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"content": "\u003cp>The heat wave suffocating the Bay Area is likely the longest and hottest here in more than a hundred years, and the climate emergency is making extreme heat events like this a regular part of our lives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the peak of this heat wave, all-time-high records were shattered across the Bay Area — 116 degrees Fahrenheit in Sacramento, 115 degrees in Santa Rosa and 109 degrees in San José.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KQED’s Brian Watt talked with KQED climate reporter Laura Klivans about why the heat is so intense, and what people can do to address the climate crisis and protect themselves from heat illness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11925056\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/34C9C63C-E5C8-47AF-972D-0858B80F0788.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11925056\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/34C9C63C-E5C8-47AF-972D-0858B80F0788-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Two people walk down a street carrying white and white-and-blue umbrellas.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/34C9C63C-E5C8-47AF-972D-0858B80F0788-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/34C9C63C-E5C8-47AF-972D-0858B80F0788-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/34C9C63C-E5C8-47AF-972D-0858B80F0788-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/34C9C63C-E5C8-47AF-972D-0858B80F0788-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/34C9C63C-E5C8-47AF-972D-0858B80F0788.jpg 1620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Parents picking up their children from a school in Concord hoist umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun, as the afternoon temperature climbed to 108 degrees, on Sept. 8, 2022. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>BRIAN WATT: \u003c/strong>\u003cb>This intensity and duration — is that something we can attribute to climate change?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>LAURA KLIVANS:\u003c/strong> It is. Climate scientists say there is no question this heat wave is linked to the climate crisis, which makes heat waves hotter and longer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='science_1979812']Global warming also makes extreme heat waves more frequent and larger spatially — meaning they span a greater area. More than 45 million people across six states were under heat advisories on Monday. \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And that has implications for our power grid. Because many more people are cranking their air-conditioning, California can’t rely as much on buying power from its neighboring states.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What can Californians expect in coming summers?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What we see now is just a preview. Things will get worse because humans are still burning fossil fuels, still adding carbon to the atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But here’s the thing. We decide how bad that is. The more people who acknowledge this crisis and take steps to stop the burning of fossil fuels, the better for all of us — people, plants, animals. We decide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside label='Climate Change and You' hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/10/RS52222_20053211553_b881fb31f1_5k-qut.jpg' link1='https://www.kqed.org/climateaction/,What You Can Do' link2='https://www.kqed.org/science/1977314/climate-change-is-here-its-bad-heres-what-you-can-do/,Do I Go Big or Go Small?']\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We can take actions like demanding more climate policies are passed, and even individual things like installing renewable energy, or swapping out old appliances like gas stoves for electric ones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Coming back to these next few days, serious relief isn’t likely until this weekend.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Right. And this is dangerous to people’s health. While a string of 90- to 100-degree days is common for someone living in places like Arizona, even temperatures in the high 80s can be life-threatening for Bay Area residents, who are not acclimated to it. A human body takes two weeks to acclimate to a change in temperature, so by the time the heat wave ends, we haven’t had time to adjust to the higher temperature.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ordinarily, cool temperatures at night would allow our bodies to recover from the daytime heat. But in many parts of the Bay Area — in fact, the state — nighttime temperatures aren’t as low as they once were. When people’s bodies can’t cool down at night, the internal heat builds up day after day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11925068\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/3F4B9405-BDE1-4B30-BE06-C17F7CD15FC1.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11925068\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/3F4B9405-BDE1-4B30-BE06-C17F7CD15FC1-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/3F4B9405-BDE1-4B30-BE06-C17F7CD15FC1-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/3F4B9405-BDE1-4B30-BE06-C17F7CD15FC1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/3F4B9405-BDE1-4B30-BE06-C17F7CD15FC1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/3F4B9405-BDE1-4B30-BE06-C17F7CD15FC1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/3F4B9405-BDE1-4B30-BE06-C17F7CD15FC1.jpg 1558w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A family buys ice cream after school in Concord on Sept. 8, 2022, as the temperature soared to 108 degrees. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>So when should you seek medical attention?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you think you or someone else may have heatstroke. That’s when your body can no longer cool itself off. Signs of heatstroke are hot, dry skin, high body temperatures, confusion or a throbbing headache.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='news_11878134']Also be wary of heat exhaustion — that’s less serious and you don’t need to call the doctor, but it can become heatstroke if you don’t cool down. Warning signs are heavy sweating, cramps or a headache.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What can we do to take care of ourselves and others?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.weather.gov/safety/heat-during\">There are a lot of things you can do:\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Drink lots of water.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Check on your neighbors — seriously, that can save someone’s life. If you know of someone living solo — especially if they are older — knock on their door. Or have their phone number so you can check on them. \u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Take cool baths and showers or throw a cold, wet towel around your neck.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Avoid exerting yourself.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Use air-conditioning or a heat pump, which is a more efficient tool to cool your home. Keep your shades closed when it’s sunny.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11924833/where-can-i-find-a-cooling-center-near-me-in-the-bay-area\">Go to a cooling center.\u003c/a> \u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Last, and this is extremely important, don’t leave kids or \u003ca href=\"https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/pets-vehicles\">pets in your car\u003c/a>.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The heat wave suffocating the Bay Area is likely the longest and hottest here in more than a hundred years, and the climate emergency is making extreme heat events like this a regular part of our lives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the peak of this heat wave, all-time-high records were shattered across the Bay Area — 116 degrees Fahrenheit in Sacramento, 115 degrees in Santa Rosa and 109 degrees in San José.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KQED’s Brian Watt talked with KQED climate reporter Laura Klivans about why the heat is so intense, and what people can do to address the climate crisis and protect themselves from heat illness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11925056\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/34C9C63C-E5C8-47AF-972D-0858B80F0788.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11925056\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/34C9C63C-E5C8-47AF-972D-0858B80F0788-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Two people walk down a street carrying white and white-and-blue umbrellas.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/34C9C63C-E5C8-47AF-972D-0858B80F0788-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/34C9C63C-E5C8-47AF-972D-0858B80F0788-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/34C9C63C-E5C8-47AF-972D-0858B80F0788-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/34C9C63C-E5C8-47AF-972D-0858B80F0788-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/34C9C63C-E5C8-47AF-972D-0858B80F0788.jpg 1620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Parents picking up their children from a school in Concord hoist umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun, as the afternoon temperature climbed to 108 degrees, on Sept. 8, 2022. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>BRIAN WATT: \u003c/strong>\u003cb>This intensity and duration — is that something we can attribute to climate change?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>LAURA KLIVANS:\u003c/strong> It is. Climate scientists say there is no question this heat wave is linked to the climate crisis, which makes heat waves hotter and longer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Global warming also makes extreme heat waves more frequent and larger spatially — meaning they span a greater area. More than 45 million people across six states were under heat advisories on Monday. \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And that has implications for our power grid. Because many more people are cranking their air-conditioning, California can’t rely as much on buying power from its neighboring states.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What can Californians expect in coming summers?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What we see now is just a preview. Things will get worse because humans are still burning fossil fuels, still adding carbon to the atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But here’s the thing. We decide how bad that is. The more people who acknowledge this crisis and take steps to stop the burning of fossil fuels, the better for all of us — people, plants, animals. We decide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We can take actions like demanding more climate policies are passed, and even individual things like installing renewable energy, or swapping out old appliances like gas stoves for electric ones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Coming back to these next few days, serious relief isn’t likely until this weekend.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Right. And this is dangerous to people’s health. While a string of 90- to 100-degree days is common for someone living in places like Arizona, even temperatures in the high 80s can be life-threatening for Bay Area residents, who are not acclimated to it. A human body takes two weeks to acclimate to a change in temperature, so by the time the heat wave ends, we haven’t had time to adjust to the higher temperature.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ordinarily, cool temperatures at night would allow our bodies to recover from the daytime heat. But in many parts of the Bay Area — in fact, the state — nighttime temperatures aren’t as low as they once were. When people’s bodies can’t cool down at night, the internal heat builds up day after day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11925068\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/3F4B9405-BDE1-4B30-BE06-C17F7CD15FC1.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11925068\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/3F4B9405-BDE1-4B30-BE06-C17F7CD15FC1-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/3F4B9405-BDE1-4B30-BE06-C17F7CD15FC1-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/3F4B9405-BDE1-4B30-BE06-C17F7CD15FC1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/3F4B9405-BDE1-4B30-BE06-C17F7CD15FC1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/3F4B9405-BDE1-4B30-BE06-C17F7CD15FC1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/09/3F4B9405-BDE1-4B30-BE06-C17F7CD15FC1.jpg 1558w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A family buys ice cream after school in Concord on Sept. 8, 2022, as the temperature soared to 108 degrees. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>So when should you seek medical attention?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you think you or someone else may have heatstroke. That’s when your body can no longer cool itself off. Signs of heatstroke are hot, dry skin, high body temperatures, confusion or a throbbing headache.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Also be wary of heat exhaustion — that’s less serious and you don’t need to call the doctor, but it can become heatstroke if you don’t cool down. Warning signs are heavy sweating, cramps or a headache.