original proposal that would have limited some claims of noneconomic damages.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Survivors from across California came to Sacramento and asked our elected representatives to stand with the people whose homes, communities and lives have been devastated,” Joy Chen, executive director of Every Fire Survivor’s Network, said in a statement on Saturday. “They listened. And in the face of extraordinary pressure from some of the most powerful interests in our state, they centered survivors and California families.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Survivors from across California came to Sacramento and asked our elected representatives to stand with the people whose homes, communities and lives have been devastated,” Joy Chen, executive director of Every Fire Survivor’s Network, said in a statement on Saturday. “They listened. And in the face of extraordinary pressure from some of the most powerful interests in our state, they centered survivors and California families.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The deal Newsom reached with legislative leaders will prevent law firms from making unsolicited communications to survivors for 30 days after the disaster and cap attorney fees in insurance subrogation cases to 10% of the final settlement.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The deal Newsom reached with legislative leaders will prevent law firms from making unsolicited communications to survivors for 30 days after the disaster and cap attorney fees in insurance subrogation cases to 10% of the final settlement.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The opponents [were] quite a strange grouping of bedfellows,” said Dave Jones, a former California insurance commissioner and director of the Climate Risk Initiative at the UC Berkeley School of Law’s Center for Law, Energy & the Environment. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The opponents [were] quite a strange grouping of bedfellows,” said Dave Jones, a former California insurance commissioner and director of the Climate Risk Initiative at the UC Berkeley School of Law’s Center for Law, Energy & the Environment. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jones said that if utilities remain forced to shoulder the financial liabilities for wildfires, they will be incentivized to invest in grid safety and vegetation management. Shifting more of the burden to insurers, he said, will put more stress on fire survivors, local taxpayers and insurance policyholders. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Jones said that if utilities remain forced to shoulder the financial liabilities for wildfires, they will be incentivized to invest in grid safety and vegetation management. Shifting more of the burden to insurers, he said, will put more stress on fire survivors, local taxpayers and insurance policyholders. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Legislative rules prevent changes from being made to bills for 72 hours before a final vote. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Legislative rules prevent changes from being made to bills for 72 hours before a final vote. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sen. Roger Niello, R–Fair Oaks, the Republican leader-elect, questioned whether three days was enough time for lawmakers to digest complex changes to wildfire rules. For the second consecutive year, lawmakers will be voting on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12055461/california-lawmakers-reach-last-minute-deals-on-climate-energy\">consequential energy legislation\u003c/a> in the waning moments of the session.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Sen. Roger Niello, R–Fair Oaks, the Republican leader-elect, questioned whether three days was enough time for lawmakers to digest complex changes to wildfire rules. For the second consecutive year, lawmakers will be voting on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12055461/california-lawmakers-reach-last-minute-deals-on-climate-energy\">consequential energy legislation\u003c/a> in the waning moments of the session.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’ve raised concerns before about major policy being pushed through at the last minute without public input,” Niello said in a statement. “I am committed to working with the next administration to craft financially sound solutions and double down on wildfire mitigation and prevention efforts.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I’ve raised concerns before about major policy being pushed through at the last minute without public input,” Niello said in a statement. “I am committed to working with the next administration to craft financially sound solutions and double down on wildfire mitigation and prevention efforts.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Why did Newsom choose to close the final legislative session of his career with a complicated battle involving utilities, insurance companies and trial attorneys — all political heavyweights at the Capitol?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Just weeks after Newsom took office in early 2019, PG&E declared bankruptcy. The utility giant was facing tens of billions of dollars in wildfire liabilities after its equipment sparked the Camp Fire, which destroyed the town of Paradise and left 85 people dead. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Just weeks after Newsom took office in early 2019, PG&E declared bankruptcy. The utility giant was facing tens of billions of dollars in wildfire liabilities after its equipment sparked the Camp Fire, which destroyed the town of Paradise and left 85 people dead. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The company lacked sufficient cash, held inadequate wildfire insurance and ultimately suffered a credit crisis. As the extent of its liabilities became clear, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11716710/ratings-service-slashes-pge-credit-to-junk-status\">credit rating agencies downgraded PG&E\u003c/a> so that the value of its debt became almost worthless. It couldn’t get access to lines of short-term credit, so it couldn’t function day to day. It declared bankruptcy to halt the active lawsuits, pause servicing its debt and regroup. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The company lacked sufficient cash, held inadequate wildfire insurance and ultimately suffered a credit crisis. As the extent of its liabilities became clear, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11716710/ratings-service-slashes-pge-credit-to-junk-status\">credit rating agencies downgraded PG&E\u003c/a> so that the value of its debt became almost worthless. It couldn’t get access to lines of short-term credit, so it couldn’t function day to day. It declared bankruptcy to halt the active lawsuits, pause servicing its debt and regroup. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“He had a baptism by fire, so to speak, when he was elected right before the massive and deadly fires in Northern California,” said Becker, a longtime Newsom ally. “I think he feels a real obligation and responsibility to leave the state better than when he found it.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“He had a baptism by fire, so to speak, when he was elected right before the massive and deadly fires in Northern California,” said Becker, a longtime Newsom ally. “I think he feels a real obligation and responsibility to leave the state better than when he found it.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the aftermath of the Camp Fire, Newsom and the Legislature designated $21 billion — half from utility shareholders, half from ratepayers — for a fund to compensate victims of fires sparked by utility equipment. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the aftermath of the Camp Fire, Newsom and the Legislature designated $21 billion — half from utility shareholders, half from ratepayers — for a fund to compensate victims of fires sparked by utility equipment. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It was designed as a long-term safety net, but the massive claims stemming from the Los Angeles fires in early 2025 threatened to drain the fund entirely. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It was designed as a long-term safety net, but the massive claims stemming from the Los Angeles fires in early 2025 threatened to drain the fund entirely. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Legislature replenished it with an additional $18 billion last summer, but another catastrophic fire could again threaten the solvency of the fund, providing the governor practical motivations for pursuing this deal. While the legislative session will end on Monday, Newsom’s final term runs through the fall months that constitute the heart of California’s modern wildfire season.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Legislature replenished it with an additional $18 billion last summer, but another catastrophic fire could again threaten the solvency of the fund, providing the governor practical motivations for pursuing this deal. While the legislative session will end on Monday, Newsom’s final term runs through the fall months that constitute the heart of California’s modern wildfire season.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That means another disaster could leave Newsom with a utility hurtling toward bankruptcy just as he leaves office — and prepares for an expected run for president.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That means another disaster could leave Newsom with a utility hurtling toward bankruptcy just as he leaves office — and prepares for an expected run for president.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“He’s concerned about, ‘Hey, one big fire could take that [fund] out,’” Becker said. “Then what happens?” \u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Negotiations pitted California utilities against insurers in a fight over who pays after a damaging wildfire. The deal fell short of Newsom’s aims to limit utilities’ liability.",
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"title": "Newsom, Lawmakers Reach Last-Minute Deal on Wildfire Fallout | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Seeking to lower California’s soaring electricity rates and improve payouts to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/wildfires\">wildfire\u003c/a> survivors, Gov. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gavin-newsom\">Gavin Newsom\u003c/a> and legislative leaders late Friday reached an eleventh-hour deal on changes to rules around wildfire liability.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the heart of the deal is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12097383/newsoms-wildfire-gamble-and-two-voting-court-cases\">the question of who pays\u003c/a> when utility-owned equipment sparks a damaging wildfire — costs that have ballooned into the tens of billions of dollars in recent fire disasters. The plan, which comes after months of largely closed-door negotiations, seeks to protect ratepayers by stopping hedge funds from extracting massive payouts from utilities in the wake of wildfires, while also restricting utility executives from receiving bonuses when their equipment causes a fire.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is one of the most consequential pieces of legislation for victims and survivors of wildfires that we’ve ever done,” state Sen. Josh Becker, D–Menlo Park, told KQED on Saturday. “Getting them paid fairly and quickly, limiting the role of Wall Street in profiting off of these fires [and] holding utilities accountable.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The legislation authored by Becker, \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB492\">Senate Bill 492\u003c/a>, would also create a program to speed up the payment of claims for wildfire survivors. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the agreement fell short of Newsom’s original aim: to prevent insurance companies from suing utilities to recover the damages that insurers pay out to fire victims. That process, known as subrogation, has helped drive up the cost of electricity bills by adding massive liability costs to power companies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"The charred remains of two cars after a fire passed by the area.\" class=\"wp-image-11882560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/GettyImages-1234187575-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Power lines lay on the smoldering remains of vehicles during the Dixie Fire in an unincorporated area of Plumas County on July 25, 2021. (Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, lawmakers are hoping to restrict insurance companies from selling their right to sue to private equity firms, which under the current system can purchase claims at a discount and drive up payout costs through pricey litigation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is all real progress for future fire survivors,” Newsom said in a statement on Saturday. “Nonetheless, this system needs full structural reform — not a partial one.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The agreement will require a two-thirds vote in the Assembly and Senate as soon as Tuesday under an urgency clause that allows it to be voted on after Monday night’s scheduled close of California’s legislative session. For Newsom, it will bookend a tenure as governor that began in crisis in the wake of the deadliest, most destructive wildfire in the state’s modern history. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California law holds power companies, such as PG&E and Southern California Edison, responsible for the damage caused by their equipment — even without any finding of negligence, unlike other states. Liability from the 2018 Camp Fire pushed PG&E \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11879943/a-year-after-pge-left-bankruptcy-spending-by-fire-victim-trust-remains-a-mystery\">to declare bankruptcy\u003c/a> the following January, just weeks after Newsom took office. Damages from the 2025 \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12076246/the-eaton-fire-ravaged-black-altadena-a-journalist-documents-its-resilience\">Eaton Fire in Altadena\u003c/a>, which was started by a SoCal Edison transmission line, could reach $45 billion. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the last decade, investor-owned utilities have spent billions to both shoulder wildfire liability and protect power lines from sparking future blazes. That spending has been passed along to California’s utility customers, who pay the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081882/san-francisco-has-been-trying-to-leave-pge-for-100-years-will-this-time-be-different\">second-highest electricity rates\u003c/a> in the nation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wildfire-related charges now add roughly $41 a month to the average PG&E bill and $27 a month for SoCal Edison customers, according to a state \u003ca href=\"https://www.cawildfirefund.com/sb-254-natural-catastrophe-resilience-study\">report released\u003c/a> this spring that served as a jumping-off point for the utility negotiations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, the spending by power companies will not completely eliminate the risk of utility-sparked wildfires, said Meredith Fowlie, faculty director at UC Berkeley’s Energy Institute at Haas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That means there’s fire risk for people living in high-risk areas, close to power system infrastructure that they are not seeing in their insurance premiums,” Fowlie said. “We’re seeing them on our electricity bills.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While many California power customers, especially those in hotter inland areas, have few options in the face of escalating rates, Fowlie said homeowners can receive insurance discounts if they fire-proof their homes and \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/08/19/nx-s1-5937926/california-wildfire-rules-zone-zero-vegetation\">increase the defensible space\u003c/a> around their property. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Shifting more of the risk onto homeowners and property owners in higher-risk areas does dial up the financial incentives to do more mitigation to reduce premiums via discounts,” she added. \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/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Several homes and mobile homes sit on a hillsides where grasses have been removed.\" class=\"wp-image-11955391\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/RS66844_230626-HousingNevadaCoWildfire-74-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A home in Nevada County that has created defensible space to help protect against damage due to wildfires on June 26, 2023. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But California’s insurance industry is in the midst of its own interwoven crisis. Wildfire losses have led many insurers to either stop renewing policies or leave the state — pushing residents in fire-prone areas onto \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094860/california-fair-plan-announces-29-1-rate-hike-for-homeowners-this-fall\">the FAIR Plan\u003c/a>, the state’s insurer of last resort. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Newsom’s original plan, meanwhile, was also \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093430/la-fire-survivors-say-newsom-is-trying-to-help-utilities-reduce-their-wildfire-costs-again\">criticized by wildfire survivor groups\u003c/a> and trial attorneys — the latter group holding particular influence among Democrats in the Legislature who were wary of signing on to a deal that could be perceived as a utility bailout. Wildfire survivor groups took aim at elements of Newsom’s original proposal that would have limited some claims of noneconomic damages.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Survivors from across California came to Sacramento and asked our elected representatives to stand with the people whose homes, communities and lives have been devastated,” Joy Chen, executive director of Every Fire Survivor’s Network, said in a statement on Saturday. “They listened. And in the face of extraordinary pressure from some of the most powerful interests in our state, they centered survivors and California families.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The deal Newsom reached with legislative leaders will prevent law firms from making unsolicited communications to survivors for 30 days after the disaster and cap attorney fees in insurance subrogation cases to 10% of the final settlement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The opponents [were] quite a strange grouping of bedfellows,” said Dave Jones, a former California insurance commissioner and director of the Climate Risk Initiative at the UC Berkeley School of Law’s Center for Law, Energy & the Environment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jones said that if utilities remain forced to shoulder the financial liabilities for wildfires, they will be incentivized to invest in grid safety and vegetation management. Shifting more of the burden to insurers, he said, will put more stress on fire survivors, local taxpayers and insurance policyholders. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Legislative rules prevent changes from being made to bills for 72 hours before a final vote. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sen. Roger Niello, R–Fair Oaks, the Republican leader-elect, questioned whether three days was enough time for lawmakers to digest complex changes to wildfire rules. For the second consecutive year, lawmakers will be voting on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12055461/california-lawmakers-reach-last-minute-deals-on-climate-energy\">consequential energy legislation\u003c/a> in the waning moments of the session.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve raised concerns before about major policy being pushed through at the last minute without public input,” Niello said in a statement. “I am committed to working with the next administration to craft financially sound solutions and double down on wildfire mitigation and prevention efforts.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Why did Newsom choose to close the final legislative session of his career with a complicated battle involving utilities, insurance companies and trial attorneys — all political heavyweights at the Capitol?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Just weeks after Newsom took office in early 2019, PG&E declared bankruptcy. The utility giant was facing tens of billions of dollars in wildfire liabilities after its equipment sparked the Camp Fire, which destroyed the town of Paradise and left 85 people dead. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The company lacked sufficient cash, held inadequate wildfire insurance and ultimately suffered a credit crisis. As the extent of its liabilities became clear, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11716710/ratings-service-slashes-pge-credit-to-junk-status\">credit rating agencies downgraded PG&E\u003c/a> so that the value of its debt became almost worthless. It couldn’t get access to lines of short-term credit, so it couldn’t function day to day. It declared bankruptcy to halt the active lawsuits, pause servicing its debt and regroup. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He had a baptism by fire, so to speak, when he was elected right before the massive and deadly fires in Northern California,” said Becker, a longtime Newsom ally. “I think he feels a real obligation and responsibility to leave the state better than when he found it.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the aftermath of the Camp Fire, Newsom and the Legislature designated $21 billion — half from utility shareholders, half from ratepayers — for a fund to compensate victims of fires sparked by utility equipment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It was designed as a long-term safety net, but the massive claims stemming from the Los Angeles fires in early 2025 threatened to drain the fund entirely. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Legislature replenished it with an additional $18 billion last summer, but another catastrophic fire could again threaten the solvency of the fund, providing the governor practical motivations for pursuing this deal. While the legislative session will end on Monday, Newsom’s final term runs through the fall months that constitute the heart of California’s modern wildfire season.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That means another disaster could leave Newsom with a utility hurtling toward bankruptcy just as he leaves office — and prepares for an expected run for president.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He’s concerned about, ‘Hey, one big fire could take that [fund] out,’” Becker said. “Then what happens?” \u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Crews Struggle to Contain Big Sur Fires With El Niño on the Horizon",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Light rainfall on Friday did little to dampen the threat of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096883/timber-fire-now-third-largest-in-state-chp-announces-highway-1-closure\">Timber and Plaskett fires\u003c/a> in the Big Sur area, with experts warning that impending El Niño conditions could escalate matters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Just 21% contained since its eruption on Aug. 8, the Timber Fire has \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire\">burned\u003c/a> 23,343 acres as of Friday afternoon and ranks as the third-biggest \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">fire\u003c/a> of the year. Highway 1 still remains under threat from that blaze, as well as the Plaskett Fire to the south, which has burned 2,774 acres since its \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/26/plaskett-fire\">eruption\u003c/a> on Wednesday morning. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While rain clouds gathered in the Monterey County area on Friday morning, Cal Fire incident meteorologist Aviva Braun said in a YouTube \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/18ATQwUhNqk?si=OBgpdd6ZCngLar2M\">briefing\u003c/a> that, after bringing little relief to either blaze, they will dissipate this afternoon, followed by drying conditions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That “constant drying factor” presents challenges, Braun said. \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/10/2026/08/timber-fire-827.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097343\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-827.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-827-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-827-1536x1023.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A helicopter drops water on the Timber Fire on Aug. 27, 2026, in California. (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Citing these conditions as well as the threat of erratic wind gusts approaching 40 mph that could be triggered by isolated thunderstorms, meteorologists already issued a red flag \u003ca href=\"https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/calpf-timber-fire\">warning\u003c/a> along the central coast.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fourteen areas in the Timber Fire region face active evacuation orders, with another 17 under evacuation warnings — and five more under orders to shelter in place. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Around Plaskett, two areas face evacuation orders and another three are under evacuation warnings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fire has already \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-5/d5-news/d5-news-8-27-2026-3\">closed\u003c/a> a 40-mile stretch of Highway 1, beginning around Gorda at mile marker 10.2 to just south of Old Coast Road at Mile Marker 50.1. Officials have no timeline on plans to reopen the iconic roadway.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“As surrounding brush dries out, fire activity is expected to pick up, with the potential for flying embers to spark new spot fires 0.1 to 0.2 miles ahead of the main fire front and cross over established containment lines,” Cal Fire wrote in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire\">statement\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A community meeting on the Timber Fire is scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday in Carmel Valley’s Cachagua Community Park.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1083\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/plaskett-fire-ocean-helicopter.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097338\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/plaskett-fire-ocean-helicopter.jpeg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/plaskett-fire-ocean-helicopter-160x90.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/plaskett-fire-ocean-helicopter-1536x866.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A helicopter flies over the ocean near the Plaskett Fire on Aug. 26, 2026, in California. (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Daniel Swain with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources spoke about the Big Sur fires in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=m61bKp9NG0U&ra=m\">briefing\u003c/a> late Thursday afternoon, part of the climate scientist’s YouTube channel offering live weather commentary.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the Timber Fire slowly moves in the direction of more populated areas, Swain said, the situation is “getting a little bit serious,” but it has not yet risen to the level of an emergency.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coupled with the approach of autumnal El Niño conditions, “This pattern is looking awfully favorable for something significant to happen in the first or second week of September,” Swain said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is the classic part of the California coast that might see a lot of rainfall in a very strong El Niño year,” Swain said early in the broadcast, noting the possibility of a future flood and debris flow problem.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Current water temperatures off the coast of Southern California are up to 7 degrees Celsius above average, Swain said. “These are extremely humid conditions, not just anomalously humid, but way up into, essentially, about-as-humid-as-it’s-ever-gotten type of territory in some parts of Southern California,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In addition to the humidity, Swain pointed to what he called “ridiculously warm, record-shattering overnight temperatures.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With dew points in the mid- to upper-70s, “that is positively Miami-like” for Southern California, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cal Fire said that the cause of both the Timber and Plaskett fires remained under investigation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There are 1,228 personnel responding to the Timber Fire, with 14 helicopters and 87 engines and 661 structures in the area are \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/alerts\">threatened\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Light rainfall on Friday did little to dampen the threat of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096883/timber-fire-now-third-largest-in-state-chp-announces-highway-1-closure\">Timber and Plaskett fires\u003c/a> in the Big Sur area, with experts warning that impending El Niño conditions could escalate matters.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Just 21% contained since its eruption on Aug. 8, the Timber Fire has \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire\">burned\u003c/a> 23,343 acres as of Friday afternoon and ranks as the third-biggest \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">fire\u003c/a> of the year. Highway 1 still remains under threat from that blaze, as well as the Plaskett Fire to the south, which has burned 2,774 acres since its \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/26/plaskett-fire\">eruption\u003c/a> on Wednesday morning. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Just 21% contained since its eruption on Aug. 8, the Timber Fire has \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire\">burned\u003c/a> 23,343 acres as of Friday afternoon and ranks as the third-biggest \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">fire\u003c/a> of the year. Highway 1 still remains under threat from that blaze, as well as the Plaskett Fire to the south, which has burned 2,774 acres since its \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/26/plaskett-fire\">eruption\u003c/a> on Wednesday morning. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While rain clouds gathered in the Monterey County area on Friday morning, Cal Fire incident meteorologist Aviva Braun said in a YouTube \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/18ATQwUhNqk?si=OBgpdd6ZCngLar2M\">briefing\u003c/a> that, after bringing little relief to either blaze, they will dissipate this afternoon, followed by drying conditions.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While rain clouds gathered in the Monterey County area on Friday morning, Cal Fire incident meteorologist Aviva Braun said in a YouTube \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/18ATQwUhNqk?si=OBgpdd6ZCngLar2M\">briefing\u003c/a> that, after bringing little relief to either blaze, they will dissipate this afternoon, followed by drying conditions.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That “constant drying factor” presents challenges, Braun said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That “constant drying factor” presents challenges, Braun 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/10/2026/08/timber-fire-827.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097343\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-827.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-827-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-827-1536x1023.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A helicopter drops water on the Timber Fire on Aug. 27, 2026, in California.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Citing these conditions as well as the threat of erratic wind gusts approaching 40 mph that could be triggered by isolated thunderstorms, meteorologists already issued a red flag \u003ca href=\"https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/calpf-timber-fire\">warning\u003c/a> along the central coast.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Citing these conditions as well as the threat of erratic wind gusts approaching 40 mph that could be triggered by isolated thunderstorms, meteorologists already issued a red flag \u003ca href=\"https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/calpf-timber-fire\">warning\u003c/a> along the central coast.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fourteen areas in the Timber Fire region face active evacuation orders, with another 17 under evacuation warnings — and five more under orders to shelter in place. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Fourteen areas in the Timber Fire region face active evacuation orders, with another 17 under evacuation warnings — and five more under orders to shelter in place. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Around Plaskett, two areas face evacuation orders and another three are under evacuation warnings.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Around Plaskett, two areas face evacuation orders and another three are under evacuation warnings.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The fire has already \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-5/d5-news/d5-news-8-27-2026-3\">closed\u003c/a> a 40-mile stretch of Highway 1, beginning around Gorda at mile marker 10.2 to just south of Old Coast Road at Mile Marker 50.1. Officials have no timeline on plans to reopen the iconic roadway.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“As surrounding brush dries out, fire activity is expected to pick up, with the potential for flying embers to spark new spot fires 0.1 to 0.2 miles ahead of the main fire front and cross over established containment lines,” Cal Fire wrote in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire\">statement\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The fire has already \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-5/d5-news/d5-news-8-27-2026-3\">closed\u003c/a> a 40-mile stretch of Highway 1, beginning around Gorda at mile marker 10.2 to just south of Old Coast Road at Mile Marker 50.1. Officials have no timeline on plans to reopen the iconic roadway.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“As surrounding brush dries out, fire activity is expected to pick up, with the potential for flying embers to spark new spot fires 0.1 to 0.2 miles ahead of the main fire front and cross over established containment lines,” Cal Fire wrote in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire\">statement\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A community meeting on the Timber Fire is scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday in Carmel Valley’s Cachagua Community Park.\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/10/2026/08/plaskett-fire-ocean-helicopter.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097338\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/plaskett-fire-ocean-helicopter.jpeg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/plaskett-fire-ocean-helicopter-160x90.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/plaskett-fire-ocean-helicopter-1536x866.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A helicopter flies over the ocean near the Plaskett Fire on Aug. 26, 2026, in California.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Daniel Swain with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources spoke about the Big Sur fires in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=m61bKp9NG0U&ra=m\">briefing\u003c/a> late Thursday afternoon, part of the climate scientist’s YouTube channel offering live weather commentary.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Daniel Swain with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources spoke about the Big Sur fires in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=m61bKp9NG0U&ra=m\">briefing\u003c/a> late Thursday afternoon, part of the climate scientist’s YouTube channel offering live weather commentary.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As the Timber Fire slowly moves in the direction of more populated areas, Swain said, the situation is “getting a little bit serious,” but it has not yet risen to the level of an emergency.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As the Timber Fire slowly moves in the direction of more populated areas, Swain said, the situation is “getting a little bit serious,” but it has not yet risen to the level of an emergency.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Coupled with the approach of autumnal El Niño conditions, “This pattern is looking awfully favorable for something significant to happen in the first or second week of September,” Swain said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is the classic part of the California coast that might see a lot of rainfall in a very strong El Niño year,” Swain said early in the broadcast, noting the possibility of a future flood and debris flow problem.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Current water temperatures off the coast of Southern California are up to 7 degrees Celsius above average, Swain said. “These are extremely humid conditions, not just anomalously humid, but way up into, essentially, about-as-humid-as-it’s-ever-gotten type of territory in some parts of Southern California,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Current water temperatures off the coast of Southern California are up to 7 degrees Celsius above average, Swain said. “These are extremely humid conditions, not just anomalously humid, but way up into, essentially, about-as-humid-as-it’s-ever-gotten type of territory in some parts of Southern California,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In addition to the humidity, Swain pointed to what he called “ridiculously warm, record-shattering overnight temperatures.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>With dew points in the mid- to upper-70s, “that is positively Miami-like” for Southern California, he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Cal Fire said that the cause of both the Timber and Plaskett fires remained under investigation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There are 1,228 personnel responding to the Timber Fire, with 14 helicopters and 87 engines and 661 structures in the area are \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/alerts\">threatened\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Storm clouds brought only light precipitation that experts say will dry out quickly in the blazing Big Sur area.",
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"title": "Crews Struggle to Contain Big Sur Fires With El Niño on the Horizon | KQED",
"description": "Storm clouds brought only light precipitation that experts say will dry out quickly in the blazing Big Sur area.",
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"headline": "Crews Struggle to Contain Big Sur Fires With El Niño on the Horizon",
"datePublished": "2026-08-28T15:15:00-07:00",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Light rainfall on Friday did little to dampen the threat of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12096883/timber-fire-now-third-largest-in-state-chp-announces-highway-1-closure\">Timber and Plaskett fires\u003c/a> in the Big Sur area, with experts warning that impending El Niño conditions could escalate matters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Just 21% contained since its eruption on Aug. 8, the Timber Fire has \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire\">burned\u003c/a> 23,343 acres as of Friday afternoon and ranks as the third-biggest \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026\">fire\u003c/a> of the year. Highway 1 still remains under threat from that blaze, as well as the Plaskett Fire to the south, which has burned 2,774 acres since its \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/26/plaskett-fire\">eruption\u003c/a> on Wednesday morning. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While rain clouds gathered in the Monterey County area on Friday morning, Cal Fire incident meteorologist Aviva Braun said in a YouTube \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/18ATQwUhNqk?si=OBgpdd6ZCngLar2M\">briefing\u003c/a> that, after bringing little relief to either blaze, they will dissipate this afternoon, followed by drying conditions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That “constant drying factor” presents challenges, Braun said. \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/10/2026/08/timber-fire-827.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097343\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-827.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-827-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-827-1536x1023.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A helicopter drops water on the Timber Fire on Aug. 27, 2026, in California. (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Citing these conditions as well as the threat of erratic wind gusts approaching 40 mph that could be triggered by isolated thunderstorms, meteorologists already issued a red flag \u003ca href=\"https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/calpf-timber-fire\">warning\u003c/a> along the central coast.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fourteen areas in the Timber Fire region face active evacuation orders, with another 17 under evacuation warnings — and five more under orders to shelter in place. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Around Plaskett, two areas face evacuation orders and another three are under evacuation warnings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fire has already \u003ca href=\"https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-5/d5-news/d5-news-8-27-2026-3\">closed\u003c/a> a 40-mile stretch of Highway 1, beginning around Gorda at mile marker 10.2 to just south of Old Coast Road at Mile Marker 50.1. Officials have no timeline on plans to reopen the iconic roadway.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“As surrounding brush dries out, fire activity is expected to pick up, with the potential for flying embers to spark new spot fires 0.1 to 0.2 miles ahead of the main fire front and cross over established containment lines,” Cal Fire wrote in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/8/timber-fire\">statement\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A community meeting on the Timber Fire is scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday in Carmel Valley’s Cachagua Community Park.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1083\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/plaskett-fire-ocean-helicopter.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12097338\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/plaskett-fire-ocean-helicopter.jpeg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/plaskett-fire-ocean-helicopter-160x90.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/plaskett-fire-ocean-helicopter-1536x866.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A helicopter flies over the ocean near the Plaskett Fire on Aug. 26, 2026, in California. (Courtesy of Cal Fire)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Daniel Swain with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources spoke about the Big Sur fires in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=m61bKp9NG0U&ra=m\">briefing\u003c/a> late Thursday afternoon, part of the climate scientist’s YouTube channel offering live weather commentary.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the Timber Fire slowly moves in the direction of more populated areas, Swain said, the situation is “getting a little bit serious,” but it has not yet risen to the level of an emergency.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coupled with the approach of autumnal El Niño conditions, “This pattern is looking awfully favorable for something significant to happen in the first or second week of September,” Swain said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is the classic part of the California coast that might see a lot of rainfall in a very strong El Niño year,” Swain said early in the broadcast, noting the possibility of a future flood and debris flow problem.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Current water temperatures off the coast of Southern California are up to 7 degrees Celsius above average, Swain said. “These are extremely humid conditions, not just anomalously humid, but way up into, essentially, about-as-humid-as-it’s-ever-gotten type of territory in some parts of Southern California,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In addition to the humidity, Swain pointed to what he called “ridiculously warm, record-shattering overnight temperatures.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With dew points in the mid- to upper-70s, “that is positively Miami-like” for Southern California, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cal Fire said that the cause of both the Timber and Plaskett fires remained under investigation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There are 1,228 personnel responding to the Timber Fire, with 14 helicopters and 87 engines and 661 structures in the area are \u003ca href=\"https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/alerts\">threatened\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "california-lawmakers-kill-grizzly-bear-reintroduction-bill",