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What can we do to take care of ourselves and others?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.weather.gov/safety/heat-during\">There are a lot of things you can do:\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Drink lots of water.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Check on your neighbors — seriously, that can save someone’s life. If you know of someone living solo — especially if they are older — knock on their door. Or have their phone number so you can check on them. \u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Take cool baths and showers or throw a cold, wet towel around your neck.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Avoid exerting yourself.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Use air-conditioning or a heat pump, which is a more efficient tool to cool your home. Keep your shades closed when it’s sunny.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11924833/where-can-i-find-a-cooling-center-near-me-in-the-bay-area\">Go to a cooling center.\u003c/a> \u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Last, and this is extremely important, don’t leave kids or \u003ca href=\"https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/pets-vehicles\">pets in your car\u003c/a>.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Operators of California’s power grid expect to issue calls for voluntary conservation of electricity during a prolonged heat wave building over the West and warned there could be energy shortages if conditions worsen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The National Weather Service on Wednesday issued an excessive heat warning for the Bay Area beginning Saturday morning and lasting through Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='medium' citation='National Weather Service']‘The big weather story this week will be a prolonged and possibly record heat wave building across much of the Western U.S.’[/pullquote]The excessive heat warning begins today for all of Southern California and northward into the Central Valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Temperatures could shoot past 100 degrees in the Bay Area and 110 degrees in the Central Valley on Sunday and Monday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This level of heat can be particularly dangerous for people who work outdoors, or who don’t have adequate cooling in their homes. For people in the Bay Area, who aren’t adjusted to living with high heat, even temperatures in the high 80s can be dangerous to health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='news_11878134']The climate emergency has also made nights warmer than they used to be, meaning people don’t cool down as readily during sleep. So heat continues to build up in their bodies day after day as temperatures rise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Elderly people are particularly vulnerable to heat illness; they tend not to notice thirst as quickly, and their bodies don’t sweat as readily as younger people’s bodies do, reducing their ability to cool off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='science_1932692']The California Independent System Operator said in a statement that it was taking measures to bring all available energy resources online, including issuing an order restricting maintenance from noon to 10 p.m. daily through September 6.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The peak load for electricity demand in California is projected to exceed 48,000 megawatts on Monday, the highest of the year, the grid operator said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Calls for voluntary conservation, known as Flex Alerts, urge consumers to reduce use of electricity from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., when there is most stress on the grid and solar energy production is declining.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The power grid operator expects to call on Californians for voluntary energy conservation via Flex alerts over the long weekend,” the statement said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The primary ways to reduce household energy use are to raise thermostat temperatures, avoid using major appliances and electric car chargers, and turning off lights.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If weather or grid conditions worsen, the ISO may issue a series of emergency notifications to access additional resources and prepare market participants and the public for potential energy shortages and the need to conserve,” Cal ISO said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=science_1975640]The heat wave arrived amid concern about California’s power grid. In August 2020, a record heat wave caused a surge in power use for air-conditioning that overtaxed the grid. That caused two consecutive nights of rolling blackouts, affecting hundreds of thousands of residential and business customers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed extending the life of the state’s last operating nuclear power plant by five years to maintain reliable power supplies in the climate change era. The proposal would keep Pacific Gas and Electric’s Diablo Canyon Power Plant running beyond a scheduled closing by 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Forecasters, meanwhile, warned of triple-digit temperatures with little overnight relief, as well as elevated risk of wildfires in much of the West.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The big weather story this week will be a prolonged and possibly record heat wave building across much of the Western U.S. associated with a strong upper level ridge,” the National Weather Service wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s official: by 2035, California will end the sale of new gas-powered vehicles. State air regulators approved the plan yesterday, but it started back in 2020 when Gov. Gavin Newsom first presented the idea through an executive order. \u003c/span>So how big of a dent could this make in addressing the climate crisis?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guest: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/StarkKev\">Kevin Stark\u003c/a>, KQED climate editor\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://bit.ly/3dZPhFB\">\u003cem>Read the transcript\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11839533/gov-newsom-wants-to-ban-gas-powered-car-sales-by-2035-is-this-a-big-deal\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This episode first aired on Sept. 25, 2020.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"c-message_kit__gutter\">\n\u003cdiv class=\"c-message_kit__gutter__right\" role=\"presentation\" data-qa=\"message_content\">\n\u003cdiv class=\"c-message_kit__blocks c-message_kit__blocks--rich_text\">\n\u003cdiv class=\"c-message__message_blocks c-message__message_blocks--rich_text\" data-qa=\"message-text\">\n\u003cdiv class=\"p-block_kit_renderer\" data-qa=\"block-kit-renderer\">\n\u003cdiv class=\"p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper--first\">\n\u003cdiv class=\"p-rich_text_block\" dir=\"auto\">\n\u003cdiv class=\"p-rich_text_section\">\n\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe frameborder=\"“0”\" scrolling=\"“no”\" src class=\"c-link\" href=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=KQINC5001740342\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-stringify-link=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm?e=KQINC5001740342\" data-sk=\"tooltip_parent\" width=\"“100%“/iframe\" height=\"500\">\u003c/iframe>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cdiv class=\"c-message_actions__container c-message__actions\" role=\"group\">\n\u003cdiv class=\"c-message_actions__group\" role=\"group\" aria-label=\"Message shortcuts\" data-qa=\"message-actions\">\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Links:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\n\u003cp class=\"entry-title \">\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2022/08/electric-cars-california-to-phase-out-gas-cars/\">\u003cstrong>Electric day in California: State phases out sales of gas cars\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\n\u003cp class=\"routes-Site-routes-Post-components-Post-components-PostTitle-___PostTitle__title\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11923540/california-poised-to-phase-out-sale-of-new-gas-powered-cars\">\u003cstrong>California Moves to Phase Out Sale of New Gas-Powered Cars and Light Trucks by 2035\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to \u003ca class=\"c-link\" href=\"https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-stringify-link=\"https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts\" data-sk=\"tooltip_parent\" data-remove-tab-index=\"true\">https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003cbr style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s official: by 2035, California will end the sale of new gas-powered vehicles. State air regulators approved the plan yesterday, but it started back in 2020 when Gov. Gavin Newsom first presented the idea through an executive order. \u003c/span>So how big of a dent could this make in addressing the climate crisis?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Guest: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/StarkKev\">Kevin Stark\u003c/a>, KQED climate editor\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://bit.ly/3dZPhFB\">\u003cem>Read the transcript\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11839533/gov-newsom-wants-to-ban-gas-powered-car-sales-by-2035-is-this-a-big-deal\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This episode first aired on Sept. 25, 2020.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"c-message_kit__gutter\">\n\u003cdiv class=\"c-message_kit__gutter__right\" role=\"presentation\" data-qa=\"message_content\">\n\u003cdiv class=\"c-message_kit__blocks c-message_kit__blocks--rich_text\">\n\u003cdiv class=\"c-message__message_blocks c-message__message_blocks--rich_text\" data-qa=\"message-text\">\n\u003cdiv class=\"p-block_kit_renderer\" data-qa=\"block-kit-renderer\">\n\u003cdiv class=\"p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper--first\">\n\u003cdiv class=\"p-rich_text_block\" dir=\"auto\">\n\u003cdiv class=\"p-rich_text_section\">\n\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe frameborder=\"“0”\" scrolling=\"“no”\" src class=\"c-link\" href=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=KQINC5001740342\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-stringify-link=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm?e=KQINC5001740342\" data-sk=\"tooltip_parent\" width=\"“100%“/iframe\" height=\"500\">\u003c/iframe>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cdiv class=\"c-message_actions__container c-message__actions\" role=\"group\">\n\u003cdiv class=\"c-message_actions__group\" role=\"group\" aria-label=\"Message shortcuts\" data-qa=\"message-actions\">\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Links:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\n\u003cp class=\"entry-title \">\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2022/08/electric-cars-california-to-phase-out-gas-cars/\">\u003cstrong>Electric day in California: State phases out sales of gas cars\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\n\u003cp class=\"routes-Site-routes-Post-components-Post-components-PostTitle-___PostTitle__title\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11923540/california-poised-to-phase-out-sale-of-new-gas-powered-cars\">\u003cstrong>California Moves to Phase Out Sale of New Gas-Powered Cars and Light Trucks by 2035\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to \u003ca class=\"c-link\" href=\"https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-stringify-link=\"https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts\" data-sk=\"tooltip_parent\" data-remove-tab-index=\"true\">https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003cbr style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "stalled-u-s-forest-service-project-could-have-protected-california-town-from-caldor-fire-destruction",
"title": "Stalled US Forest Service Project Could Have Protected California Town From Caldor Fire Destruction",