"title": "California Lawmakers Kill Grizzly Bear Reintroduction Bill",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lawmakers on Thursday killed a \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/07/california-grizzly-bear-reintroduction-bill/\">controversial plan\u003c/a> that could have allowed grizzly bears to one day return to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Assembly Appropriations Committee spiked Inglewood Democratic Sen. Laura Richardson’s \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb1305\">Senate Bill 1305\u003c/a>. The measure would have tasked the California Department of Fish and Wildlife with creating a “roadmap that evaluates whether, and under what conditions, reintroduction of the grizzly bear is feasible and advisable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As is typical with the Legislature’s appropriations committees, lawmakers didn’t discuss the bill; nor did they take public testimony before the committee’s chairperson, Democratic Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/buffy-wicks-165044\" data-type=\"link\">Buffy Wicks\u003c/a> of Oakland, announced the decision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wicks later told reporters that before intentionally reintroducing grizzly bears, the state must figure out how humans can best coexist with predatory wildlife. She pointed to the controversial return of gray wolves to California and the subsequent loss of cattle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The state needs to really invest in how we are actually addressing and dealing with those conflicts,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076801\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12076801\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-MONARCH-THE-BEAR-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1339\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-MONARCH-THE-BEAR-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-MONARCH-THE-BEAR-04-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-MONARCH-THE-BEAR-04-KQED-1536x1028.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">It is often said that the bear on the modern California state flag is based on “Monarch,” one of the last grizzly bears to live in the state. But researchers now believe it was based on the drawing of another bear, Samson. \u003ccite>(Joseph Sohm/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Grizzlies once lived across most of California. As many as 10,000 may have roamed before the Gold Rush.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They were so prevalent that when California settlers tried to form their own nation, they called it the Bear Flag Republic. A grizzly bear is memorialized on California’s flag.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Settlers systematically exterminated the animals. They were gone by the 1920s, leaving the smaller black bear as California’s only surviving native bear species.[aside postID=news_12092538 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260604_YOLOBATS_GC-2-KQED.jpg']Two Native American tribes consponsored the bill, and several animal welfare and environmental groups supported it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They argued that bringing the second largest land predator back to America’s most populated state would right an ecological wrong and help restore California’s degraded ecosystem.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Opponents included ranchers, hunting associations and rural communities. They argued California is far too populated with people to sustain another apex predator.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rural communities are already overwhelmed with conflicts with mountain lions, black bears and wolves that attack livestock and wander into their towns, opponents said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The measure set aside no funding for the study, but it allowed for a future Legislature or an outside group to do so.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Yue Stella Yu contributed reporting. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/08/lawmakers-kill-grizzly-bill/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lawmakers on Thursday killed a \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/07/california-grizzly-bear-reintroduction-bill/\">controversial plan\u003c/a> that could have allowed grizzly bears to one day return to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Assembly Appropriations Committee spiked Inglewood Democratic Sen. Laura Richardson’s \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb1305\">Senate Bill 1305\u003c/a>. The measure would have tasked the California Department of Fish and Wildlife with creating a “roadmap that evaluates whether, and under what conditions, reintroduction of the grizzly bear is feasible and advisable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As is typical with the Legislature’s appropriations committees, lawmakers didn’t discuss the bill; nor did they take public testimony before the committee’s chairperson, Democratic Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/buffy-wicks-165044\" data-type=\"link\">Buffy Wicks\u003c/a> of Oakland, announced the decision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wicks later told reporters that before intentionally reintroducing grizzly bears, the state must figure out how humans can best coexist with predatory wildlife. She pointed to the controversial return of gray wolves to California and the subsequent loss of cattle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The state needs to really invest in how we are actually addressing and dealing with those conflicts,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076801\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12076801\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-MONARCH-THE-BEAR-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1339\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-MONARCH-THE-BEAR-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-MONARCH-THE-BEAR-04-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260317-MONARCH-THE-BEAR-04-KQED-1536x1028.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">It is often said that the bear on the modern California state flag is based on “Monarch,” one of the last grizzly bears to live in the state. But researchers now believe it was based on the drawing of another bear, Samson. \u003ccite>(Joseph Sohm/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Grizzlies once lived across most of California. As many as 10,000 may have roamed before the Gold Rush.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They were so prevalent that when California settlers tried to form their own nation, they called it the Bear Flag Republic. A grizzly bear is memorialized on California’s flag.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Settlers systematically exterminated the animals. They were gone by the 1920s, leaving the smaller black bear as California’s only surviving native bear species.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Two Native American tribes consponsored the bill, and several animal welfare and environmental groups supported it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They argued that bringing the second largest land predator back to America’s most populated state would right an ecological wrong and help restore California’s degraded ecosystem.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Opponents included ranchers, hunting associations and rural communities. They argued California is far too populated with people to sustain another apex predator.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rural communities are already overwhelmed with conflicts with mountain lions, black bears and wolves that attack livestock and wander into their towns, opponents said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The measure set aside no funding for the study, but it allowed for a future Legislature or an outside group to do so.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Yue Stella Yu contributed reporting. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/08/lawmakers-kill-grizzly-bill/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "pge-will-pay-22-million-for-mosquito-fire-biggest-blaze-of-2022",
"title": "PG&E Will Pay $22 Million for Mosquito Fire, Biggest Blaze of 2022",
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"content": "\u003cp>PG&E will pay $22 million to settle claims over the 2022 \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11925573/firefighters-report-steady-gains-against-mosquito-fire-now-states-largest-of-the-year\">Mosquito Fire\u003c/a> that burned over 75,000 acres and destroyed 78 structures in Placer County. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fire broke out at the peak of a record-breaking heat wave and was the largest fire of the year, burning for 47 days. Placer County Executive Officer Daniel Chatigny told KQED that, four years later, their community is “still recovering.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Using grants from the U.S. Forest Service and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Placer Resource Conservation District has been restoring the forest. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Liana Matson Vitousek, a spokesperson for the district, noted in a statement that so far this work has involved removing hazardous fuel from 875 acres \u003cem>a\u003c/em>nd planting 45,000 seedlings within the Mosquito Fire footprint. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1438\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774.jpg\" alt=\"Trees engulfed in flames\" class=\"wp-image-11964465\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774-800x599.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774-1020x764.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774-1536x1150.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Firefighters battle the Mosquito Fire near Foresthill, California on September 7, 2022. (Andrew Nixon/CapRadio)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Between the ongoing restoration work, remaining standing dead trees and an already active fire season, the Mosquito Fire remains a presence even four years after it burned,” Vitousek said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>PG&E said in a statement to KQED that “no official cause of the Mosquito Fire has been determined,” but that \u003ca href=\"https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M613/K284/613284257.pdf\">settling\u003c/a> the matter allows it to focus on making safety improvements throughout California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/divisions/safety-and-enforcement-division/acos-and-aeos/mosquito-fire-aco-07102026/attachment-b---mosquito-fire-incident-investigation-report---redacted.pdf\">investigation\u003c/a> by the California Public Utilities Commission found that PG&E failed to correct loose wire repairs, failed to clear vegetation around the base of the Oxbow Junction pole and disposed of the pole that allegedly started the fire after being instructed to preserve it — among other violations. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>PG&E initially contested many of the allegations but ultimately \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/divisions/safety-and-enforcement-division/acos-and-aeos/mosquito-fire-aco-07102026/draft-resoluton-sed-13--approving-aco-sed-and-pge-re-2022-mosquito-fire.pdf\">agreed\u003c/a> to some, including disposing of the pole and failing to correct a loose wire repair. The fine requires PG&E shareholders to put $21 million into the California general fund, which is used for \u003ca href=\"https://dof.ca.gov/media/docs/budget/california-budget-frequently-asked-questions/fundclassifications.pdf\">most\u003c/a> state expenditures. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An additional $1 million will go toward a third-party review of PG&E’s Centralized Inspection Review Team. Historically, fines by the commission have largely gone toward wildfire prevention and recovery efforts, with relatively little going into the general fund. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>PG&E \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/divisions/safety-and-enforcement-division/acos-and-aeos/mosquito-fire-aco-07102026/draft-resoluton-sed-13--approving-aco-sed-and-pge-re-2022-mosquito-fire.pdf\">paid\u003c/a> $45 million for the 2021 Dixie Fire, $150 million for the 2020 Zogg Fire and $125 million for the 2019 Kincade Fire, plus $1.937 billion for fires in 2017 and 2018. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We owe it to Californians to learn from these fires, strengthen safety, and do everything we can to prevent the next tragedy,” California Public Utilities Commission Commissioner Christine Harada said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/news-and-updates/all-news/cpuc-penalizes-pacific-gas-and-electric-22-million-dollars-for-2022-placer-county-fire\">statement\u003c/a> announcing approval of the settlement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Given that the fine is largely going toward the general fund, the resource conservation district’s Vitousek noted that it will not directly impact reforestation efforts. Vitousek said she hopes nevertheless that the agreement will lead to improved safety and maintenance.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Liana Matson Vitousek, a spokesperson for the district, noted in a statement that so far this work has involved removing hazardous fuel from 875 acres \u003cem>a\u003c/em>nd planting 45,000 seedlings within the Mosquito Fire footprint. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>PG&E said in a statement to KQED that “no official cause of the Mosquito Fire has been determined,” but that \u003ca href=\"https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M613/K284/613284257.pdf\">settling\u003c/a> the matter allows it to focus on making safety improvements throughout California.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>PG&E initially contested many of the allegations but ultimately \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/divisions/safety-and-enforcement-division/acos-and-aeos/mosquito-fire-aco-07102026/draft-resoluton-sed-13--approving-aco-sed-and-pge-re-2022-mosquito-fire.pdf\">agreed\u003c/a> to some, including disposing of the pole and failing to correct a loose wire repair. The fine requires PG&E shareholders to put $21 million into the California general fund, which is used for \u003ca href=\"https://dof.ca.gov/media/docs/budget/california-budget-frequently-asked-questions/fundclassifications.pdf\">most\u003c/a> state expenditures. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>An additional $1 million will go toward a third-party review of PG&E’s Centralized Inspection Review Team. Historically, fines by the commission have largely gone toward wildfire prevention and recovery efforts, with relatively little going into the general fund. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>An additional $1 million will go toward a third-party review of PG&E’s Centralized Inspection Review Team. Historically, fines by the commission have largely gone toward wildfire prevention and recovery efforts, with relatively little going into the general fund. \u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cp>PG&E \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/divisions/safety-and-enforcement-division/acos-and-aeos/mosquito-fire-aco-07102026/draft-resoluton-sed-13--approving-aco-sed-and-pge-re-2022-mosquito-fire.pdf\">paid\u003c/a> $45 million for the 2021 Dixie Fire, $150 million for the 2020 Zogg Fire and $125 million for the 2019 Kincade Fire, plus $1.937 billion for fires in 2017 and 2018. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We owe it to Californians to learn from these fires, strengthen safety, and do everything we can to prevent the next tragedy,” California Public Utilities Commission Commissioner Christine Harada said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/news-and-updates/all-news/cpuc-penalizes-pacific-gas-and-electric-22-million-dollars-for-2022-placer-county-fire\">statement\u003c/a> announcing approval of the settlement.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The deal contains no admission of responsibility by the utility for starting the fire, but PG&E does admit to having mistakenly disposed of evidence it was instructed to preserve. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>PG&E said in a statement to KQED that “no official cause of the Mosquito Fire has been determined,” but that \u003ca href=\"https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M613/K284/613284257.pdf\">settling\u003c/a> the matter allows it to focus on making safety improvements throughout California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/divisions/safety-and-enforcement-division/acos-and-aeos/mosquito-fire-aco-07102026/attachment-b---mosquito-fire-incident-investigation-report---redacted.pdf\">investigation\u003c/a> by the California Public Utilities Commission found that PG&E failed to correct loose wire repairs, failed to clear vegetation around the base of the Oxbow Junction pole and disposed of the pole that allegedly started the fire after being instructed to preserve it — among other violations. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>PG&E initially contested many of the allegations but ultimately \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/divisions/safety-and-enforcement-division/acos-and-aeos/mosquito-fire-aco-07102026/draft-resoluton-sed-13--approving-aco-sed-and-pge-re-2022-mosquito-fire.pdf\">agreed\u003c/a> to some, including disposing of the pole and failing to correct a loose wire repair. The fine requires PG&E shareholders to put $21 million into the California general fund, which is used for \u003ca href=\"https://dof.ca.gov/media/docs/budget/california-budget-frequently-asked-questions/fundclassifications.pdf\">most\u003c/a> state expenditures. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An additional $1 million will go toward a third-party review of PG&E’s Centralized Inspection Review Team. Historically, fines by the commission have largely gone toward wildfire prevention and recovery efforts, with relatively little going into the general fund. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>PG&E \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/divisions/safety-and-enforcement-division/acos-and-aeos/mosquito-fire-aco-07102026/draft-resoluton-sed-13--approving-aco-sed-and-pge-re-2022-mosquito-fire.pdf\">paid\u003c/a> $45 million for the 2021 Dixie Fire, $150 million for the 2020 Zogg Fire and $125 million for the 2019 Kincade Fire, plus $1.937 billion for fires in 2017 and 2018. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We owe it to Californians to learn from these fires, strengthen safety, and do everything we can to prevent the next tragedy,” California Public Utilities Commission Commissioner Christine Harada said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/news-and-updates/all-news/cpuc-penalizes-pacific-gas-and-electric-22-million-dollars-for-2022-placer-county-fire\">statement\u003c/a> announcing approval of the settlement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Given that the fine is largely going toward the general fund, the resource conservation district’s Vitousek noted that it will not directly impact reforestation efforts. Vitousek said she hopes nevertheless that the agreement will lead to improved safety and maintenance.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Even as crews battle the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094533/big-sur-wildfire-map-evacuation-timber-fire-august-2026\">Timber Fire\u003c/a> and other wildfires across California, the state overall is at around just a quarter-million acres burned — making 2026 so far within the lowest 10% of years for acres burned in recent decades. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In the scheme of things, this has been a relatively quiet year in California so far,” climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Daniel Swain said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/live/wxPHDkC1dIE\">livestream \u003c/a>briefing on Wednesday. “It is getting more active as we speak, and the peak of the season is probably still yet to come.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Swain said that the next few days are expected to bring much of the West isolated lightning storms, some fostering dry lightning, a term reserved for thunderstorms on this side of the Mississippi River that drop 0.10 inch or less of rainfall nearby. \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/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094843\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles with flames as the Timber Fire continues in Big Sur, California, Aug. 10, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory, a division of the U.S. Forest Service, notes that dry lightning is the \u003ca href=\"https://research.fs.usda.gov/firelab/projects/lightningstrikes\">most common ignition source\u003c/a> for natural wildland fire, meaning tracking dry lightning storms is of interest to land managers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Big Sur could see some additional fire starts, as well as the eastern Sierra, the Tahoe-Reno area and some areas of Southern California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Looking past this week, forecasts indicate possible widespread dry lightning along northwest California, and into Oregon and Washington, through next week. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Because there’s no indication of widespread rain up there between now and then, that could be a problem,” Swain said. “We might actually see an episode of fires break out in far northern California into the Pacific Northwest.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Swain said that there are already evacuation orders for the MP 18 Fire — referring to Mile Post 18 — north of Hoopa in Humboldt County. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During his briefing, Swain highlighted lightning signatures above Big Sur, where the Timber Fire is currently raging. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fire could cause enough damage to the watershed along steep slopes in the region that it would trigger mudslides cutting off access along the Pacific Coast Highway this winter. Forecasters expect a very wet, very strong \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089721/why-this-could-be-an-unpredictable-year-for-fires-in-california\">El Niño winter\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The odds that Highway 1 has big problems this winter were already high, and along this segment they might be even higher now,” Swain said.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“In the scheme of things, this has been a relatively quiet year in California so far,” climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Daniel Swain said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/live/wxPHDkC1dIE\">livestream \u003c/a>briefing on Wednesday. “It is getting more active as we speak, and the peak of the season is probably still yet to come.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Swain said that the next few days are expected to bring much of the West isolated lightning storms, some fostering dry lightning, a term reserved for thunderstorms on this side of the Mississippi River that drop 0.10 inch or less of rainfall nearby. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory, a division of the U.S. Forest Service, notes that dry lightning is the \u003ca href=\"https://research.fs.usda.gov/firelab/projects/lightningstrikes\">most common ignition source\u003c/a> for natural wildland fire, meaning tracking dry lightning storms is of interest to land managers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Looking past this week, forecasts indicate possible widespread dry lightning along northwest California, and into Oregon and Washington, through next week. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Because there’s no indication of widespread rain up there between now and then, that could be a problem,” Swain said. “We might actually see an episode of fires break out in far northern California into the Pacific Northwest.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Swain said that there are already evacuation orders for the MP 18 Fire — referring to Mile Post 18 — north of Hoopa in Humboldt County. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During his briefing, Swain highlighted lightning signatures above Big Sur, where the Timber Fire is currently raging. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The fire could cause enough damage to the watershed along steep slopes in the region that it would trigger mudslides cutting off access along the Pacific Coast Highway this winter. Forecasters expect a very wet, very strong \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089721/why-this-could-be-an-unpredictable-year-for-fires-in-california\">El Niño winter\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The odds that Highway 1 has big problems this winter were already high, and along this segment they might be even higher now,” Swain said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Even as crews battle the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094533/big-sur-wildfire-map-evacuation-timber-fire-august-2026\">Timber Fire\u003c/a> and other wildfires across California, the state overall is at around just a quarter-million acres burned — making 2026 so far within the lowest 10% of years for acres burned in recent decades. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In the scheme of things, this has been a relatively quiet year in California so far,” climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Daniel Swain said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/live/wxPHDkC1dIE\">livestream \u003c/a>briefing on Wednesday. “It is getting more active as we speak, and the peak of the season is probably still yet to come.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Swain said that the next few days are expected to bring much of the West isolated lightning storms, some fostering dry lightning, a term reserved for thunderstorms on this side of the Mississippi River that drop 0.10 inch or less of rainfall nearby. \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/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094843\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/TimberFireGetty6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A firefighter battles with flames as the Timber Fire continues in Big Sur, California, Aug. 10, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory, a division of the U.S. Forest Service, notes that dry lightning is the \u003ca href=\"https://research.fs.usda.gov/firelab/projects/lightningstrikes\">most common ignition source\u003c/a> for natural wildland fire, meaning tracking dry lightning storms is of interest to land managers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Big Sur could see some additional fire starts, as well as the eastern Sierra, the Tahoe-Reno area and some areas of Southern California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Looking past this week, forecasts indicate possible widespread dry lightning along northwest California, and into Oregon and Washington, through next week. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Because there’s no indication of widespread rain up there between now and then, that could be a problem,” Swain said. “We might actually see an episode of fires break out in far northern California into the Pacific Northwest.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Swain said that there are already evacuation orders for the MP 18 Fire — referring to Mile Post 18 — north of Hoopa in Humboldt County. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During his briefing, Swain highlighted lightning signatures above Big Sur, where the Timber Fire is currently raging. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fire could cause enough damage to the watershed along steep slopes in the region that it would trigger mudslides cutting off access along the Pacific Coast Highway this winter. Forecasters expect a very wet, very strong \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089721/why-this-could-be-an-unpredictable-year-for-fires-in-california\">El Niño winter\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The odds that Highway 1 has big problems this winter were already high, and along this segment they might be even higher now,” Swain said.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>San Francisco wants to reinvent its iconic bayside shoreline, lined with tourist spots like Fisherman’s Wharf, towering skyscrapers and industrial areas, thanks to the projected 3.5feet of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101912604/as-sea-levels-rise-what-will-it-take-to-protect-the-bay-area-from-flooding\">sea level rise\u003c/a> by the end of the century.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Port of San Francisco and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have finished a massive study that would cost more than $17 billion over three decades to implement and render the city’s existing shoreline virtually unrecognizable. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Imagine the Ferry Building raised by 7 feet, a taller and wider seawall to hold back the mud that downtown is built upon, and featuring \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997729/oysters-snails-and-a-wall-that-protects-against-climate-change-one-tile-at-a-time\">nature-based solutions\u003c/a>, like the addition of living sea walls.\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-38.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12018232\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-38.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-38-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-38-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-38-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-38-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-38-1920x1279.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Water flows onto the sidewalk during a high king tide at Pier 14 along the Embarcadero in San Francisco on Dec. 13, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If the project doesn’t become a reality, the port expects $23 billion in damages over the next century.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are talking about the part of San Francisco that is internationally, arguably, the most visible part of San Francisco,” said Mark Lubell, a professor of environmental science and policy at UC Davis. “If you created a map of all the tourist destinations that are in San Francisco, and overlaid it with potential flooding, there’s a lot of major tourist destinations that could be potentially flooded regularly in the future.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Published on July 31 in the Federal Register, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.swt.usace.army.mil/Library/Docs-and-Comms/\">San Francisco Waterfront Coastal Flood Study\u003c/a> addresses flood risks along the port’s entire 7.5-mile jurisdiction, touching the Marina District and running southeast all the way to Hunters Point. The study analyzes coastal flood risks from 2040 to well into the next century. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Efforts to fund the project, meanwhile, could be hampered by the Trump administration’s ongoing rollbacks of environmental protections.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s definitely going to slow things down,” Lubell said. “It’s forcing them to take more of a piecemeal approach to some of the projects. How much it’s going to slow it down is a question, but it’s not going to be, like, slowing down by months. It’s going to be slowing down for years.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The biggest undertaking calls for the reconstruction of the city’s 1800s-era sea wall that sits on “weak soil and young bay mud,” said Brad Benson, waterfront resilience program director for the port.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Rather than building a wall on the shoreline, we plan on gradually gaining elevation over time so that people can continue to have access to the waterfront,” Benson said. “That means raising nearby infrastructure – historic buildings that intersect the shoreline, like the Ferry Building. It’s a large undertaking.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Before it can take up the project and request funding from Congress, the Army Corps requires actual designs for at least 35% of the plan. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To hit that target and show goodwill, Benson said the plan focuses on three key areas: along Fisherman’s Wharf, the Embarcadero between Harrison and Townsend streets, and downtown between Broadway and Harrison streets. \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>The updates include rebuilding parts of the seawall, raising the shoreline, improving piers and creating shoreline habitat.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It is really a chance to reimagine the waterfront thoughtfully, and now we have sort of a plan to protect it,” said Michael Martin, executive director of the port. “Rising sea levels are really putting a time clock on all this, and we have to get started now to do something as impactful as this.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Once funded, the project will take decades to design and construct. Lubell said he thinks the price tag will only become costlier the longer it takes to get approved, paid for and built. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the plan is achievable, Lubell said, despite its ambitious scope. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s not a fantasy plan,” Lubell said. “It’s a real plan that I think is technically feasible. But the time and money involved and the amount of effort is very large.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco wants to reinvent its iconic bayside shoreline, lined with tourist spots like Fisherman’s Wharf, towering skyscrapers and industrial areas, thanks to the projected 3.5feet of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101912604/as-sea-levels-rise-what-will-it-take-to-protect-the-bay-area-from-flooding\">sea level rise\u003c/a> by the end of the century.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Port of San Francisco and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have finished a massive study that would cost more than $17 billion over three decades to implement and render the city’s existing shoreline virtually unrecognizable. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Imagine the Ferry Building raised by 7 feet, a taller and wider seawall to hold back the mud that downtown is built upon, and featuring \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997729/oysters-snails-and-a-wall-that-protects-against-climate-change-one-tile-at-a-time\">nature-based solutions\u003c/a>, like the addition of living sea walls.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If the project doesn’t become a reality, the port expects $23 billion in damages over the next century.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We are talking about the part of San Francisco that is internationally, arguably, the most visible part of San Francisco,” said Mark Lubell, a professor of environmental science and policy at UC Davis. “If you created a map of all the tourist destinations that are in San Francisco, and overlaid it with potential flooding, there’s a lot of major tourist destinations that could be potentially flooded regularly in the future.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Published on July 31 in the Federal Register, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.swt.usace.army.mil/Library/Docs-and-Comms/\">San Francisco Waterfront Coastal Flood Study\u003c/a> addresses flood risks along the port’s entire 7.5-mile jurisdiction, touching the Marina District and running southeast all the way to Hunters Point. The study analyzes coastal flood risks from 2040 to well into the next century. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Efforts to fund the project, meanwhile, could be hampered by the Trump administration’s ongoing rollbacks of environmental protections.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s definitely going to slow things down,” Lubell said. “It’s forcing them to take more of a piecemeal approach to some of the projects. How much it’s going to slow it down is a question, but it’s not going to be, like, slowing down by months. It’s going to be slowing down for years.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The biggest undertaking calls for the reconstruction of the city’s 1800s-era sea wall that sits on “weak soil and young bay mud,” said Brad Benson, waterfront resilience program director for the port.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Rather than building a wall on the shoreline, we plan on gradually gaining elevation over time so that people can continue to have access to the waterfront,” Benson said. “That means raising nearby infrastructure – historic buildings that intersect the shoreline, like the Ferry Building. It’s a large undertaking.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Before it can take up the project and request funding from Congress, the Army Corps requires actual designs for at least 35% of the plan. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To hit that target and show goodwill, Benson said the plan focuses on three key areas: along Fisherman’s Wharf, the Embarcadero between Harrison and Townsend streets, and downtown between Broadway and Harrison streets. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>To hit that target and show goodwill, Benson said the plan focuses on three key areas: along Fisherman’s Wharf, the Embarcadero between Harrison and Townsend streets, and downtown between Broadway and Harrison streets. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It is really a chance to reimagine the waterfront thoughtfully, and now we have sort of a plan to protect it,” said Michael Martin, executive director of the port. “Rising sea levels are really putting a time clock on all this, and we have to get started now to do something as impactful as this.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Once funded, the project will take decades to design and construct. Lubell said he thinks the price tag will only become costlier the longer it takes to get approved, paid for and built. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Once funded, the project will take decades to design and construct. Lubell said he thinks the price tag will only become costlier the longer it takes to get approved, paid for and built. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the plan is achievable, Lubell said, despite its ambitious scope. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s not a fantasy plan,” Lubell said. “It’s a real plan that I think is technically feasible. But the time and money involved and the amount of effort is very large.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "San Francisco has a $17 billion plan to save its waterfront from rising seas. Now comes the hard part: funding it. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>San Francisco wants to reinvent its iconic bayside shoreline, lined with tourist spots like Fisherman’s Wharf, towering skyscrapers and industrial areas, thanks to the projected 3.5feet of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101912604/as-sea-levels-rise-what-will-it-take-to-protect-the-bay-area-from-flooding\">sea level rise\u003c/a> by the end of the century.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Port of San Francisco and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have finished a massive study that would cost more than $17 billion over three decades to implement and render the city’s existing shoreline virtually unrecognizable. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Imagine the Ferry Building raised by 7 feet, a taller and wider seawall to hold back the mud that downtown is built upon, and featuring \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997729/oysters-snails-and-a-wall-that-protects-against-climate-change-one-tile-at-a-time\">nature-based solutions\u003c/a>, like the addition of living sea walls.\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-38.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12018232\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-38.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-38-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-38-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-38-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-38-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/241213-PortFlood-38-1920x1279.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Water flows onto the sidewalk during a high king tide at Pier 14 along the Embarcadero in San Francisco on Dec. 13, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If the project doesn’t become a reality, the port expects $23 billion in damages over the next century.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are talking about the part of San Francisco that is internationally, arguably, the most visible part of San Francisco,” said Mark Lubell, a professor of environmental science and policy at UC Davis. “If you created a map of all the tourist destinations that are in San Francisco, and overlaid it with potential flooding, there’s a lot of major tourist destinations that could be potentially flooded regularly in the future.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Published on July 31 in the Federal Register, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.swt.usace.army.mil/Library/Docs-and-Comms/\">San Francisco Waterfront Coastal Flood Study\u003c/a> addresses flood risks along the port’s entire 7.5-mile jurisdiction, touching the Marina District and running southeast all the way to Hunters Point. The study analyzes coastal flood risks from 2040 to well into the next century. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Efforts to fund the project, meanwhile, could be hampered by the Trump administration’s ongoing rollbacks of environmental protections.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s definitely going to slow things down,” Lubell said. “It’s forcing them to take more of a piecemeal approach to some of the projects. How much it’s going to slow it down is a question, but it’s not going to be, like, slowing down by months. It’s going to be slowing down for years.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The biggest undertaking calls for the reconstruction of the city’s 1800s-era sea wall that sits on “weak soil and young bay mud,” said Brad Benson, waterfront resilience program director for the port.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Rather than building a wall on the shoreline, we plan on gradually gaining elevation over time so that people can continue to have access to the waterfront,” Benson said. “That means raising nearby infrastructure – historic buildings that intersect the shoreline, like the Ferry Building. It’s a large undertaking.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Before it can take up the project and request funding from Congress, the Army Corps requires actual designs for at least 35% of the plan. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To hit that target and show goodwill, Benson said the plan focuses on three key areas: along Fisherman’s Wharf, the Embarcadero between Harrison and Townsend streets, and downtown between Broadway and Harrison streets. \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>The updates include rebuilding parts of the seawall, raising the shoreline, improving piers and creating shoreline habitat.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It is really a chance to reimagine the waterfront thoughtfully, and now we have sort of a plan to protect it,” said Michael Martin, executive director of the port. “Rising sea levels are really putting a time clock on all this, and we have to get started now to do something as impactful as this.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Once funded, the project will take decades to design and construct. Lubell said he thinks the price tag will only become costlier the longer it takes to get approved, paid for and built. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the plan is achievable, Lubell said, despite its ambitious scope. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s not a fantasy plan,” Lubell said. “It’s a real plan that I think is technically feasible. But the time and money involved and the amount of effort is very large.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "timber-fire-in-big-sur-forces-evacuations-threatens-beloved-tourist-sites",
"title": "Timber Fire in Big Sur Forces Evacuations, Threatens Beloved Tourist Sites",