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"headTitle": "Stalled US Forest Service Project Could Have Protected California Town From Caldor Fire Destruction | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Before the Caldor Fire sparked one year ago this week — before its 150-foot flames devoured century-old ponderosa pines in California’s Sierra Nevada, and before it destroyed more than 400 of the 600 homes in Grizzly Flats — Mark Almer had a plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The 60-year-old retired fire inspector had spent over a decade fireproofing his Grizzly Flats home, trading wood deck boards for composite material and replacing traditional siding with a protective cement shell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Hardening the home is huge,” he said. “But it’s just one piece of the puzzle.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Almer had an even bigger plan to protect his community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For more than a decade, he’s led the Grizzly Flats Fire Safe Council, a group of two-dozen volunteers that raised money for wildfire mitigation projects, educated the town’s roughly 1,400 residents about defensible space and regularly gathered local, state and federal fire officials to help improve their fire response plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Caldor Fire would be the council’s ultimate test.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922564\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/ALMERBQ3A8396.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922564\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/ALMERBQ3A8396-800x534.jpg\" alt='A man with pale skin wearing a light sage t-shirt and SF Giants ball cap stands in front of a light blue home with white painted wood railing and steps leading to the front door. A round logo on his shirt reads \"hashtag Grizzly Flats Strong\" over an image of trees and a mountain.' width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/ALMERBQ3A8396-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/ALMERBQ3A8396-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/ALMERBQ3A8396-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/ALMERBQ3A8396-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/ALMERBQ3A8396-1920x1281.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/ALMERBQ3A8396.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mark Almer poses outside his Grizzly Flats home on Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. \u003ccite>(Andrew Nixon/CapRadio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On August 16, 2021, two days after the fire ignited, gusty winds pushed the flames out like billowing sails, spreading across thousands of acres overloaded with shrubs and trees in the neighboring Eldorado National Forest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Almer and his wife didn’t grab much on their way out the door. Their six cats, corralled into six crates, took up most of the car space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He was more concerned about making sure everyone else in the community got out safely. Before the official evacuation order came, Almer called his next door neighbor, Victor Diaz.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I thought we still had time,” Diaz said in a recent interview.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Almer’s voice indicated otherwise. An even-keeled speaker with a clean vocabulary, Almer barked his warning with a rare four-letter word that Diaz declined to repeat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You need to get the beep out,” Diaz recalled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922598\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-scaled.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922598\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-800x600.jpeg\" alt=\"Dark orange and red glow through the silhouette of burnt trees and branches. Yellow and white flames are visible on a distant ridge through the forest, with white hotspots in the foreground.\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-800x600.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-1020x765.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-160x120.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-1920x1440.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Caldor Fire burns south of Grizzly Flats on Aug. 15, 2021. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Eric Henton)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Diaz, his wife, their six kids and the family dog raced down Grizzly Flat Road in a two-car caravan, leaving behind the fire’s red glow and the home they’d never see again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many residents knew this day might come. At a community meeting in the early 2000s, the U.S. Forest Service, with chilling foresight, had warned that a wildfire mirroring the Caldor Fire’s burn progression could easily wipe Grizzly Flats off the map.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the years that followed, the Forest Service took steps to prevent such a catastrophe. But a nine-month investigation by CapRadio and The California Newsroom, a public media collaboration, found that the Forest Service’s plan to protect Grizzly Flats fell far short:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>After the community meeting, the Forest Service took a decade to announce a comprehensive 15,000-acre forest management and fire mitigation plan, called the Trestle Forest Health Project. It aimed to “reduce the threat of large high intensity wildfire and threats to Grizzly Flat[s]” and other nearby landowners by removing excess brush and vegetation that fuel increasingly devastating wildfires, according to project documents.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>The Forest Service originally committed to finishing the Trestle Project by 2020 — a year before the Caldor Fire would later ignite. Due to a complex web of regulatory delays, logistical challenges and resource shortages, the agency pushed back the completion date to as late as 2032 — three decades after its initial warning to Grizzly Flats.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>The Forest Service’s data overstated Trestle Project accomplishments, claiming the agency completed work on at least 24% of the project before the Caldor Fire. \u003ca href=\"https://www.capradio.org/grizzly-flats-methodology\">Original analysis of corrected Forest Service data provided by the agency shows only 14% completion\u003c/a>. The agency confirmed the inaccurate information had been online for more than a month; it updated its database less than a week before publication of this story.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>The corrected data also suggests that in the decade-and-a-half leading up to the Caldor Fire, the Forest Service completed 15,000 acres of fuel reduction work within a five-mile buffer around Grizzly Flats — coincidentally, the same number of planned acres in the Trestle Project. However, the actual coverage of that work was limited to 5,800 acres because of the agency’s decades-long and highly criticized practice of counting repeat treatments on the same parcel. Furthermore, the majority of that work occurred several miles from the town’s border.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>The Forest Service failed to complete sections of the Trestle Project along the southern border of Grizzly Flats, identified as “first priority” due to the area’s susceptibility to wildfire. Instead, the agency prioritized removing trees — often far from the town’s borders and not a part of the “first priority” area — that generate revenue.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Despite more than five requests, the Forest Service failed to provide complete data on its national wildland fire management budget, citing a recent data transfer in which it lost some information from the past two decades. The agency also could not provide similar budget information at the regional and forest level, saying numerous changes to the budget structure and process over the last 20 years made retrieving the data especially difficult and would render any analysis “incomparable.”\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://projects.capradio.org/grizzly-flats-forest-management\" style=\"border: 0px #FFFFFF none;\" name=\"myiFrame\" scrolling=\"no\" marginheight=\"0px\" marginwidth=\"0px\" allowfullscreen width=\"100%\" height=\"700px\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Agency leaders say a slew of hurdles stood in the way of the project’s completion: limited funding, pushback from environmentalists and fewer opportunities to complete essential prescribed burns due to staff shortages and climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am committed to doing everything I possibly can to mitigate [wildfire risks] on our landscapes,” said Forest Service Chief Randy Moore in an interview.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When asked if his agency bears any responsibility for the devastation in Grizzly Flats as a result of the stalled Trestle Project, he cited financial constraints.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I mean, do[es] anybody bear any responsibility for not having the budget to do the work that we need to do?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/r5/home/?cid=stelprdb5289758&width=full\">The Eldorado National Forest falls under the Forest Service’s Pacific Southwest Region\u003c/a>, which Moore led from 2007 to July 2021, when he was appointed chief by President Joe Biden’s administration. He assumed office just a few weeks before the Caldor Fire ignited. Moore declined multiple opportunities to say whether completing the Trestle Project would have resulted in a different outcome in Grizzly Flats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922570\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/MOORE51419974631_abd86cdfe9_o-scaled-e1660598505892.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922570\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/MOORE51419974631_abd86cdfe9_o-scaled-e1660598505892-800x752.jpg\" alt=\"An image of a man with coffee skin and short-cropped hair, wearing a black uniform with a forest service patch on the arm, in front of an American flag and a U.S. Forest Service flag. The first service flag is dark green with an orange logo .\" width=\"800\" height=\"752\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/MOORE51419974631_abd86cdfe9_o-scaled-e1660598505892-800x752.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/MOORE51419974631_abd86cdfe9_o-scaled-e1660598505892-1020x959.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/MOORE51419974631_abd86cdfe9_o-scaled-e1660598505892-160x150.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/MOORE51419974631_abd86cdfe9_o-scaled-e1660598505892-1536x1445.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/MOORE51419974631_abd86cdfe9_o-scaled-e1660598505892-1920x1806.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/MOORE51419974631_abd86cdfe9_o-scaled-e1660598505892.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Chief Randy Moore on Aug. 25, 2021. \u003ccite>(Tom Witham/USDA)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I’m not really sure why we keep talking about that question,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After reviewing this investigation’s findings, a dozen sources — including wildfire experts, career firefighters, former Forest Service officials and residents — said they believe Grizzly Flats would have stood a better chance of surviving the Caldor Fire if the Trestle Project had been completed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the sources was one of the project’s key architects, former Eldorado National Forest District Ranger Duane Nelson.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There would have been a very high probability that Grizzly Flats would not have burned in the Caldor Fire” if the Forest Service completed the Trestle Project, Nelson, 67, said in an interview. “It could’ve meant survival.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>An early warning\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>On a chilly day this past March, Almer sat in his idling white Toyota Tundra pickup next to where the Grizzly Flats Community Church once stood. The small yellow chapel bordered by white picket fencing had vanished, along with most of the community, in the Caldor Fire’s wake. From the driver’s seat, Almer observed rows of charred metal chairs facing an absent pulpit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s kind of eerie,” he remarked, “as if they were still ready to accept parishioners.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922572\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Community-Church-After-Fire-scaled.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922572\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Community-Church-After-Fire-800x360.jpg\" alt=\"A burnt tree trunk lies crossways over the image on a forest floor white with ash. In the background, tall burnt tree trunks and branches spread across the image.\" width=\"800\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Community-Church-After-Fire-800x360.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Community-Church-After-Fire-1020x459.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Community-Church-After-Fire-160x72.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Community-Church-After-Fire-1536x692.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Community-Church-After-Fire-2048x922.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Community-Church-After-Fire-1920x865.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The remains of the Grizzly Flats Community Church after the Caldor Fire, Sept. 2021. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Bill Brown)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The church is where local Forest Service officials, in the early 2000s, held their town meeting to warn residents about wildfires. Grizzly Flats is surrounded on three sides by the Eldorado National Forest; the agency acknowledged that a devastating fire would likely rip across federal land before reaching town. Using a PowerPoint to show fire modeling scenarios, they gamed out all the ways Grizzly Flats could go up in smoke.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was important for us to start talking to people and make sure that they had the information that we had about what our models were showing,” said Kathy Hardy, a former district ranger who attended the meeting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One scenario showed what would happen if the fire started a few miles south of town in the Eldorado National Forest, close to where the Caldor Fire would ignite years later.