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"headTitle": "Timber Fire in Big Sur Forces Evacuations, Threatens Beloved Tourist Sites | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Locals and officials are urging tourists to avoid Big Sur as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">the Timber Fire\u003c/a> continues to spread along California’s Central Coast on Tuesday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Evacuation orders expanded, and state park closures in Monterey County remained after the wildfire grew to nearly 2,500 acres by midday, according to fire officials. It is 5% contained. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The blaze southeast of the Loma Vista area moved at a slow pace through grass, brush and oak woodland in the Los Padres National Forest on Monday night and remains active in both the northern and eastern directions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As of Tuesday morning, ground crews were attempting to access difficult terrain, focused on protecting homes near Highway 1 in the Ventana area, according to Cal Fire. The agency said so far, the fire has held to the east side of the road. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-4-scaled-e1786481390761.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094806\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A view of flames and smoke as the Timber Fire continues in Big Sur, California, on Aug. 10, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Residents said heavy fog in the area helped keep the fire close to the ground and reduced wind, but the condition also has downsides — including making it challenging for helicopters to access water below the fog line, and preventing planes from doing drops over the flames.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Cal Fire, warmer and drier conditions are expected to move in over the eastern portions of the fire. On Wednesday afternoon and evening, there is a 15% chance of showers and thunderstorms.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since the Timber Fire broke out Sunday, it has forced evacuations along the northern coast. Zones near Partington Ridge Road and North Coast Ridge Road — MRY-F026 and MRY-F027— were evacuated Sunday night, while those directly adjacent, MRY-F025 and MRY-F028-A, were evacuated throughout the day on Monday. People living in MRY-F023 were ordered to leave their homes on Tuesday. In total, Cal Fire said just under 260 structures are threatened. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Additional surrounding areas — MRY-F022, MRY-F024, MRY-F028-B and MRY-F029 — are under evacuation warnings. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The area under immediate evacuation orders includes some of Big Sur’s top tourist destinations, including luxury resort the Ventana Inn, beloved restaurant Nepenthe and the Henry Miller Memorial Library.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You could see the smoke from the patio at Nepenthe pretty clearly, and later that night, some flames,” said Meredith Gafill, whose husband and son run the restaurant, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said in the 30 years she’s lived in Big Sur, her home and restaurant have been close to many fires. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve gone to bed and looked off my back deck and thought, ‘How do you go to sleep when there’s a fire behind your house? When you can see the flames?’ so many times now,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gafill and her family live on the restaurant property, which includes about 30 units that house employees on the remote cliffside. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the past, Gafill and her husband have stayed onsite during fires, she said, but this week, she’s been staying at a home they recently purchased in Monterey. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s really nice to have somewhere we could be during this time and [where] my daughter-in-law was able to bring her pet,” Gafill said. “Oftentimes during these moments, you get the evacuation notice, and you don’t have anywhere to go.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kate Novoa, who lives in the southern part of Big Sur, said she is far from the evacuation area, but can see Partington Ridge, shrouded in smoke, from her home. With binoculars, she has been able to see flames at times. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Novoa, who has chronicled the area’s fires \u003ca href=\"https://bigsurkate.blog/\">online\u003c/a> for years, said the Timber Fire’s movement reminded her and neighbors of the 2008 Basin Complex Fire, which burned more than 162,000 acres of the Los Padres National Forest almost 20 years ago. \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/10/2026/08/timber-fire-getty-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094837\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-getty-4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-getty-4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-getty-4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A bulldozer helps battle the Timber Fire in Big Sur, California, on Aug. 10, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Once it gets into the wilderness, which was what happened with this one on Sunday afternoon, … at that point, most of us that live here and have been through this many times realized this is going to be a long, extended fight on this fire because it’s so rugged,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Monday, Monterey County closed all of the Big Sur State Parks, including Andrew Molera, Julia Pfeiffer Burns, Pfeiffer Big Sur and Point Sur. While \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094533/big-sur-wildfire-map-evacuation-timber-fire-august-2026\">Highway 1 remains accessible\u003c/a>, the sheriff’s office has asked the public to keep roadways clear for first responders. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Unnecessary traffic and sightseeing in the fire zone create hazards for emergency crews and slow down critical operations,” the sheriff’s office wrote on social media.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fire comes during a busy tourist season for the famed stretch of Highway 1, as many people travel from Southern California to Monterey’s annual car week, which began Friday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Caltrans spokesperson Kevin Drabinski said the agency is asking people making the drive to use alternate routes through the fire area. He said that because the fire is just above the highway, responders are transporting large amounts of equipment and personnel along the road. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We want to leave as much space on the highway for emergency responders and that effort,” he told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fire could also impact one of Car Week’s biggest events, the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance, which traditionally traces the coast from Pebble Beach to Big Sur. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Organizers announced Tuesday that they’ve developed a contingency plan for the Thursday event, planning an alternate route “that will protect spectators and participants and give first responders space to conduct their essential work.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our thoughts are with the Big Sur community during this challenging time,” the event update from Pebble Beach Concours read. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fire officials said an evacuation center was set up at Carmel Middle School, where people can access incident information and resources. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nearly 500 fire personnel are currently fighting the blaze, including 36 engines, multiple dozers and helicopters. Cal Fire said numerous air tankers from throughout the state are also flying fire suppression missions as weather conditions allow.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gafill said that Tuesday morning, she counted 30 fire engines headed south from Carmel. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp> “The good humans have arrived more and more every day, so it’s going to be okay,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Everything about Big Sur is abundant,” she said. “The plants, the rain. That’s why it’s so beautiful. That’s why people love it so much. It also comes with a huge price tag — when we have a fire, it’s huge. When we have disaster, it’s abundant.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/carlysevern\">\u003cem>Carly Severn\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Locals and officials are urging tourists to avoid Big Sur as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">the Timber Fire\u003c/a> continues to spread along California’s Central Coast on Tuesday. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Evacuation orders expanded, and state park closures in Monterey County remained after the wildfire grew to nearly 2,500 acres by midday, according to fire officials. It is 5% contained. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Evacuation orders expanded, and state park closures in Monterey County remained after the wildfire grew to nearly 2,500 acres by midday, according to fire officials. It is 5% contained. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The blaze southeast of the Loma Vista area moved at a slow pace through grass, brush and oak woodland in the Los Padres National Forest on Monday night and remains active in both the northern and eastern directions. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The blaze southeast of the Loma Vista area moved at a slow pace through grass, brush and oak woodland in the Los Padres National Forest on Monday night and remains active in both the northern and eastern directions. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As of Tuesday morning, ground crews were attempting to access difficult terrain, focused on protecting homes near Highway 1 in the Ventana area, according to Cal Fire. The agency said so far, the fire has held to the east side of the road. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As of Tuesday morning, ground crews were attempting to access difficult terrain, focused on protecting homes near Highway 1 in the Ventana area, according to Cal Fire. The agency said so far, the fire has held to the east side of the road. \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/10/2026/08/timber-fire-4-scaled-e1786481390761.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094806\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A view of flames and smoke as the Timber Fire continues in Big Sur, California, on Aug. 10, 2026.\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/10/2026/08/timber-fire-4-scaled-e1786481390761.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094806\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A view of flames and smoke as the Timber Fire continues in Big Sur, California, on Aug. 10, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Residents said heavy fog in the area helped keep the fire close to the ground and reduced wind, but the condition also has downsides — including making it challenging for helicopters to access water below the fog line, and preventing planes from doing drops over the flames.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Residents said heavy fog in the area helped keep the fire close to the ground and reduced wind, but the condition also has downsides — including making it challenging for helicopters to access water below the fog line, and preventing planes from doing drops over the flames.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to Cal Fire, warmer and drier conditions are expected to move in over the eastern portions of the fire. On Wednesday afternoon and evening, there is a 15% chance of showers and thunderstorms.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>According to Cal Fire, warmer and drier conditions are expected to move in over the eastern portions of the fire. On Wednesday afternoon and evening, there is a 15% chance of showers and thunderstorms.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Since the Timber Fire broke out Sunday, it has forced evacuations along the northern coast. Zones near Partington Ridge Road and North Coast Ridge Road — MRY-F026 and MRY-F027— were evacuated Sunday night, while those directly adjacent, MRY-F025 and MRY-F028-A, were evacuated throughout the day on Monday. People living in MRY-F023 were ordered to leave their homes on Tuesday. In total, Cal Fire said just under 260 structures are threatened. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Since the Timber Fire broke out Sunday, it has forced evacuations along the northern coast. Zones near Partington Ridge Road and North Coast Ridge Road — MRY-F026 and MRY-F027— were evacuated Sunday night, while those directly adjacent, MRY-F025 and MRY-F028-A, were evacuated throughout the day on Monday. People living in MRY-F023 were ordered to leave their homes on Tuesday. In total, Cal Fire said just under 260 structures are threatened. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Additional surrounding areas — MRY-F022, MRY-F024, MRY-F028-B and MRY-F029 — are under evacuation warnings. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Additional surrounding areas — MRY-F022, MRY-F024, MRY-F028-B and MRY-F029 — are under evacuation warnings. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The area under immediate evacuation orders includes some of Big Sur’s top tourist destinations, including luxury resort the Ventana Inn, beloved restaurant Nepenthe and the Henry Miller Memorial Library.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You could see the smoke from the patio at Nepenthe pretty clearly, and later that night, some flames,” said Meredith Gafill, whose husband and son run the restaurant, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“You could see the smoke from the patio at Nepenthe pretty clearly, and later that night, some flames,” said Meredith Gafill, whose husband and son run the restaurant, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She said in the 30 years she’s lived in Big Sur, her home and restaurant have been close to many fires. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She said in the 30 years she’s lived in Big Sur, her home and restaurant have been close to many fires. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’ve gone to bed and looked off my back deck and thought, ‘How do you go to sleep when there’s a fire behind your house? When you can see the flames?’ so many times now,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I’ve gone to bed and looked off my back deck and thought, ‘How do you go to sleep when there’s a fire behind your house? When you can see the flames?’ so many times now,” she said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gafill and her family live on the restaurant property, which includes about 30 units that house employees on the remote cliffside. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Gafill and her family live on the restaurant property, which includes about 30 units that house employees on the remote cliffside. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the past, Gafill and her husband have stayed onsite during fires, she said, but this week, she’s been staying at a home they recently purchased in Monterey. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the past, Gafill and her husband have stayed onsite during fires, she said, but this week, she’s been staying at a home they recently purchased in Monterey. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s really nice to have somewhere we could be during this time and [where] my daughter-in-law was able to bring her pet,” Gafill said. “Oftentimes during these moments, you get the evacuation notice, and you don’t have anywhere to go.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s really nice to have somewhere we could be during this time and [where] my daughter-in-law was able to bring her pet,” Gafill said. “Oftentimes during these moments, you get the evacuation notice, and you don’t have anywhere to go.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kate Novoa, who lives in the southern part of Big Sur, said she is far from the evacuation area, but can see Partington Ridge, shrouded in smoke, from her home. With binoculars, she has been able to see flames at times. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Kate Novoa, who lives in the southern part of Big Sur, said she is far from the evacuation area, but can see Partington Ridge, shrouded in smoke, from her home. With binoculars, she has been able to see flames at times. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Novoa, who has chronicled the area’s fires \u003ca href=\"https://bigsurkate.blog/\">online\u003c/a> for years, said the Timber Fire’s movement reminded her and neighbors of the 2008 Basin Complex Fire, which burned more than 162,000 acres of the Los Padres National Forest almost 20 years ago. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Novoa, who has chronicled the area’s fires \u003ca href=\"https://bigsurkate.blog/\">online\u003c/a> for years, said the Timber Fire’s movement reminded her and neighbors of the 2008 Basin Complex Fire, which burned more than 162,000 acres of the Los Padres National Forest almost 20 years ago. \u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-getty-4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-getty-4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-getty-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/10/2026/08/timber-fire-getty-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094837\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-getty-4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-getty-4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-getty-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\">A bulldozer helps battle the Timber Fire in Big Sur, California, on Aug. 10, 2026.\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/10/2026/08/timber-fire-getty-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094837\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A bulldozer helps battle the Timber Fire in Big Sur, California, on Aug. 10, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Once it gets into the wilderness, which was what happened with this one on Sunday afternoon, … at that point, most of us that live here and have been through this many times realized this is going to be a long, extended fight on this fire because it’s so rugged,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Once it gets into the wilderness, which was what happened with this one on Sunday afternoon, … at that point, most of us that live here and have been through this many times realized this is going to be a long, extended fight on this fire because it’s so rugged,” she said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Monday, Monterey County closed all of the Big Sur State Parks, including Andrew Molera, Julia Pfeiffer Burns, Pfeiffer Big Sur and Point Sur. While \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094533/big-sur-wildfire-map-evacuation-timber-fire-august-2026\">Highway 1 remains accessible\u003c/a>, the sheriff’s office has asked the public to keep roadways clear for first responders. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On Monday, Monterey County closed all of the Big Sur State Parks, including Andrew Molera, Julia Pfeiffer Burns, Pfeiffer Big Sur and Point Sur. While \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094533/big-sur-wildfire-map-evacuation-timber-fire-august-2026\">Highway 1 remains accessible\u003c/a>, the sheriff’s office has asked the public to keep roadways clear for first responders. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Unnecessary traffic and sightseeing in the fire zone create hazards for emergency crews and slow down critical operations,” the sheriff’s office wrote on social media.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Unnecessary traffic and sightseeing in the fire zone create hazards for emergency crews and slow down critical operations,” the sheriff’s office wrote on social media.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The fire comes during a busy tourist season for the famed stretch of Highway 1, as many people travel from Southern California to Monterey’s annual car week, which began Friday.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The fire comes during a busy tourist season for the famed stretch of Highway 1, as many people travel from Southern California to Monterey’s annual car week, which began Friday.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Caltrans spokesperson Kevin Drabinski said the agency is asking people making the drive to use alternate routes through the fire area. He said that because the fire is just above the highway, responders are transporting large amounts of equipment and personnel along the road. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Caltrans spokesperson Kevin Drabinski said the agency is asking people making the drive to use alternate routes through the fire area. He said that because the fire is just above the highway, responders are transporting large amounts of equipment and personnel along the road. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We want to leave as much space on the highway for emergency responders and that effort,” he told KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We want to leave as much space on the highway for emergency responders and that effort,” he told KQED.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The fire could also impact one of Car Week’s biggest events, the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance, which traditionally traces the coast from Pebble Beach to Big Sur. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The fire could also impact one of Car Week’s biggest events, the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance, which traditionally traces the coast from Pebble Beach to Big Sur. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Organizers announced Tuesday that they’ve developed a contingency plan for the Thursday event, planning an alternate route “that will protect spectators and participants and give first responders space to conduct their essential work.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Organizers announced Tuesday that they’ve developed a contingency plan for the Thursday event, planning an alternate route “that will protect spectators and participants and give first responders space to conduct their essential work.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Our thoughts are with the Big Sur community during this challenging time,” the event update from Pebble Beach Concours read. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Our thoughts are with the Big Sur community during this challenging time,” the event update from Pebble Beach Concours read. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fire officials said an evacuation center was set up at Carmel Middle School, where people can access incident information and resources. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Fire officials said an evacuation center was set up at Carmel Middle School, where people can access incident information and resources. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Nearly 500 fire personnel are currently fighting the blaze, including 36 engines, multiple dozers and helicopters. Cal Fire said numerous air tankers from throughout the state are also flying fire suppression missions as weather conditions allow.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Nearly 500 fire personnel are currently fighting the blaze, including 36 engines, multiple dozers and helicopters. Cal Fire said numerous air tankers from throughout the state are also flying fire suppression missions as weather conditions allow.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gafill said that Tuesday morning, she counted 30 fire engines headed south from Carmel. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Gafill said that Tuesday morning, she counted 30 fire engines headed south from Carmel. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp> “The good humans have arrived more and more every day, so it’s going to be okay,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp> “The good humans have arrived more and more every day, so it’s going to be okay,” she said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Everything about Big Sur is abundant,” she said. “The plants, the rain. That’s why it’s so beautiful. That’s why people love it so much. It also comes with a huge price tag — when we have a fire, it’s huge. When we have disaster, it’s abundant.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Everything about Big Sur is abundant,” she said. “The plants, the rain. That’s why it’s so beautiful. That’s why people love it so much. It also comes with a huge price tag — when we have a fire, it’s huge. When we have disaster, it’s abundant.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/carlysevern\">\u003cem>Carly Severn\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Living in the famed area “comes with a huge price tag. When we have disaster, it's abundant,” said Meredith Gafill, whose family runs Nepenthe restaurant.",
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"title": "Timber Fire in Big Sur Forces Evacuations, Threatens Beloved Tourist Sites | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Locals and officials are urging tourists to avoid Big Sur as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">the Timber Fire\u003c/a> continues to spread along California’s Central Coast on Tuesday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Evacuation orders expanded, and state park closures in Monterey County remained after the wildfire grew to nearly 2,500 acres by midday, according to fire officials. It is 5% contained. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The blaze southeast of the Loma Vista area moved at a slow pace through grass, brush and oak woodland in the Los Padres National Forest on Monday night and remains active in both the northern and eastern directions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As of Tuesday morning, ground crews were attempting to access difficult terrain, focused on protecting homes near Highway 1 in the Ventana area, according to Cal Fire. The agency said so far, the fire has held to the east side of the road. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-4-scaled-e1786481390761.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094806\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A view of flames and smoke as the Timber Fire continues in Big Sur, California, on Aug. 10, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Residents said heavy fog in the area helped keep the fire close to the ground and reduced wind, but the condition also has downsides — including making it challenging for helicopters to access water below the fog line, and preventing planes from doing drops over the flames.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Cal Fire, warmer and drier conditions are expected to move in over the eastern portions of the fire. On Wednesday afternoon and evening, there is a 15% chance of showers and thunderstorms.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since the Timber Fire broke out Sunday, it has forced evacuations along the northern coast. Zones near Partington Ridge Road and North Coast Ridge Road — MRY-F026 and MRY-F027— were evacuated Sunday night, while those directly adjacent, MRY-F025 and MRY-F028-A, were evacuated throughout the day on Monday. People living in MRY-F023 were ordered to leave their homes on Tuesday. In total, Cal Fire said just under 260 structures are threatened. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Additional surrounding areas — MRY-F022, MRY-F024, MRY-F028-B and MRY-F029 — are under evacuation warnings. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The area under immediate evacuation orders includes some of Big Sur’s top tourist destinations, including luxury resort the Ventana Inn, beloved restaurant Nepenthe and the Henry Miller Memorial Library.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You could see the smoke from the patio at Nepenthe pretty clearly, and later that night, some flames,” said Meredith Gafill, whose husband and son run the restaurant, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said in the 30 years she’s lived in Big Sur, her home and restaurant have been close to many fires. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve gone to bed and looked off my back deck and thought, ‘How do you go to sleep when there’s a fire behind your house? When you can see the flames?’ so many times now,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gafill and her family live on the restaurant property, which includes about 30 units that house employees on the remote cliffside. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the past, Gafill and her husband have stayed onsite during fires, she said, but this week, she’s been staying at a home they recently purchased in Monterey. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s really nice to have somewhere we could be during this time and [where] my daughter-in-law was able to bring her pet,” Gafill said. “Oftentimes during these moments, you get the evacuation notice, and you don’t have anywhere to go.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kate Novoa, who lives in the southern part of Big Sur, said she is far from the evacuation area, but can see Partington Ridge, shrouded in smoke, from her home. With binoculars, she has been able to see flames at times. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Novoa, who has chronicled the area’s fires \u003ca href=\"https://bigsurkate.blog/\">online\u003c/a> for years, said the Timber Fire’s movement reminded her and neighbors of the 2008 Basin Complex Fire, which burned more than 162,000 acres of the Los Padres National Forest almost 20 years ago. \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/10/2026/08/timber-fire-getty-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094837\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-getty-4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-getty-4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/timber-fire-getty-4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A bulldozer helps battle the Timber Fire in Big Sur, California, on Aug. 10, 2026. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Once it gets into the wilderness, which was what happened with this one on Sunday afternoon, … at that point, most of us that live here and have been through this many times realized this is going to be a long, extended fight on this fire because it’s so rugged,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Monday, Monterey County closed all of the Big Sur State Parks, including Andrew Molera, Julia Pfeiffer Burns, Pfeiffer Big Sur and Point Sur. While \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094533/big-sur-wildfire-map-evacuation-timber-fire-august-2026\">Highway 1 remains accessible\u003c/a>, the sheriff’s office has asked the public to keep roadways clear for first responders. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Unnecessary traffic and sightseeing in the fire zone create hazards for emergency crews and slow down critical operations,” the sheriff’s office wrote on social media.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fire comes during a busy tourist season for the famed stretch of Highway 1, as many people travel from Southern California to Monterey’s annual car week, which began Friday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Caltrans spokesperson Kevin Drabinski said the agency is asking people making the drive to use alternate routes through the fire area. He said that because the fire is just above the highway, responders are transporting large amounts of equipment and personnel along the road. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We want to leave as much space on the highway for emergency responders and that effort,” he told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fire could also impact one of Car Week’s biggest events, the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance, which traditionally traces the coast from Pebble Beach to Big Sur. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Organizers announced Tuesday that they’ve developed a contingency plan for the Thursday event, planning an alternate route “that will protect spectators and participants and give first responders space to conduct their essential work.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our thoughts are with the Big Sur community during this challenging time,” the event update from Pebble Beach Concours read. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fire officials said an evacuation center was set up at Carmel Middle School, where people can access incident information and resources. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nearly 500 fire personnel are currently fighting the blaze, including 36 engines, multiple dozers and helicopters. Cal Fire said numerous air tankers from throughout the state are also flying fire suppression missions as weather conditions allow.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gafill said that Tuesday morning, she counted 30 fire engines headed south from Carmel. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp> “The good humans have arrived more and more every day, so it’s going to be okay,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Everything about Big Sur is abundant,” she said. “The plants, the rain. That’s why it’s so beautiful. That’s why people love it so much. It also comes with a huge price tag — when we have a fire, it’s huge. When we have disaster, it’s abundant.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/carlysevern\">\u003cem>Carly Severn\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "big-sur-wildfire-map-evacuation-timber-fire-august-2026",
"title": "Visitors Urged to Stay Away From Big Sur as Timber Fire Grows",
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"headTitle": "Visitors Urged to Stay Away From Big Sur as Timber Fire Grows | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Would-be visitors to Big Sur are being urged not to travel to the region after a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/wildfires\">wildfire\u003c/a> forced \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/9/timber-fire\">mandatory evacuation orders \u003c/a>in the area on Sunday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Timber Fire, which \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">continues to grow in size\u003c/a> and is 5% \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11624317/wildfires-youve-got-questions-weve-got-answers\">contained\u003c/a>, is burning in what Monterey County officials describe as \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db3siHclrYy/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">“steep, rugged and difficult terrain” \u003c/a>in the Los Padres National Forest above Highway 1.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This coastal stretch is home to many of Big Sur’s most popular hotels, restaurants and campgrounds, as well as state parks. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Highway 1 through the area is closed as of Tuesday afternoon, according to \u003ca href=\"http://facebook.com/CHPMontereyArea/posts/pfbid02uw4JfN9qfALuPZPfNdvpXudf2biSbDYyKpzWd4eLDa8ZL3YFNDT31v6DtGK14KVEl?__cft__%5B0%5D=AZbu4bh0otqLTgT290--IY08IZBIbun6MTi4fWvnXvz-dM2w7D8XfNYQblr0Zr3M6yAMckFePzamu63zIFgOgNM3qE51GaEWkMCj18OplAKFIAeDCZ7X4jJAGzbdm9pWAkvuAPIV9vl8CVUw2ZyLpaxu8qCj2V_zxqLk5ZL7531pkGGO7ftz-3zSZlj27cuHekY&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R\">a Facebook post \u003c/a>by the California Highway Patrol. But visitors were being strongly advised to avoid Big Sur altogether over the past few days even when the route \u003cem>was \u003c/em>open to the public.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are respectfully asking the public to stay out of the area,” the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said in \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/MontereyCountySheriffsOffice/posts/deputies-captured-these-images-during-evacuation-operations-overnight-as-the-tim/1489024383260620/\">a Monday morning Facebook post\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/BigSur.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11986406\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/BigSur.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/BigSur-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/BigSur-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/BigSur-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/BigSur-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Caltrans employees and contractors in Big Sur on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, work to stabilize the southbound portion of U.S. Highway 1 that collapsed into the Pacific Ocean, which occurred on March 30, 2024, after days of heavy rainfall, hail and powerful winds. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Roadways must remain clear so first responders can work safely and effectively. Unnecessary traffic and sightseeing in the fire zone create hazards for emergency crews and slow down critical operations.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The evacuation order has forced the closure of several Big Sur businesses and attractions on and around Highway 1, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db3s0hID7Va/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Nepenthe\u003c/a>, and the evacuation of guests from hotels, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db3isGPmpDB/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn \u003c/a>and \u003ca href=\"https://www.montereyherald.com/2026/08/10/big-sur-fire-ventana-inn-nepenthe-restaurant-evacuated-as-fire-doubles-in-size/\">the Alila Ventana hotel and campground\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>All state parks in Big Sur — \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=582\">Andrew Molera\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=578\">Julia Pfeiffer Burns, \u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=570\">Pfeiffer Big Sur \u003c/a>and \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=565\">Point Sur\u003c/a> state parks — are currently \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=30009\">closed \u003c/a>due to the threat from the Timber Fire.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Announcing its temporary closure in \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db3V1TIFGzb/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D\">an Instagram post\u003c/a>, the Henry Miller Memorial Library wrote: “We implore you: Do not come to Big Sur.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is an incredibly serious situation,” the library said. “Fewer cars on the road allow CalFire and emergency services to do their job as effectively and safely as possible.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/9/timber-fire\">Stretches of the coast to the north and south\u003c/a> of the mandatory evacuation zone are also currently under \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11834901/fire-evacuation-what-actually-happens-and-how-can-you-plan\">an evacuation warning\u003c/a> — the step that comes before an evacuation order, which acts as a warning to residents that they may need to evacuate soon. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is Highway 1 open through Big Sur during the Timber Fire?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Right now, no. On Tuesday afternoon, \u003ca href=\"http://facebook.com/CHPMontereyArea/posts/pfbid02uw4JfN9qfALuPZPfNdvpXudf2biSbDYyKpzWd4eLDa8ZL3YFNDT31v6DtGK14KVEl?__cft__%5B0%5D=AZbu4bh0otqLTgT290--IY08IZBIbun6MTi4fWvnXvz-dM2w7D8XfNYQblr0Zr3M6yAMckFePzamu63zIFgOgNM3qE51GaEWkMCj18OplAKFIAeDCZ7X4jJAGzbdm9pWAkvuAPIV9vl8CVUw2ZyLpaxu8qCj2V_zxqLk5ZL7531pkGGO7ftz-3zSZlj27cuHekY&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R\">Monterey CHP announced on Facebook \u003c/a>that Highway 1 through the area is closed between Fernwood Resort and Campground all the way to Julia Pfeiffer Burns Vista Point.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The status of Highway 1 has been changeable and unpredictable for drivers in the last few days. On Monday, signs on Highway 1 informed motorists that the route was closed to all drivers except for residents and employees between Point Sur Lighthouse and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hwy 1 was open to the public on Tuesday morning but Caltrans spokesperson Kevin Drabinski told KQED that the agency was nonetheless asking travelers to avoid travel to Big Sur even if the route was technically open — not just because of the fire’s proximity to the highway but because of the “inordinate amount of equipment and staffing” that the Timber Fire response demands.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We want to leave as much space on the highway for emergency responders and that effort,” Drabinski said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This year’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.seemonterey.com/events/monterey-car-week/\">Monterey Car Week\u003c/a>, which organizers say draws over \u003ca href=\"https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/monterey-car-week--pebble-beach-concours-delegance-returns-august-716-2026-302839650.html\">100,000 visitors\u003c/a> every year, is currently ongoing north of Big Sur through Sunday — and travelers heading to Monterey from the south who were planning to use Hwy 1 “are encouraged to consider an alternate route using Highway 101 North,” said See Monterey, the region’s tourism body.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re looking at alternative routes around Big Sur right now, bear in mind that the one narrow road connecting Big Sur south of Lucia to Hwy 101 over the Santa Lucia mountains — \u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/maps/place/Nacimiento-Fergusson+Rd,+California/@35.9907059,-121.3662903,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x809296a8a7f9159b:0x70441b9f4863105b!8m2!3d35.9907059!4d-121.3637154!16s%2Fm%2F02rk30k!5m1!1e1?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDgwOS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D\">Nacimiento-Fergusson Road\u003c/a> — is notoriously steep and winding.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Advice for visitors to Big Sur right now\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you have existing plans to visit the Big Sur region, keep a close eye out for any email or voicemail notification from your hotel advising you of any cancellations — and your options. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re trying to get in contact with your accommodation yourself, bear in mind that the property may have been directly affected by the Timber Fire evacuations, and that cellphone service in the area is spotty.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>See Monterey is \u003ca href=\"https://www.seemonterey.com/plan-your-visit/travel-alert/\">advising visitors\u003c/a> who are already in the affected areas of Big Sur to “follow evacuation instructions, take essential belongings and medications, and bring their pets.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to See Monterey, several hotels throughout Monterey County are now also “offering evacuation rates for residents and visitors in need,” through \u003ca href=\"https://www.seemonterey.com/resources/community-connection/\">a spreadsheet of available lodgings\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Monterey County has established a temporary evacuation point at \u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/maps/place/Carmel+Middle+School/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x802598be38507ac1?sa=X&ved=1t:2428&ictx=111\">Carmel Middle School\u003c/a>, where evacuees can get information and help on next steps they should take.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Big Sur Timber Fire links and resources\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/9/timber-fire\">CalFire’s Timber Fire evacuation map and updates\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=30009\">Current California state park closures\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.seemonterey.com/resources/community-connection/\">See Monterey’s spreadsheet of hotel evacuation rates\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/?view=36.3458%2C-121.8507%2C12&layers=full_closures%2Clane_closures%2Cspeed\">Caltrans map of highway closures\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Would-be visitors to Big Sur are being urged not to travel to the region after a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/wildfires\">wildfire\u003c/a> forced \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/9/timber-fire\">mandatory evacuation orders \u003c/a>in the area on Sunday.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Timber Fire, which \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">continues to grow in size\u003c/a> and is 5% \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11624317/wildfires-youve-got-questions-weve-got-answers\">contained\u003c/a>, is burning in what Monterey County officials describe as \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db3siHclrYy/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">“steep, rugged and difficult terrain” \u003c/a>in the Los Padres National Forest above Highway 1.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Timber Fire, which \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">continues to grow in size\u003c/a> and is 5% \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11624317/wildfires-youve-got-questions-weve-got-answers\">contained\u003c/a>, is burning in what Monterey County officials describe as \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db3siHclrYy/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">“steep, rugged and difficult terrain” \u003c/a>in the Los Padres National Forest above Highway 1.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This coastal stretch is home to many of Big Sur’s most popular hotels, restaurants and campgrounds, as well as state parks. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This coastal stretch is home to many of Big Sur’s most popular hotels, restaurants and campgrounds, as well as state parks. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Highway 1 through the area is closed as of Tuesday afternoon, according to \u003ca href=\"http://facebook.com/CHPMontereyArea/posts/pfbid02uw4JfN9qfALuPZPfNdvpXudf2biSbDYyKpzWd4eLDa8ZL3YFNDT31v6DtGK14KVEl?__cft__[0]=AZbu4bh0otqLTgT290--IY08IZBIbun6MTi4fWvnXvz-dM2w7D8XfNYQblr0Zr3M6yAMckFePzamu63zIFgOgNM3qE51GaEWkMCj18OplAKFIAeDCZ7X4jJAGzbdm9pWAkvuAPIV9vl8CVUw2ZyLpaxu8qCj2V_zxqLk5ZL7531pkGGO7ftz-3zSZlj27cuHekY&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R\">a Facebook post \u003c/a>by the California Highway Patrol. But visitors were being strongly advised to avoid Big Sur altogether over the past few days even when the route \u003cem>was \u003c/em>open to the public.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Highway 1 through the area is closed as of Tuesday afternoon, according to \u003ca href=\"http://facebook.com/CHPMontereyArea/posts/pfbid02uw4JfN9qfALuPZPfNdvpXudf2biSbDYyKpzWd4eLDa8ZL3YFNDT31v6DtGK14KVEl?__cft__[0]=AZbu4bh0otqLTgT290--IY08IZBIbun6MTi4fWvnXvz-dM2w7D8XfNYQblr0Zr3M6yAMckFePzamu63zIFgOgNM3qE51GaEWkMCj18OplAKFIAeDCZ7X4jJAGzbdm9pWAkvuAPIV9vl8CVUw2ZyLpaxu8qCj2V_zxqLk5ZL7531pkGGO7ftz-3zSZlj27cuHekY&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R\">a Facebook post \u003c/a>by the California Highway Patrol. But visitors were being strongly advised to avoid Big Sur altogether over the past few days even when the route \u003cem>was \u003c/em>open to the public.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We are respectfully asking the public to stay out of the area,” the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said in \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/MontereyCountySheriffsOffice/posts/deputies-captured-these-images-during-evacuation-operations-overnight-as-the-tim/1489024383260620/\">a Monday morning Facebook post\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We are respectfully asking the public to stay out of the area,” the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said in \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/MontereyCountySheriffsOffice/posts/deputies-captured-these-images-during-evacuation-operations-overnight-as-the-tim/1489024383260620/\">a Monday morning Facebook post\u003c/a>.\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/10/2024/05/BigSur.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11986406\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/BigSur.