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The modeling said that it would take out Grizzly Flats within about 24 hours,” Almer recently recalled. “Well, 20 years later, that’s pretty much exactly what happened.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Forest Service has not provided records related to the meeting in response to a Freedom of Information Act request filed in December 2021.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Forest Service officials flipped through presentation slides, residents shifted uncomfortably in their metal chairs. This was a town that had just installed its first all-way stop sign. The Grizzly Pines School had recently earned a Distinguished School Award from the California Department of Education despite having only 36 students. The place, in many ways, was idyllic — so remotely located and so small that it had no grocery store, no gas station, no diner, not even a local bar. Now, the Forest Service was telling them, with data to back it up, that their town and their lives sat in Mother Nature’s crosshairs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"mceTemp\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922588\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/WALTERTYLERDSCF2225.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922588\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/WALTERTYLERDSCF2225-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A huge heap of burnt metal, pipes and ashy detritus fill the foreground, with a pocket of flames still burning. In the background is the metal scaffolding of a children's playground with slide and swingset. In the far left background are some ashy green trees.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/WALTERTYLERDSCF2225-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/WALTERTYLERDSCF2225-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/WALTERTYLERDSCF2225-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/WALTERTYLERDSCF2225-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/WALTERTYLERDSCF2225-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/WALTERTYLERDSCF2225.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A gas leak burns the day after the Caldor Fire hit Walter Tyler Elementary School in Grizzly Flats, Aug. 17, 2021. \u003ccite>(Andrew Nixon/CapRadio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Two fire plans, two timelines\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Grizzly Flats wasn’t the only town in peril. For years, the federal government had been wringing its hands over the nation’s growing wildfire crisis. \u003ca href=\"https://www.nifc.gov/fire-information/statistics/wildfires\">In 2000, wildfires burned over 7 million acres across the country\u003c/a> — a stunning total at the time, and a harbinger for even worse years to come.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior — the agencies that managed much of the land that had been scorched — developed a \u003ca href=\"https://www.fs.fed.us/database/budgetoffice/NFP_final32601.pdf\">National Fire Plan\u003c/a>. It emphasized forest management and fuel reduction as key preventive measures. Methods traditionally used by the federal government include commercial thinning (cutting some trees to be sold as timber or wood pellets), removing brush with heavy machinery (a process known as mastication), and prescribed burning (intentionally setting lower-intensity fires that benefit the landscape).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To figure out where to put its resources, the Forest Service — which operates under the USDA — helped compile \u003ca href=\"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2001/08/17/01-20592/urban-wildland-interface-communities-within-the-vicinity-of-federal-lands-that-are-at-high-risk-from#citation-1-p43384\">a list of communities nationwide at “high risk from wildfire.”\u003c/a> It included thousands of communities, identified primarily for being in the “wildland-urban interface” or WUI, a term used to describe the intersection of developed land and the natural environment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Buried on the list was “Grizzly Flat.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>(The town, throughout history, has been referred to as “Grizzly Flat” and “Grizzly Flats.” The latter is more common.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shortly after the Forest Service’s cautionary meeting at the local church, Almer and two-dozen other residents formed the Grizzly Flats Fire Safe Council. They set up an informational phone line, installed a nine-foot community bulletin board at the post office and started an adopt-a-hydrant program, which got residents to shovel out hydrants after snowstorms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922590\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GFFSC-BBQ-2018.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922590\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GFFSC-BBQ-2018-800x533.jpeg\" alt=\"People sit eating and talking at long tables covered with red or orange tablecloths. Strings of lights are overhead, with dark green trees in the background. Vases of fresh orange, yellow and white flowers adorn the tables.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GFFSC-BBQ-2018-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GFFSC-BBQ-2018-1020x680.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GFFSC-BBQ-2018-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GFFSC-BBQ-2018-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GFFSC-BBQ-2018.jpeg 1824w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Grizzly Flats Fire Safe Council holds its 14th annual barbecue, July 21, 2018. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Grizzly Flats Fire Safe Council)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The council served as an essential community thread in the simple quilt of Grizzly Flats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There was no government, there was no mayor,” said Kathy Melvin, 78, who joined the council in 2007. “There was just the fire safe council, the church and the school. Everything kind of revolved around those entities because we didn’t have anything else.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Within a couple years of its founding, the council commissioned its own community wildfire protection plan. The 74-page document laid out plans to clear evacuation routes and assist residents with defensible space around homes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also proposed a series of fuel-reduction projects, including an ambitious “shaded fuel break” in the shape of a horseshoe around Grizzly Flats. Shaded fuel breaks remove ground vegetation to reduce wildfire intensity and provide a staging area for firefighters. The horseshoe covered the east, north and west sides of town; the community was banking on the Forest Service to tackle fuel reduction work along the southern border to complete the protective buffer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922589\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 631px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/2006-GFFSC-shaded-fuel-break-plan.png\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11922589\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/2006-GFFSC-shaded-fuel-break-plan.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"631\" height=\"466\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/2006-GFFSC-shaded-fuel-break-plan.png 631w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/2006-GFFSC-shaded-fuel-break-plan-160x118.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 631px) 100vw, 631px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A 2006 map of the Grizzly Flats Fire Safe Council’s planned fuel breaks around three sides of the community. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Grizzly Flats Fire Safe Council)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The plan would cost millions of dollars, and the council raised money however it could. An area couple hosted 150 people at their home for a wine tasting under paper lanterns and summer stars. The council held annual barbecues. What money it couldn’t raise, it made up for with grants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The efforts paid off. Over the next 15 years, the fire safe council cleared more than 1,500 acres of fire-prone vegetation around town, completing almost all of the horseshoe fuel break at a cost of nearly $2 million. \u003ca href=\"https://www.iafc.org/press-releases/press-release/partnership-announces-2018-wildfire-mitigation-awardees\">The council even earned national recognition for its productivity and wildfire mitigation work\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GFFSC-BBQ-2018.jpeg\"> \u003c/a>Meanwhile, most of the Forest Service land to the south of Grizzly Flats remained dense and overgrown — a reminder to residents that their community was dangerously exposed.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Big, hairy, audacious goal’\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>As a district ranger in the Eldorado National Forest, Duane Nelson started each day with a clean, pressed uniform and aimed to clock out with dirty shirtsleeves and muddy boots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I wasn’t going to just be a ranger sitting in the office behind a computer all the time,” he said. “I made a promise to myself that I would be out looking at projects, checking up on crews or going by fire stations.”[pullquote size='small' align='left' citation='Duane Nelson, former district ranger, Eldorado National Forest']‘We needed to reverse this massive fuels accumulation that had developed over 100 years of overly aggressive fire suppression.’[/pullquote]His 38-year career in the Forest Service can be traced to a childhood vacation to the Rocky Mountains. Sitting in the back of his family’s faux wood-paneled Ford Country Squire, he watched hours of hypnotic prairielands roll by. All of a sudden, purple mountaintops pierced the horizon, surrounded by timber canyons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s an image that’s been in my head ever since,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nelson earned a degree in forestry and left his Midwest roots behind, preferring the mountains and conifer forests of Northern California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When he took over as the Eldorado National Forest’s Placerville District Ranger in 2007, he didn’t like what he saw. The majority of his district was dense, dry and prone to catastrophic wildfires — especially around Grizzly Flats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few years before Nelson arrived, the district had thinned and burned 1,000 acres to the south of Grizzly Flats, including areas along the town’s southern border. But other fuel reduction efforts were scattered and piecemeal, often deep in woods and miles from town.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So Nelson devised what he called a “big, hairy, audacious goal.” He wanted to reduce forest congestion across his entire district.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922592\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Nelson_2.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922592\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Nelson_2-800x600.jpg\" alt=\"A man with pale skin wearing a white hardhat, yellow shirt and black pants stands on a cleared area of soil and green grasses, with trees and white smoke in the background. He carries a map and wears a pack at the small of his back and a walkie talkie in front.\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Nelson_2-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Nelson_2-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Nelson_2-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Nelson_2.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Duane Nelson, former Placerville district ranger, during an annual live fire training in the late 2000s near Grizzly Flats. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Duane Nelson)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To do that, he said, “We needed to reverse this massive fuels accumulation that had developed over 100 years of overly aggressive fire suppression.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before the advent of modern firefighting, naturally occurring fires served the important role of balancing ecosystems and preventing the accumulation of fuels. For millennia, indigenous communities set fire to forests and wildlands for a variety of reasons, including hunting and cultural practices, which also kept the land in check. But according to fire ecologists and historians, the federal government’s century-long practice of snuffing out every wildfire, instead of letting them perform their natural role on the landscape, has left forests overloaded. Combined with hotter, drier conditions caused by climate change, the heavy fuel loads are spurring bigger, more destructive blazes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nelson helped devise the Trestle Project as a big step toward his goal. It would create a miles-wide fuel reduction buffer east and south of Grizzly Flats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the Forest Service finally announced the project in 2013, the agency sent a letter to residents describing 16,000 acres of planned work. (A miscalculation led to the document overstating the work by nearly 1,000 acres. The actual number was just over 15,000.) It laid out an expeditious — and optimistic — timeline. The analysis was supposed to take about a year, with the forest management work scheduled to wrap up by 2020.