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/BigSur-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/BigSur-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/BigSur-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/BigSur-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Caltrans employees and contractors in Big Sur on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, work to stabilize the southbound portion of U.S. Highway 1 that collapsed into the Pacific Ocean, which occurred on March 30, 2024, after days of heavy rainfall, hail and powerful winds.\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/10/2024/05/BigSur.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11986406\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Caltrans employees and contractors in Big Sur on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, work to stabilize the southbound portion of U.S. Highway 1 that collapsed into the Pacific Ocean, which occurred on March 30, 2024, after days of heavy rainfall, hail and powerful winds.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Roadways must remain clear so first responders can work safely and effectively. Unnecessary traffic and sightseeing in the fire zone create hazards for emergency crews and slow down critical operations.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Roadways must remain clear so first responders can work safely and effectively. Unnecessary traffic and sightseeing in the fire zone create hazards for emergency crews and slow down critical operations.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The evacuation order has forced the closure of several Big Sur businesses and attractions on and around Highway 1, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db3s0hID7Va/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Nepenthe\u003c/a>, and the evacuation of guests from hotels, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db3isGPmpDB/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn \u003c/a>and \u003ca href=\"https://www.montereyherald.com/2026/08/10/big-sur-fire-ventana-inn-nepenthe-restaurant-evacuated-as-fire-doubles-in-size/\">the Alila Ventana hotel and campground\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The evacuation order has forced the closure of several Big Sur businesses and attractions on and around Highway 1, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db3s0hID7Va/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Nepenthe\u003c/a>, and the evacuation of guests from hotels, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db3isGPmpDB/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn \u003c/a>and \u003ca href=\"https://www.montereyherald.com/2026/08/10/big-sur-fire-ventana-inn-nepenthe-restaurant-evacuated-as-fire-doubles-in-size/\">the Alila Ventana hotel and campground\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>All state parks in Big Sur — \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=582\">Andrew Molera\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=578\">Julia Pfeiffer Burns, \u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=570\">Pfeiffer Big Sur \u003c/a>and \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=565\">Point Sur\u003c/a> state parks — are currently \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=30009\">closed \u003c/a>due to the threat from the Timber Fire.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>All state parks in Big Sur — \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=582\">Andrew Molera\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=578\">Julia Pfeiffer Burns, \u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=570\">Pfeiffer Big Sur \u003c/a>and \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=565\">Point Sur\u003c/a> state parks — are currently \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=30009\">closed \u003c/a>due to the threat from the Timber Fire.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Announcing its temporary closure in \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db3V1TIFGzb/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D\">an Instagram post\u003c/a>, the Henry Miller Memorial Library wrote: “We implore you: Do not come to Big Sur.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Announcing its temporary closure in \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db3V1TIFGzb/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D\">an Instagram post\u003c/a>, the Henry Miller Memorial Library wrote: “We implore you: Do not come to Big Sur.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is an incredibly serious situation,” the library said. “Fewer cars on the road allow CalFire and emergency services to do their job as effectively and safely as possible.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“This is an incredibly serious situation,” the library said. “Fewer cars on the road allow CalFire and emergency services to do their job as effectively and safely as possible.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/9/timber-fire\">Stretches of the coast to the north and south\u003c/a> of the mandatory evacuation zone are also currently under \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11834901/fire-evacuation-what-actually-happens-and-how-can-you-plan\">an evacuation warning\u003c/a> — the step that comes before an evacuation order, which acts as a warning to residents that they may need to evacuate soon. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/9/timber-fire\">Stretches of the coast to the north and south\u003c/a> of the mandatory evacuation zone are also currently under \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11834901/fire-evacuation-what-actually-happens-and-how-can-you-plan\">an evacuation warning\u003c/a> — the step that comes before an evacuation order, which acts as a warning to residents that they may need to evacuate soon. \u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Is Highway 1 open through Big Sur during the Timber Fire?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is Highway 1 open through Big Sur during the Timber Fire?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is Highway 1 open through Big Sur during the Timber Fire?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Right now, no. On Tuesday afternoon, \u003ca href=\"http://facebook.com/CHPMontereyArea/posts/pfbid02uw4JfN9qfALuPZPfNdvpXudf2biSbDYyKpzWd4eLDa8ZL3YFNDT31v6DtGK14KVEl?__cft__[0]=AZbu4bh0otqLTgT290--IY08IZBIbun6MTi4fWvnXvz-dM2w7D8XfNYQblr0Zr3M6yAMckFePzamu63zIFgOgNM3qE51GaEWkMCj18OplAKFIAeDCZ7X4jJAGzbdm9pWAkvuAPIV9vl8CVUw2ZyLpaxu8qCj2V_zxqLk5ZL7531pkGGO7ftz-3zSZlj27cuHekY&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R\">Monterey CHP announced on Facebook \u003c/a>that Highway 1 through the area is closed between Fernwood Resort and Campground all the way to Julia Pfeiffer Burns Vista Point.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Right now, no. On Tuesday afternoon, \u003ca href=\"http://facebook.com/CHPMontereyArea/posts/pfbid02uw4JfN9qfALuPZPfNdvpXudf2biSbDYyKpzWd4eLDa8ZL3YFNDT31v6DtGK14KVEl?__cft__[0]=AZbu4bh0otqLTgT290--IY08IZBIbun6MTi4fWvnXvz-dM2w7D8XfNYQblr0Zr3M6yAMckFePzamu63zIFgOgNM3qE51GaEWkMCj18OplAKFIAeDCZ7X4jJAGzbdm9pWAkvuAPIV9vl8CVUw2ZyLpaxu8qCj2V_zxqLk5ZL7531pkGGO7ftz-3zSZlj27cuHekY&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R\">Monterey CHP announced on Facebook \u003c/a>that Highway 1 through the area is closed between Fernwood Resort and Campground all the way to Julia Pfeiffer Burns Vista Point.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The status of Highway 1 has been changeable and unpredictable for drivers in the last few days. On Monday, signs on Highway 1 informed motorists that the route was closed to all drivers except for residents and employees between Point Sur Lighthouse and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The status of Highway 1 has been changeable and unpredictable for drivers in the last few days. On Monday, signs on Highway 1 informed motorists that the route was closed to all drivers except for residents and employees between Point Sur Lighthouse and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hwy 1 was open to the public on Tuesday morning but Caltrans spokesperson Kevin Drabinski told KQED that the agency was nonetheless asking travelers to avoid travel to Big Sur even if the route was technically open — not just because of the fire’s proximity to the highway but because of the “inordinate amount of equipment and staffing” that the Timber Fire response demands.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Hwy 1 was open to the public on Tuesday morning but Caltrans spokesperson Kevin Drabinski told KQED that the agency was nonetheless asking travelers to avoid travel to Big Sur even if the route was technically open — not just because of the fire’s proximity to the highway but because of the “inordinate amount of equipment and staffing” that the Timber Fire response demands.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We want to leave as much space on the highway for emergency responders and that effort,” Drabinski said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We want to leave as much space on the highway for emergency responders and that effort,” Drabinski said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This year’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.seemonterey.com/events/monterey-car-week/\">Monterey Car Week\u003c/a>, which organizers say draws over \u003ca href=\"https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/monterey-car-week--pebble-beach-concours-delegance-returns-august-716-2026-302839650.html\">100,000 visitors\u003c/a> every year, is currently ongoing north of Big Sur through Sunday — and travelers heading to Monterey from the south who were planning to use Hwy 1 “are encouraged to consider an alternate route using Highway 101 North,” said See Monterey, the region’s tourism body.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This year’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.seemonterey.com/events/monterey-car-week/\">Monterey Car Week\u003c/a>, which organizers say draws over \u003ca href=\"https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/monterey-car-week--pebble-beach-concours-delegance-returns-august-716-2026-302839650.html\">100,000 visitors\u003c/a> every year, is currently ongoing north of Big Sur through Sunday — and travelers heading to Monterey from the south who were planning to use Hwy 1 “are encouraged to consider an alternate route using Highway 101 North,” said See Monterey, the region’s tourism body.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you’re looking at alternative routes around Big Sur right now, bear in mind that the one narrow road connecting Big Sur south of Lucia to Hwy 101 over the Santa Lucia mountains — \u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/maps/place/Nacimiento-Fergusson+Rd,+California/@35.9907059,-121.3662903,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x809296a8a7f9159b:0x70441b9f4863105b!8m2!3d35.9907059!4d-121.3637154!16s%2Fm%2F02rk30k!5m1!1e1?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDgwOS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D\">Nacimiento-Fergusson Road\u003c/a> — is notoriously steep and winding.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you’re looking at alternative routes around Big Sur right now, bear in mind that the one narrow road connecting Big Sur south of Lucia to Hwy 101 over the Santa Lucia mountains — \u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/maps/place/Nacimiento-Fergusson+Rd,+California/@35.9907059,-121.3662903,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x809296a8a7f9159b:0x70441b9f4863105b!8m2!3d35.9907059!4d-121.3637154!16s%2Fm%2F02rk30k!5m1!1e1?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDgwOS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D\">Nacimiento-Fergusson Road\u003c/a> — is notoriously steep and winding.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you have existing plans to visit the Big Sur region, keep a close eye out for any email or voicemail notification from your hotel advising you of any cancellations — and your options. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you have existing plans to visit the Big Sur region, keep a close eye out for any email or voicemail notification from your hotel advising you of any cancellations — and your options. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you’re trying to get in contact with your accommodation yourself, bear in mind that the property may have been directly affected by the Timber Fire evacuations, and that cellphone service in the area is spotty.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you’re trying to get in contact with your accommodation yourself, bear in mind that the property may have been directly affected by the Timber Fire evacuations, and that cellphone service in the area is spotty.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>See Monterey is \u003ca href=\"https://www.seemonterey.com/plan-your-visit/travel-alert/\">advising visitors\u003c/a> who are already in the affected areas of Big Sur to “follow evacuation instructions, take essential belongings and medications, and bring their pets.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>See Monterey is \u003ca href=\"https://www.seemonterey.com/plan-your-visit/travel-alert/\">advising visitors\u003c/a> who are already in the affected areas of Big Sur to “follow evacuation instructions, take essential belongings and medications, and bring their pets.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to See Monterey, several hotels throughout Monterey County are now also “offering evacuation rates for residents and visitors in need,” through \u003ca href=\"https://www.seemonterey.com/resources/community-connection/\">a spreadsheet of available lodgings\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>According to See Monterey, several hotels throughout Monterey County are now also “offering evacuation rates for residents and visitors in need,” through \u003ca href=\"https://www.seemonterey.com/resources/community-connection/\">a spreadsheet of available lodgings\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Monterey County has established a temporary evacuation point at \u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/maps/place/Carmel+Middle+School/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x802598be38507ac1?sa=X&ved=1t:2428&ictx=111\">Carmel Middle School\u003c/a>, where evacuees can get information and help on next steps they should take.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Monterey County has established a temporary evacuation point at \u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/maps/place/Carmel+Middle+School/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x802598be38507ac1?sa=X&ved=1t:2428&ictx=111\">Carmel Middle School\u003c/a>, where evacuees can get information and help on next steps they should take.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/9/timber-fire\">CalFire’s Timber Fire evacuation map and updates\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/9/timber-fire\">CalFire’s Timber Fire evacuation map and updates\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=30009\">Current California state park closures\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.seemonterey.com/resources/community-connection/\">See Monterey’s spreadsheet of hotel evacuation rates\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/?view=36.3458%2C-121.8507%2C12&layers=full_closures%2Clane_closures%2Cspeed\">Caltrans map of highway closures\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n",
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"excerpt": "As a wildfire in the mountains of Big Sur above Hwy 1 grows, tourists are being asked to reconsider travel to the region.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Would-be visitors to Big Sur are being urged not to travel to the region after a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/wildfires\">wildfire\u003c/a> forced \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/9/timber-fire\">mandatory evacuation orders \u003c/a>in the area on Sunday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Timber Fire, which \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094539/timber-fire-in-big-sur-doubles-overnight-forcing-evacuations-of-popular-tourist-spots\">continues to grow in size\u003c/a> and is 5% \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11624317/wildfires-youve-got-questions-weve-got-answers\">contained\u003c/a>, is burning in what Monterey County officials describe as \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db3siHclrYy/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">“steep, rugged and difficult terrain” \u003c/a>in the Los Padres National Forest above Highway 1.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This coastal stretch is home to many of Big Sur’s most popular hotels, restaurants and campgrounds, as well as state parks. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Highway 1 through the area is closed as of Tuesday afternoon, according to \u003ca href=\"http://facebook.com/CHPMontereyArea/posts/pfbid02uw4JfN9qfALuPZPfNdvpXudf2biSbDYyKpzWd4eLDa8ZL3YFNDT31v6DtGK14KVEl?__cft__%5B0%5D=AZbu4bh0otqLTgT290--IY08IZBIbun6MTi4fWvnXvz-dM2w7D8XfNYQblr0Zr3M6yAMckFePzamu63zIFgOgNM3qE51GaEWkMCj18OplAKFIAeDCZ7X4jJAGzbdm9pWAkvuAPIV9vl8CVUw2ZyLpaxu8qCj2V_zxqLk5ZL7531pkGGO7ftz-3zSZlj27cuHekY&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R\">a Facebook post \u003c/a>by the California Highway Patrol. But visitors were being strongly advised to avoid Big Sur altogether over the past few days even when the route \u003cem>was \u003c/em>open to the public.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are respectfully asking the public to stay out of the area,” the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said in \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/MontereyCountySheriffsOffice/posts/deputies-captured-these-images-during-evacuation-operations-overnight-as-the-tim/1489024383260620/\">a Monday morning Facebook post\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/BigSur.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11986406\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/BigSur.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/BigSur-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/BigSur-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/BigSur-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/BigSur-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Caltrans employees and contractors in Big Sur on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, work to stabilize the southbound portion of U.S. Highway 1 that collapsed into the Pacific Ocean, which occurred on March 30, 2024, after days of heavy rainfall, hail and powerful winds. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Roadways must remain clear so first responders can work safely and effectively. Unnecessary traffic and sightseeing in the fire zone create hazards for emergency crews and slow down critical operations.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The evacuation order has forced the closure of several Big Sur businesses and attractions on and around Highway 1, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db3s0hID7Va/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Nepenthe\u003c/a>, and the evacuation of guests from hotels, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db3isGPmpDB/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn \u003c/a>and \u003ca href=\"https://www.montereyherald.com/2026/08/10/big-sur-fire-ventana-inn-nepenthe-restaurant-evacuated-as-fire-doubles-in-size/\">the Alila Ventana hotel and campground\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>All state parks in Big Sur — \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=582\">Andrew Molera\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=578\">Julia Pfeiffer Burns, \u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=570\">Pfeiffer Big Sur \u003c/a>and \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=565\">Point Sur\u003c/a> state parks — are currently \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=30009\">closed \u003c/a>due to the threat from the Timber Fire.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Announcing its temporary closure in \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db3V1TIFGzb/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D\">an Instagram post\u003c/a>, the Henry Miller Memorial Library wrote: “We implore you: Do not come to Big Sur.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is an incredibly serious situation,” the library said. “Fewer cars on the road allow CalFire and emergency services to do their job as effectively and safely as possible.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/9/timber-fire\">Stretches of the coast to the north and south\u003c/a> of the mandatory evacuation zone are also currently under \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11834901/fire-evacuation-what-actually-happens-and-how-can-you-plan\">an evacuation warning\u003c/a> — the step that comes before an evacuation order, which acts as a warning to residents that they may need to evacuate soon. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is Highway 1 open through Big Sur during the Timber Fire?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Right now, no. On Tuesday afternoon, \u003ca href=\"http://facebook.com/CHPMontereyArea/posts/pfbid02uw4JfN9qfALuPZPfNdvpXudf2biSbDYyKpzWd4eLDa8ZL3YFNDT31v6DtGK14KVEl?__cft__%5B0%5D=AZbu4bh0otqLTgT290--IY08IZBIbun6MTi4fWvnXvz-dM2w7D8XfNYQblr0Zr3M6yAMckFePzamu63zIFgOgNM3qE51GaEWkMCj18OplAKFIAeDCZ7X4jJAGzbdm9pWAkvuAPIV9vl8CVUw2ZyLpaxu8qCj2V_zxqLk5ZL7531pkGGO7ftz-3zSZlj27cuHekY&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R\">Monterey CHP announced on Facebook \u003c/a>that Highway 1 through the area is closed between Fernwood Resort and Campground all the way to Julia Pfeiffer Burns Vista Point.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The status of Highway 1 has been changeable and unpredictable for drivers in the last few days. On Monday, signs on Highway 1 informed motorists that the route was closed to all drivers except for residents and employees between Point Sur Lighthouse and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hwy 1 was open to the public on Tuesday morning but Caltrans spokesperson Kevin Drabinski told KQED that the agency was nonetheless asking travelers to avoid travel to Big Sur even if the route was technically open — not just because of the fire’s proximity to the highway but because of the “inordinate amount of equipment and staffing” that the Timber Fire response demands.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We want to leave as much space on the highway for emergency responders and that effort,” Drabinski said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This year’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.seemonterey.com/events/monterey-car-week/\">Monterey Car Week\u003c/a>, which organizers say draws over \u003ca href=\"https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/monterey-car-week--pebble-beach-concours-delegance-returns-august-716-2026-302839650.html\">100,000 visitors\u003c/a> every year, is currently ongoing north of Big Sur through Sunday — and travelers heading to Monterey from the south who were planning to use Hwy 1 “are encouraged to consider an alternate route using Highway 101 North,” said See Monterey, the region’s tourism body.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re looking at alternative routes around Big Sur right now, bear in mind that the one narrow road connecting Big Sur south of Lucia to Hwy 101 over the Santa Lucia mountains — \u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/maps/place/Nacimiento-Fergusson+Rd,+California/@35.9907059,-121.3662903,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x809296a8a7f9159b:0x70441b9f4863105b!8m2!3d35.9907059!4d-121.3637154!16s%2Fm%2F02rk30k!5m1!1e1?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDgwOS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D\">Nacimiento-Fergusson Road\u003c/a> — is notoriously steep and winding.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Advice for visitors to Big Sur right now\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you have existing plans to visit the Big Sur region, keep a close eye out for any email or voicemail notification from your hotel advising you of any cancellations — and your options. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re trying to get in contact with your accommodation yourself, bear in mind that the property may have been directly affected by the Timber Fire evacuations, and that cellphone service in the area is spotty.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>See Monterey is \u003ca href=\"https://www.seemonterey.com/plan-your-visit/travel-alert/\">advising visitors\u003c/a> who are already in the affected areas of Big Sur to “follow evacuation instructions, take essential belongings and medications, and bring their pets.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to See Monterey, several hotels throughout Monterey County are now also “offering evacuation rates for residents and visitors in need,” through \u003ca href=\"https://www.seemonterey.com/resources/community-connection/\">a spreadsheet of available lodgings\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Monterey County has established a temporary evacuation point at \u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/maps/place/Carmel+Middle+School/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x802598be38507ac1?sa=X&ved=1t:2428&ictx=111\">Carmel Middle School\u003c/a>, where evacuees can get information and help on next steps they should take.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Big Sur Timber Fire links and resources\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/8/9/timber-fire\">CalFire’s Timber Fire evacuation map and updates\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=30009\">Current California state park closures\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.seemonterey.com/resources/community-connection/\">See Monterey’s spreadsheet of hotel evacuation rates\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/?view=36.3458%2C-121.8507%2C12&layers=full_closures%2Clane_closures%2Cspeed\">Caltrans map of highway closures\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "california-could-see-the-highest-sea-levels-on-record-this-year-thanks-to-el-nino",