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Almost immediately the project encountered an onslaught of hurdles and delays.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s sad to think about what could have been,” said Michael Wara, a \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MichaelWWara/status/1541784173047709696?s=20&t=NPO1IzD-aF1yaQXcj4-mFg\">climate policy expert at Stanford University who recently toured Grizzly Flats\u003c/a>. “[If] all this work was done by 2020, Grizzly Flats might still be there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922636\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GATEDSCF2157.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922636\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GATEDSCF2157-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Thick stands of burnt trees with ashen branches line a red dirt road. A metal gate bars the road. White smoke hangs in the air. \" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GATEDSCF2157-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GATEDSCF2157-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GATEDSCF2157-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GATEDSCF2157-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GATEDSCF2157-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GATEDSCF2157.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Grizzly Flats, Aug. 17, 2021. \u003ccite>(Andrew Nixon/CapRadio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘We don’t have that kind of time any longer’\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>One of the most aggressive objections to the Trestle Project came from Chad Hanson, co-founder of the John Muir Project, a nonprofit that aims to protect biodiversity in national forests and fiercely opposes tree removal. One of Hanson’s primary concerns was the spotted owl, which is designated as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a written objection to the Forest Service in 2015, Hanson argued the Trestle Project would “pose a serious and unacceptable threat to owl populations on the Eldorado National Forest.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Elsewhere, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/30/opinion/california-wildfires-oak-fire-yosemite-sequoias.html\">Hanson has argued that commercial tree removal could exacerbate wildfire intensity\u003c/a>. Leading fire scientists have publicly pushed back against a number of Hanson’s claims; \u003ca href=\"https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/fires/article254957722.html\">one expert even called his positions “self-serving garbage.”\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The project’s 296-page environmental impact statement devoted dozens of pages to analyzing potential impacts on the spotted owl. The report also invited public comment that demanded thoroughly researched responses from the Forest Service. The agency developed alternative maps, taking into account spotted owls and sensitive species of frog and trout.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Forest Service also put out other reports, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/22131479-fuels-and-fire-analysis-trestle-forest-health-project\">one that identified a likely ignition point very close to where the Caldor Fire would later start\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the Forest Service spun out reams of paperwork, Almer reminded the agency that Grizzly Flats remained woefully exposed to wildfires that were growing more severe every year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The most aggressive treatment of the [Trestle Project’s] fire fuels is critical to preventing the ‘loss of our community,’” wrote Almer in a 2015 public comment about the project on behalf of the Grizzly Flats Fire Safe Council. “Everything that can be done, must be done.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He followed up this plea with a 2017 letter addressed to Randy Moore, who at the time led the agency’s Pacific Southwest Region.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922594\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Almer-letter-to-Moore-with-page-tear.png\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922594\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Almer-letter-to-Moore-with-page-tear-800x491.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"491\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Almer-letter-to-Moore-with-page-tear-800x491.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Almer-letter-to-Moore-with-page-tear-160x98.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Almer-letter-to-Moore-with-page-tear.png 822w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mark Almer sent a letter to then-regional forester Randy Moore, imploring the Forest Service to quickly and thoroughly tackle the Trestle Project in order to protect Grizzly Flats, May 12, 2017. \u003ccite>(US Forest Service)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Maximum treatment must be given to the defense and threat zones abutting Grizzly Flats … to prevent spot fires from a wildland fire igniting homes within the community,” Almer wrote in his letter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an interview, Moore said he did not recall the letter from Almer. The threat Grizzly Flats faced “is not unique,” he said. “I can tell you that that’s going to be common for a number of communities all across the West.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Forest Service acknowledges that its regulatory approval process for desperately needed forest management projects can be a slog. But trying to streamline it is a delicate balance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Scot Rogers, the current Placerville district ranger, said in an interview, it’s essential that “the American public has an opportunity to engage in the management of their lands.” But, he added, “That doesn’t necessarily mean that we need to get lost in a sea of analysis and unable to actually execute these projects — because we don’t have that kind of time any longer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Trestle Project wasn’t approved until late 2017, more than four years after its announcement and more than a decade after the agency called the initial meeting at the church.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But by that time Duane Nelson, one of the project’s main architects, was gone. Burnout had set in, exacerbated by persistent staffing shortages. Sleepless nights left his nerves shot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If it’s hot, dry and windy, rangers don’t sleep,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nelson retired in early 2017, a year before he’d originally planned. Before submitting his notice, he took a drive through his district, following the backroads that bisected dense tree stands. He wanted to see the condition of the forest before making his official decision. Driving through the Trestle Project area, he envisioned the southern border of Grizzly Flats cleared of brush and returned to something like its natural condition after prescribed burning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We had done a lot of good things,” he said, reflecting on his retirement. “But there was still a lot of work that needed to be done.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Stalled out\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Over the next four years, the Forest Service completed only a fraction of the Trestle Project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It called for fuel reduction across more than 15,000 acres of land around Grizzly Flats, but completed work on just over 2,000 of those acres.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922595\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/CELLBQ3A8103.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922595\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/CELLBQ3A8103-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A cell phone tower is disguised as a tree with green branches of the same length sticking out on all sides. It's the only thing in the landscape that isn't charred and blackened. \" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/CELLBQ3A8103-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/CELLBQ3A8103-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/CELLBQ3A8103-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/CELLBQ3A8103-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/CELLBQ3A8103-1920x1281.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/CELLBQ3A8103.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A cellphone tower disguised as a tree is the only green ‘tree’ near the center of Grizzly Flats, Aug. 4, 2022. \u003ccite>(Andrew Nixon/CapRadio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Prescribed fire, considered crucial by fire scientists, was nowhere to be found. The project called for more than 10,000 acres of intentional low-intensity fire, but the agency only completed 136 acres of “pile burns,” the process of collecting and burning logs and vegetation that is widely considered much less impactful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The agency instead prioritized commercial tree thinning, which generates revenue that offsets costs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Generally, commercial thinning and other treatments designed to reduce fuel loads are a necessary precursor to prescribed fires, according to Rogers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Largely, we’re not going to be able to put fire on the ground before that work is completed,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Trestle Project reports and Forest Service data show the vast majority of the planned prescribed fire was intended as the first treatment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wildfire researchers and former Forest Service officials say it’s disappointing the agency would focus on commercial thinning over other forms of treatment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The evidence that commercial thinning really reduces risk is not that good,” said Wara, the Stanford climate policy expert. “If you thin and then burn in an area, then you get dramatic risk reduction.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, areas adjacent to the community that the Forest Service identified as “first priority” were left untouched and overgrown. One stands out: The highly overgrown — and highly combustible — southern border, which would have dovetailed with the buffer zone that Mark Almer and the Grizzly Flats Fire Safe Council worked on for over a decade.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The part that didn’t get treated was the part we should have been most worried about,” said Hugh Safford, who spent two decades as the Forest Service’s senior ecologist in California before retiring in late 2021.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The steep, dense and dry south-facing terrain made it one of the more complicated parts of the project, but also the most essential, Safford noted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922580\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-2-scaled.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922580\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-2-800x600.jpeg\" alt=\"White-yellow flames and an orange sky show through shadows of burnt trees. The flames and colors and reflected in a stream to the lower left of the image. A dark embankment is in the center right of the image.\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-2-800x600.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-2-1020x765.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-2-160x120.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-2-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-2-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-2-1920x1440.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Caldor Fire burns south of Grizzly Flats on Aug. 15, 2021. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Eric Henton)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Melvin, the longtime fire safe council member, lived on the south end of Grizzly Flats and shared a property line with the Forest Service for nearly four decades. Her house was among the first in town to face the Caldor Fire’s wrath.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She took defensible space seriously, clearing shrubs “down to the dirt” before every fire season. By contrast, she said, the nearby Forest Service land remained overgrown with trees, brush and highly flammable mountain misery shrubs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Melvin kept her expectations about the Trestle Project in check.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The history of the Forest Service, in the time that we lived there, was that everything took forever,” she said. “I wish they had done more.