"title": "California Could See the Highest Sea Levels on Record This Year, Thanks to El Niño",
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"headTitle": "California Could See the Highest Sea Levels on Record This Year, Thanks to El Niño | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>California could see the highest sea levels on record this year, thanks to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087122/el-nino-is-here-heres-what-it-could-mean-for-the-bay-area-this-winter\">a historic El Niño\u003c/a>, climate change and extreme tides. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s the latest forecast for what’s expected to be a historically strong season, one that could \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087823/el-nino-could-bring-disruptive-coastal-flooding-to-bay-area-this-winter\">cause major flooding\u003c/a> and widespread damage in the Bay Area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Folks who really think about coastal risks are very concerned that the single highest sea levels are quite possible this winter in California, and that is going to be a problem,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, during an \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0THLEMorMDI\">online\u003c/a> talk on Monday. “This is almost certainly going to happen.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The warning comes as the National Weather Service on Monday warned king tides may cause minor flooding along the Marin County coastline and along Bay Area shorelines this week through Thursday morning. \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/MarinCountyFloodingAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12068651\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/MarinCountyFloodingAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/MarinCountyFloodingAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/MarinCountyFloodingAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People paddle through a street flooded by the king tides on Jan. 3, 2026, near Corte Madera in Marin County, California. (Ethan Swope/AP Photo)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Forecasters said they’re anticipating coastal flooding during the “highest high tides,” \u003ca href=\"https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/noaatidepredictions.html?id=9414290&legacy=1\">expected\u003c/a> around 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. this week. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dial Hoang, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said that low-lying coastal areas near the San Francisco, San Pablo and Monterey bays, such as Manzanita in Marin and the Embarcadero in San Francisco, are most likely to be impacted by high tides. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In January, a combination of king tides, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087558/san-francisco-and-marin-face-flooding-amid-highest-summer-tide-on-record\">climate change and winter storms\u003c/a> wreaked \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101912604/as-sea-levels-rise-what-will-it-take-to-protect-the-bay-area-from-flooding\">havoc\u003c/a> in Marin County — flooding highways and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1999871/after-king-tides-swamp-marin-san-rafael-weighs-billion-dollar-defenses-against-the-bay\">damaging hundreds of properties\u003c/a>. This week’s \u003ca href=\"https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/noaatidepredictions.html?id=9414290&units=standard&bdate=20260101&edate=20260131&timezone=LST/LDT&clock=12hour&datum=MLLW&interval=hilo&action=monthlychart\">tides\u003c/a> are expected to be lower, reaching around 6.96 feet in San Francisco, compared to a high of 7.16 feet in January. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Though relatively minor compared to last winter’s storms, Hoang still advised residents with flood-prone properties to sandbag their homes and reminded all residents to avoid driving through flooded roads. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, where sea levels have risen a foot over the last century, El Niño seasons in 1982-83, 1997-98 and 2023-24 caused noticeable peaks, according to data Swain cited from Mark Merrifield, director of the UC San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s Center for Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hoang said sea levels in the Bay Area have already risen by about half a foot, partially due to El Niño’s warming of the ocean, causing water to expand as temperatures rise.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This increase, Swain said, is expected to grow stronger with time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This event is going to be one for the record books and in a lot of ways it already is, and the trajectory is still toward strengthening in the coming weeks,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Swain emphasized that coastal flooding would be a major risk in the winter — not just along the coast but also along the state’s bays and estuaries, and including water in California’s interior. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You go into the Golden Gate,” he said, “you go north through the San Pablo Bay, you go into the Carquinez Straight, you keep going east into the Delta Slough, even to the lower reaches of the Sacramento River and the San Joaquin River, you can get to Stockton and still have a tidal influence.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Swain added that low-lying roadways, including Highway 1 and Highway 101, will be vulnerable to sea level rise. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s Jose Velazquez contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Folks who really think about coastal risks are very concerned that the single highest sea levels are quite possible this winter in California, and that is going to be a problem,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, during an \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0THLEMorMDI\">online\u003c/a> talk on Monday. “This is almost certainly going to happen.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The warning comes as the National Weather Service on Monday warned king tides may cause minor flooding along the Marin County coastline and along Bay Area shorelines this week through Thursday morning. \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/MarinCountyFloodingAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12068651\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/MarinCountyFloodingAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/MarinCountyFloodingAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/MarinCountyFloodingAP-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 paddle through a street flooded by the king tides on Jan. 3, 2026, near Corte Madera in Marin County, California.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Dial Hoang, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said that low-lying coastal areas near the San Francisco, San Pablo and Monterey bays, such as Manzanita in Marin and the Embarcadero in San Francisco, are most likely to be impacted by high tides. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In January, a combination of king tides, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087558/san-francisco-and-marin-face-flooding-amid-highest-summer-tide-on-record\">climate change and winter storms\u003c/a> wreaked \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101912604/as-sea-levels-rise-what-will-it-take-to-protect-the-bay-area-from-flooding\">havoc\u003c/a> in Marin County — flooding highways and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1999871/after-king-tides-swamp-marin-san-rafael-weighs-billion-dollar-defenses-against-the-bay\">damaging hundreds of properties\u003c/a>. This week’s \u003ca href=\"https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/noaatidepredictions.html?id=9414290&units=standard&bdate=20260101&edate=20260131&timezone=LST/LDT&clock=12hour&datum=MLLW&interval=hilo&action=monthlychart\">tides\u003c/a> are expected to be lower, reaching around 6.96 feet in San Francisco, compared to a high of 7.16 feet in January. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Though relatively minor compared to last winter’s storms, Hoang still advised residents with flood-prone properties to sandbag their homes and reminded all residents to avoid driving through flooded roads. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, where sea levels have risen a foot over the last century, El Niño seasons in 1982-83, 1997-98 and 2023-24 caused noticeable peaks, according to data Swain cited from Mark Merrifield, director of the UC San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s Center for Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hoang said sea levels in the Bay Area have already risen by about half a foot, partially due to El Niño’s warming of the ocean, causing water to expand as temperatures rise.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This event is going to be one for the record books and in a lot of ways it already is, and the trajectory is still toward strengthening in the coming weeks,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Swain emphasized that coastal flooding would be a major risk in the winter — not just along the coast but also along the state’s bays and estuaries, and including water in California’s interior. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You go into the Golden Gate,” he said, “you go north through the San Pablo Bay, you go into the Carquinez Straight, you keep going east into the Delta Slough, even to the lower reaches of the Sacramento River and the San Joaquin River, you can get to Stockton and still have a tidal influence.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Swain added that low-lying roadways, including Highway 1 and Highway 101, will be vulnerable to sea level rise. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s Jose Velazquez contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Climate scientists warn the impacts of the historic climate event could push up water along the coast, the Bay and even the Sacramento River.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>California could see the highest sea levels on record this year, thanks to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087122/el-nino-is-here-heres-what-it-could-mean-for-the-bay-area-this-winter\">a historic El Niño\u003c/a>, climate change and extreme tides. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s the latest forecast for what’s expected to be a historically strong season, one that could \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087823/el-nino-could-bring-disruptive-coastal-flooding-to-bay-area-this-winter\">cause major flooding\u003c/a> and widespread damage in the Bay Area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Folks who really think about coastal risks are very concerned that the single highest sea levels are quite possible this winter in California, and that is going to be a problem,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, during an \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0THLEMorMDI\">online\u003c/a> talk on Monday. “This is almost certainly going to happen.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The warning comes as the National Weather Service on Monday warned king tides may cause minor flooding along the Marin County coastline and along Bay Area shorelines this week through Thursday morning. \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/MarinCountyFloodingAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12068651\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/MarinCountyFloodingAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/MarinCountyFloodingAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/MarinCountyFloodingAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People paddle through a street flooded by the king tides on Jan. 3, 2026, near Corte Madera in Marin County, California. (Ethan Swope/AP Photo)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Forecasters said they’re anticipating coastal flooding during the “highest high tides,” \u003ca href=\"https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/noaatidepredictions.html?id=9414290&legacy=1\">expected\u003c/a> around 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. this week. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dial Hoang, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said that low-lying coastal areas near the San Francisco, San Pablo and Monterey bays, such as Manzanita in Marin and the Embarcadero in San Francisco, are most likely to be impacted by high tides. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In January, a combination of king tides, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087558/san-francisco-and-marin-face-flooding-amid-highest-summer-tide-on-record\">climate change and winter storms\u003c/a> wreaked \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101912604/as-sea-levels-rise-what-will-it-take-to-protect-the-bay-area-from-flooding\">havoc\u003c/a> in Marin County — flooding highways and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1999871/after-king-tides-swamp-marin-san-rafael-weighs-billion-dollar-defenses-against-the-bay\">damaging hundreds of properties\u003c/a>. This week’s \u003ca href=\"https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/noaatidepredictions.html?id=9414290&units=standard&bdate=20260101&edate=20260131&timezone=LST/LDT&clock=12hour&datum=MLLW&interval=hilo&action=monthlychart\">tides\u003c/a> are expected to be lower, reaching around 6.96 feet in San Francisco, compared to a high of 7.16 feet in January. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Though relatively minor compared to last winter’s storms, Hoang still advised residents with flood-prone properties to sandbag their homes and reminded all residents to avoid driving through flooded roads. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, where sea levels have risen a foot over the last century, El Niño seasons in 1982-83, 1997-98 and 2023-24 caused noticeable peaks, according to data Swain cited from Mark Merrifield, director of the UC San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s Center for Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hoang said sea levels in the Bay Area have already risen by about half a foot, partially due to El Niño’s warming of the ocean, causing water to expand as temperatures rise.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This increase, Swain said, is expected to grow stronger with time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This event is going to be one for the record books and in a lot of ways it already is, and the trajectory is still toward strengthening in the coming weeks,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Swain emphasized that coastal flooding would be a major risk in the winter — not just along the coast but also along the state’s bays and estuaries, and including water in California’s interior. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You go into the Golden Gate,” he said, “you go north through the San Pablo Bay, you go into the Carquinez Straight, you keep going east into the Delta Slough, even to the lower reaches of the Sacramento River and the San Joaquin River, you can get to Stockton and still have a tidal influence.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Swain added that low-lying roadways, including Highway 1 and Highway 101, will be vulnerable to sea level rise. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s Jose Velazquez contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"order": 10
},
"link": "/californiareportmagazine",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
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},
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"id": "city-arts",
"title": "City Arts & Lectures",
"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
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"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
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"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
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"rss": "https://www.cityarts.net/feed/"
}
},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
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"order": 1
},
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"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnByLm9yZy9yc3MvcG9kY2FzdC5waHA_aWQ9NTEwMzEy",
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"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
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"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
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},
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"id": "fresh-air",
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"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"
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"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
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},
"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
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"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
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"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
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"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
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},
"how-i-built-this": {
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"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
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},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
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"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
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"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"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. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
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"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
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"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
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},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
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"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1492194549",
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}
},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
"meta": {
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"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
"subscribe": {
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"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.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
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"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
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},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
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"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"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>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
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}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
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"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"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?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
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},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"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",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
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"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
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"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
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