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>No money, no mitigation\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In a series of interviews, Forest Service officials offered an array of reasons why efforts like the Trestle Project face delays and are sometimes not completed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the top of the list: money.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Let’s not make any bones about this,” said Chief Moore in an interview. “We do not have the funding to do the level of work that needs to be done out there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Compared to the soaring costs of preparing for and fighting wildfire, spending on hazardous fuels reduction has barely increased over the last 15 years when adjusted for inflation, according to incomplete data provided by the agency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That doesn’t mean all projects struggle to secure funding. From 2008 to 2019, a partnership of private organizations and government agencies, including the Forest Service, pulled together $150 million and \u003ca href=\"https://tahoe.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/257/2019/08/Lake-Tahoe-Basin-Forest-Action-Plan.pdf\">tackled 57,000 acres of fuel reduction around Lake Tahoe, not far from Grizzly Flats\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chief Moore \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYttPaT6a0U\">lauded those efforts around Tahoe during testimony before Congress in March\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\" src=\"https://www.c-span.org/video/standalone/?518626-1/house-hearing-wildfire-management\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Last year, the Caldor Fire in California blew right through scattered small treatments on the Eldorado National Forest,” he testified, “then hit an area of treatment at-scale on the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The work, he said, allowed firefighters to engage with the Caldor Fire and keep it “from burning into South Lake Tahoe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Forest Service repeatedly declined to — or could not — provide basic budget information for the agency’s nationwide wildfire management work, the Pacific Southwest Region and the Eldorado National Forest. The agency also could not provide funding information related to the Trestle Project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In December, CapRadio and the California Newsroom filed a FOIA request for detailed budget information from the Eldorado National Forest, which remains pending.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Forest Service officials described the process of securing funding for specific projects as fluid and sometimes unpredictable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[The] budget is not a one-and-done thing,” said Erin Uloth, Acting Deputy Director of Strategic Planning, Budget, and Accountability for the agency. “It’s a very ongoing, constantly shifting, evolving thing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And since Congress routinely delays funding to the agency — doling out money on an interim basis as politicians in Washington clash over the federal budget — it’s not always clear how much will be available for individual national forests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Forest Service conceded as much in Trestle Project documents: “With several other large-scale projects occurring on the [Eldorado National] Forest, it is unlikely that funding for this project will be prioritized over funding for other projects.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Forest Service estimated timber sales would have covered about 80% of the $1.3 million cost for commercial tree thinning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The real challenge is funding prescribed fires. Setting controlled burns under the Trestle Project would have cost about $3 million, according to project documents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/WCS-CommunicationAid.pdf\">bipartisan infrastructure law signed last year sets aside roughly $3 billion\u003c/a> over five years for restoring ecosystems and fuels reduction. Chief Moore called it “a shot in the arm” for future forest management projects, but said more money is required to tackle the work needed across the Western U.S. The Inflation Reduction Act plans to provide $1.8 billion to the Forest Service for hazardous fuels reduction projects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The money can’t come soon enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As former district ranger Nelson put it, the agency’s inability to get work done isn’t isolated to the Trestle Project and Grizzly Flats. Across the increasingly dry and fire-prone West, he said, the Forest Service has “over-promised and under-delivered on fire mitigation — work that could have changed fire behavior on these landscapes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Climate and crews\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Forest Service employees call them “Goldilocks days” — the brief window when weather, moisture levels, personnel demands and air quality all line up so prescribed burns can be done safely. Those days are becoming increasingly rare as hotter temperatures, severe drought and erratic weather patterns become facts of everyday life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rogers, the current Placerville district ranger, said his unit had a prescribed burn planned for spring of 2021, months before the Caldor Fire ignited.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We had to cancel because conditions just weren’t quite right,” he said. “The historic drought conditions really cannot be overstated.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even Goldilocks days come with an asterisk. Concerns over escaped prescribed fires have also stymied plans. \u003ca href=\"https://www.fs.usda.gov/inside-fs/leadership/chiefs-desk-reviewing-our-prescribed-fire-program\">Less than 1% of prescribed burns get out of control\u003c/a>, according to the Forest Service. But the ones that do can be devastating, creating PR nightmares and souring public support for this increasingly essential method of fuel reduction. Most recently, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/21/us/new-mexico-wildfire-forest-service.html\">the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire in New Mexico, which destroyed hundreds of homes\u003c/a>, started after two Forest Service prescribed fires escaped.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prescribed burns run amok can cause risk-aversion within the agency — from district rangers all the way to the top. Forest Service Chief Moore announced \u003ca href=\"https://www.fs.usda.gov/news/releases/statement-forest-service-chief-randy-moore-announcing-pause-prescribed-fire\">separate agency-wide prescribed burn suspensions this year\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/08/09/1026137249/with-extreme-fires-burning-forest-service-stops-good-fires-too\">last year\u003c/a>. Before Moore stepped in as chief, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-wildfires/trump-administration-halts-wildfire-prevention-tool-in-california-over-coronavirus-idUSKCN21X1HD\">Trump administration had suspended the practice in California\u003c/a> in 2020.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moore said this year’s pause only impacted “about 10%” of the agency’s planned prescribed burns, since most are done in the fall and early spring. But \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/07/03/1108748259/ecologists-wildfire-plans-climate-change\">many prescribed-fire experts say\u003c/a> the \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/lenyaqd/status/1528010302834413568?s=20&t=qpZlp7ORP7OLoyaWJ6nZow\">move is a dangerous step backward\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then there’s the staffing problem. Setting and managing a prescribed fire requires a lot of personnel. Longer and more extreme fire seasons mean crews ping-pong from district to district and fire to fire, often remaining on the frontlines for weeks at a time with no break. That prevents them from managing prescribed burns and tackling other vegetation reduction projects in their home districts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Forest Service struggles to retain staff due to the untenable stress of working extreme fires and stagnant pay. President Biden vowed to improve firefighter wages, but \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/06/11/1103982837/federal-firefighters-waiting-for-pay-raises-they-hope-will-help-fill-their-ranks\">getting money to people on the frontlines has been a slow process\u003c/a>. After a time-consuming analysis of which regions struggled most with high vacancy rates, \u003ca href=\"https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/interagency-faqs.pdf\">the federal government concluded\u003c/a> “it is difficult to recruit or retain wildland firefighters in every geographic area.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lawmakers and labor unions are pushing the Forest Service to get the money out the door quickly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Employees are living in their trucks, vans, hammocks, or are ‘couch-surfing’ while working for the Forest Service,” wrote Randy Erwin, National President of the National Federation of Federal Employees, \u003ca href=\"https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/interagency-faqs.pdf\">in a recent letter to the heads of the USDA and the Forest Service\u003c/a>. “This is most often not by choice but out of necessity.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘We did our job’\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The day after Grizzly Flats burned, in August of 2021, former district ranger Duane Nelson had a call to make.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He had moved to southwestern Colorado after retiring from the Forest Service. He watched from afar as the Caldor Fire barreled through the Trestle Project area, leveled Grizzly Flats and then took off across the Eldorado National Forest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was hugely frustrating,” he said. “My entire ranger district basically burned up.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Frustration quickly gave way to anguish. Standing in a grocery store parking lot as shopping carts rattled by, Nelson dialed a close friend he hadn’t seen in years — Mark Almer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“All I could say to him before I started crying was, ‘Mark, I’m so sorry,’” Nelson said. “Because I felt like we had not done all that we had hoped.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The two men had worked for years toward the same goal — protecting Grizzly Flats — on opposite sides of the Forest Service boundary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922603\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/POSTOFFICEBQ3A8073.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922603\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/POSTOFFICEBQ3A8073-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"An American flag flies atop a sliver pole at the corner of a cement pad covered by burnt and rusted metal. A row of burnt trees are in the background. \" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/POSTOFFICEBQ3A8073-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/POSTOFFICEBQ3A8073-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/POSTOFFICEBQ3A8073-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/POSTOFFICEBQ3A8073-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/POSTOFFICEBQ3A8073-1920x1281.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/POSTOFFICEBQ3A8073.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nearly a year after the Caldor Fire, the Grizzly Flats Post Office remains a rubble pile, Aug. 4, 2022. \u003ccite>(Andrew Nixon/CapRadio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Nelson said he’s still processing the tragedy of the Caldor Fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m not going to say I felt guilt,” he said. “We had done a lot of work trying to make that area as resilient to fire as possible. But what I did feel was remorse.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Almer placed no blame on Nelson or the Forest Service for the devastation of the Caldor Fire. He gave them credit for at least drawing up a plan to protect the community, even if the Trestle Project fell years behind schedule.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re neighbors, and neighbors take care of each other,” he said. “But sometimes, the best intentions don’t happen quickly.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the fire safe council’s efforts didn’t prevent the Caldor Fire from destroying most of Grizzly Flats, Almer views their work as a success.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If everybody got out of here alive, then we did our job,” said Almer, noting that residents safely evacuated along routes cleared by the council. “People can rebuild — people can replace their stuff. But you can’t replace somebody’s life.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wara, the Stanford climate policy expert, marveled at the council’s dedication and handiwork after a recent trip to Grizzly Flats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was driving those roads and said, how did no one get killed in this fire?” he recalled. “How is it that everyone got out? And the answer is, the community invested.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922604\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 480px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/EVACUTATIONNOTEPHOTOIMG_6314-e1660605153170.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11922604\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/EVACUTATIONNOTEPHOTOIMG_6314-e1660605153170.jpg\" alt='A white piece of paper taped on a door reads: \"Evacuated 8-16, 22:18 hours.' width=\"480\" height=\"390\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/EVACUTATIONNOTEPHOTOIMG_6314-e1660605153170.jpg 480w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/EVACUTATIONNOTEPHOTOIMG_6314-e1660605153170-160x130.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A note Mark Almer left taped to the front door of his home on Aug. 16, 2021. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Mark Almer)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Almer’s home survived a flurry of embers, some the size of baseballs. He spent 12 weeks in a Sacramento hotel with his wife and six cats, waiting to return to a barely recognizable neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Others in the community, including residents who lost everything in the fire, are more critical of the Forest Service. In interviews, some laid blame at the agency’s feet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They did predict it, and they knew it was going to happen,” said Grant Ingram, a retired firefighter who now owns a fire-mapping business. The local fire district commissioned him to examine what happened before, during and after the Caldor Fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If it’s predictable,” he added, “it’s preventable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Uncertain future\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Today, Grizzly Flats is stuck in a negotiation between devastation and recovery. One of the only green trees left in town isn’t a tree at all. It’s a rehabbed cell tower, covered with fake green boughs, across the street from where the Community Church once stood. The tower’s vibrant color contrasts with the remaining real trees, all of them burned like a forest of spent match sticks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Up the road, a confused twister of scorched mail carts and collapsed P.O. boxes is all that’s left of the post office. An American flag flies above the rubble. In the parking lot, a couple of charred four-by-fours support a blackened crossbeam — the only remnants of the community bulletin board built by the Grizzly Flats Fire Safe Council over a decade ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While a few wood frames have gone up where homes once stood, it’s unclear how many Caldor Fire survivors will return to Grizzly Flats. Many are looking at homes elsewhere, ready for a new beginning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kathy Melvin, the longtime fire safe council member, lost her home. She recently purchased a new one in the suburbs of Sacramento. She’s holding onto her land in Grizzly Flats, maybe for her children to rebuild one day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922635\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZBQ3A8301.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922635\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZBQ3A8301-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A man with light skin, black hair and a black beard sits on the foundation of a home being built. He's sitting in a doorway, framed walls rising beside him. He's wearing a blue short-sleeved shirt with narrow white stripes and blue jeans. \" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZBQ3A8301-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZBQ3A8301-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZBQ3A8301-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZBQ3A8301-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZBQ3A8301-1920x1281.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZBQ3A8301.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Victor Diaz sits on the foundation of the new home he is building to replace his home lost in the Caldor Fire, Aug. 4, 2022. \u003ccite>(Andrew Nixon/CapRadio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Victor Diaz, who escaped with his wife and six kids after Almer called and told him to evacuate, also lost his house. The entire family has been living in an RV since winter, next to where their new home is being built.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922611\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZFAMILYBQ3A8203.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922611\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZFAMILYBQ3A8203-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A man and his wife with their six children and in front of an RV where they live. The family has light brown skin and dark hair. The children range in age from 5 to 11. They wear jeans with t-shirts in blue, white, or pink.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZFAMILYBQ3A8203-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZFAMILYBQ3A8203-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZFAMILYBQ3A8203-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZFAMILYBQ3A8203-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZFAMILYBQ3A8203-1920x1281.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZFAMILYBQ3A8203.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Victor Diaz and his wife, Safiro, pose with their children (left to right), Anna, 5; Gabriel, 6; Esteban, 8; Adaia, 13; Daila, 11; and Sofia, 2, outside their RV they all share as a home, Aug. 4, 2022. \u003ccite>(Andrew Nixon/CapRadio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On a warm afternoon in late July, Almer stood on his fire-resilient deck and talked about a bright future for his town — even if it’s a distant one. He’s continuing to lead the fire safe council. And he’s optimistic that Grizzly Flats will eventually get a new community center; \u003ca href=\"https://eldoradocf.org\">the nonprofit El Dorado Community Foundation\u003c/a> has already raised at least a quarter million dollars toward the effort.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The community will never look the way it did before the fire in our lifetime,” he said. “We know that the community will come back — how quickly and in what form, we’re not quite sure.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922612\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/REBUILTBQ3A8440.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922612\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/REBUILTBQ3A8440-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A view through a window from inside a home being built. The view shows a tent in the foreground and a trailer in the background, with burnt trees and patches of green growing from the burnt ground.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/REBUILTBQ3A8440-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/REBUILTBQ3A8440-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/REBUILTBQ3A8440-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/REBUILTBQ3A8440-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/REBUILTBQ3A8440-1920x1281.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/REBUILTBQ3A8440.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A tent and RV can be seen from a home being rebuilt after the Caldor Fire, Aug. 4, 2022. \u003ccite>(Andrew Nixon/CapRadio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Almer has already started the rebuilding process, fixing the things within his reach. He replaced the wood fence along his property that burned in the fire and the storage unit that holds cords of wood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But some things he won’t replace. Pointing down at his deck, he called attention to several dark spots caused by scorching embers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have spare pieces of decking,” he said. “I haven’t wanted to change it out, because it’s a reminder how fortunate we are.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The California Newsroom is a collaboration of California public radio stations, NPR and CalMatters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "A nine-month investigation by CapRadio and The California Newsroom, a public media collaboration, found that the Forest Service's plan to protect Grizzly Flats fell far short.\r\n",
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"title": "Stalled US Forest Service Project Could Have Protected California Town From Caldor Fire Destruction | KQED",
"description": "A nine-month investigation by CapRadio and The California Newsroom, a public media collaboration, found that the Forest Service's plan to protect Grizzly Flats fell far short.\r\n",
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"headline": "Stalled US Forest Service Project Could Have Protected California Town From Caldor Fire Destruction",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Before the Caldor Fire sparked one year ago this week — before its 150-foot flames devoured century-old ponderosa pines in California’s Sierra Nevada, and before it destroyed more than 400 of the 600 homes in Grizzly Flats — Mark Almer had a plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The 60-year-old retired fire inspector had spent over a decade fireproofing his Grizzly Flats home, trading wood deck boards for composite material and replacing traditional siding with a protective cement shell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Hardening the home is huge,” he said. “But it’s just one piece of the puzzle.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Almer had an even bigger plan to protect his community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For more than a decade, he’s led the Grizzly Flats Fire Safe Council, a group of two-dozen volunteers that raised money for wildfire mitigation projects, educated the town’s roughly 1,400 residents about defensible space and regularly gathered local, state and federal fire officials to help improve their fire response plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Caldor Fire would be the council’s ultimate test.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922564\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/ALMERBQ3A8396.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922564\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/ALMERBQ3A8396-800x534.jpg\" alt='A man with pale skin wearing a light sage t-shirt and SF Giants ball cap stands in front of a light blue home with white painted wood railing and steps leading to the front door. A round logo on his shirt reads \"hashtag Grizzly Flats Strong\" over an image of trees and a mountain.' width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/ALMERBQ3A8396-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/ALMERBQ3A8396-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/ALMERBQ3A8396-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/ALMERBQ3A8396-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/ALMERBQ3A8396-1920x1281.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/ALMERBQ3A8396.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mark Almer poses outside his Grizzly Flats home on Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. \u003ccite>(Andrew Nixon/CapRadio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On August 16, 2021, two days after the fire ignited, gusty winds pushed the flames out like billowing sails, spreading across thousands of acres overloaded with shrubs and trees in the neighboring Eldorado National Forest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Almer and his wife didn’t grab much on their way out the door. Their six cats, corralled into six crates, took up most of the car space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He was more concerned about making sure everyone else in the community got out safely. Before the official evacuation order came, Almer called his next door neighbor, Victor Diaz.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I thought we still had time,” Diaz said in a recent interview.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Almer’s voice indicated otherwise. An even-keeled speaker with a clean vocabulary, Almer barked his warning with a rare four-letter word that Diaz declined to repeat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You need to get the beep out,” Diaz recalled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922598\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-scaled.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922598\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-800x600.jpeg\" alt=\"Dark orange and red glow through the silhouette of burnt trees and branches. Yellow and white flames are visible on a distant ridge through the forest, with white hotspots in the foreground.\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-800x600.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-1020x765.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-160x120.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-1920x1440.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Caldor Fire burns south of Grizzly Flats on Aug. 15, 2021. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Eric Henton)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Diaz, his wife, their six kids and the family dog raced down Grizzly Flat Road in a two-car caravan, leaving behind the fire’s red glow and the home they’d never see again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many residents knew this day might come. At a community meeting in the early 2000s, the U.S. Forest Service, with chilling foresight, had warned that a wildfire mirroring the Caldor Fire’s burn progression could easily wipe Grizzly Flats off the map.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the years that followed, the Forest Service took steps to prevent such a catastrophe. But a nine-month investigation by CapRadio and The California Newsroom, a public media collaboration, found that the Forest Service’s plan to protect Grizzly Flats fell far short:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>After the community meeting, the Forest Service took a decade to announce a comprehensive 15,000-acre forest management and fire mitigation plan, called the Trestle Forest Health Project. It aimed to “reduce the threat of large high intensity wildfire and threats to Grizzly Flat[s]” and other nearby landowners by removing excess brush and vegetation that fuel increasingly devastating wildfires, according to project documents.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>The Forest Service originally committed to finishing the Trestle Project by 2020 — a year before the Caldor Fire would later ignite. Due to a complex web of regulatory delays, logistical challenges and resource shortages, the agency pushed back the completion date to as late as 2032 — three decades after its initial warning to Grizzly Flats.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>The Forest Service’s data overstated Trestle Project accomplishments, claiming the agency completed work on at least 24% of the project before the Caldor Fire. \u003ca href=\"https://www.capradio.org/grizzly-flats-methodology\">Original analysis of corrected Forest Service data provided by the agency shows only 14% completion\u003c/a>. The agency confirmed the inaccurate information had been online for more than a month; it updated its database less than a week before publication of this story.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>The corrected data also suggests that in the decade-and-a-half leading up to the Caldor Fire, the Forest Service completed 15,000 acres of fuel reduction work within a five-mile buffer around Grizzly Flats — coincidentally, the same number of planned acres in the Trestle Project. However, the actual coverage of that work was limited to 5,800 acres because of the agency’s decades-long and highly criticized practice of counting repeat treatments on the same parcel. Furthermore, the majority of that work occurred several miles from the town’s border.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>The Forest Service failed to complete sections of the Trestle Project along the southern border of Grizzly Flats, identified as “first priority” due to the area’s susceptibility to wildfire. Instead, the agency prioritized removing trees — often far from the town’s borders and not a part of the “first priority” area — that generate revenue.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Despite more than five requests, the Forest Service failed to provide complete data on its national wildland fire management budget, citing a recent data transfer in which it lost some information from the past two decades. The agency also could not provide similar budget information at the regional and forest level, saying numerous changes to the budget structure and process over the last 20 years made retrieving the data especially difficult and would render any analysis “incomparable.”\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://projects.capradio.org/grizzly-flats-forest-management\" style=\"border: 0px #FFFFFF none;\" name=\"myiFrame\" scrolling=\"no\" marginheight=\"0px\" marginwidth=\"0px\" allowfullscreen width=\"100%\" height=\"700px\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Agency leaders say a slew of hurdles stood in the way of the project’s completion: limited funding, pushback from environmentalists and fewer opportunities to complete essential prescribed burns due to staff shortages and climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am committed to doing everything I possibly can to mitigate [wildfire risks] on our landscapes,” said Forest Service Chief Randy Moore in an interview.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When asked if his agency bears any responsibility for the devastation in Grizzly Flats as a result of the stalled Trestle Project, he cited financial constraints.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I mean, do[es] anybody bear any responsibility for not having the budget to do the work that we need to do?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/r5/home/?cid=stelprdb5289758&width=full\">The Eldorado National Forest falls under the Forest Service’s Pacific Southwest Region\u003c/a>, which Moore led from 2007 to July 2021, when he was appointed chief by President Joe Biden’s administration. He assumed office just a few weeks before the Caldor Fire ignited. Moore declined multiple opportunities to say whether completing the Trestle Project would have resulted in a different outcome in Grizzly Flats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922570\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/MOORE51419974631_abd86cdfe9_o-scaled-e1660598505892.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922570\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/MOORE51419974631_abd86cdfe9_o-scaled-e1660598505892-800x752.jpg\" alt=\"An image of a man with coffee skin and short-cropped hair, wearing a black uniform with a forest service patch on the arm, in front of an American flag and a U.S. Forest Service flag. The first service flag is dark green with an orange logo .\" width=\"800\" height=\"752\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/MOORE51419974631_abd86cdfe9_o-scaled-e1660598505892-800x752.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/MOORE51419974631_abd86cdfe9_o-scaled-e1660598505892-1020x959.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/MOORE51419974631_abd86cdfe9_o-scaled-e1660598505892-160x150.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/MOORE51419974631_abd86cdfe9_o-scaled-e1660598505892-1536x1445.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/MOORE51419974631_abd86cdfe9_o-scaled-e1660598505892-1920x1806.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/MOORE51419974631_abd86cdfe9_o-scaled-e1660598505892.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Chief Randy Moore on Aug. 25, 2021. \u003ccite>(Tom Witham/USDA)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I’m not really sure why we keep talking about that question,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After reviewing this investigation’s findings, a dozen sources — including wildfire experts, career firefighters, former Forest Service officials and residents — said they believe Grizzly Flats would have stood a better chance of surviving the Caldor Fire if the Trestle Project had been completed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the sources was one of the project’s key architects, former Eldorado National Forest District Ranger Duane Nelson.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There would have been a very high probability that Grizzly Flats would not have burned in the Caldor Fire” if the Forest Service completed the Trestle Project, Nelson, 67, said in an interview. “It could’ve meant survival.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>An early warning\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>On a chilly day this past March, Almer sat in his idling white Toyota Tundra pickup next to where the Grizzly Flats Community Church once stood. The small yellow chapel bordered by white picket fencing had vanished, along with most of the community, in the Caldor Fire’s wake. From the driver’s seat, Almer observed rows of charred metal chairs facing an absent pulpit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s kind of eerie,” he remarked, “as if they were still ready to accept parishioners.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922572\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Community-Church-After-Fire-scaled.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922572\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Community-Church-After-Fire-800x360.jpg\" alt=\"A burnt tree trunk lies crossways over the image on a forest floor white with ash. In the background, tall burnt tree trunks and branches spread across the image.\" width=\"800\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Community-Church-After-Fire-800x360.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Community-Church-After-Fire-1020x459.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Community-Church-After-Fire-160x72.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Community-Church-After-Fire-1536x692.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Community-Church-After-Fire-2048x922.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Community-Church-After-Fire-1920x865.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The remains of the Grizzly Flats Community Church after the Caldor Fire, Sept. 2021. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Bill Brown)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The church is where local Forest Service officials, in the early 2000s, held their town meeting to warn residents about wildfires. Grizzly Flats is surrounded on three sides by the Eldorado National Forest; the agency acknowledged that a devastating fire would likely rip across federal land before reaching town. Using a PowerPoint to show fire modeling scenarios, they gamed out all the ways Grizzly Flats could go up in smoke.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was important for us to start talking to people and make sure that they had the information that we had about what our models were showing,” said Kathy Hardy, a former district ranger who attended the meeting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One scenario showed what would happen if the fire started a few miles south of town in the Eldorado National Forest, close to where the Caldor Fire would ignite years later.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The modeling said that it would take out Grizzly Flats within about 24 hours,” Almer recently recalled. “Well, 20 years later, that’s pretty much exactly what happened.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Forest Service has not provided records related to the meeting in response to a Freedom of Information Act request filed in December 2021.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Forest Service officials flipped through presentation slides, residents shifted uncomfortably in their metal chairs. This was a town that had just installed its first all-way stop sign. The Grizzly Pines School had recently earned a Distinguished School Award from the California Department of Education despite having only 36 students. The place, in many ways, was idyllic — so remotely located and so small that it had no grocery store, no gas station, no diner, not even a local bar. Now, the Forest Service was telling them, with data to back it up, that their town and their lives sat in Mother Nature’s crosshairs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"mceTemp\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922588\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/WALTERTYLERDSCF2225.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922588\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/WALTERTYLERDSCF2225-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A huge heap of burnt metal, pipes and ashy detritus fill the foreground, with a pocket of flames still burning. In the background is the metal scaffolding of a children's playground with slide and swingset. In the far left background are some ashy green trees.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/WALTERTYLERDSCF2225-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/WALTERTYLERDSCF2225-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/WALTERTYLERDSCF2225-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/WALTERTYLERDSCF2225-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/WALTERTYLERDSCF2225-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/WALTERTYLERDSCF2225.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A gas leak burns the day after the Caldor Fire hit Walter Tyler Elementary School in Grizzly Flats, Aug. 17, 2021. \u003ccite>(Andrew Nixon/CapRadio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Two fire plans, two timelines\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Grizzly Flats wasn’t the only town in peril. For years, the federal government had been wringing its hands over the nation’s growing wildfire crisis. \u003ca href=\"https://www.nifc.gov/fire-information/statistics/wildfires\">In 2000, wildfires burned over 7 million acres across the country\u003c/a> — a stunning total at the time, and a harbinger for even worse years to come.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior — the agencies that managed much of the land that had been scorched — developed a \u003ca href=\"https://www.fs.fed.us/database/budgetoffice/NFP_final32601.pdf\">National Fire Plan\u003c/a>. It emphasized forest management and fuel reduction as key preventive measures. Methods traditionally used by the federal government include commercial thinning (cutting some trees to be sold as timber or wood pellets), removing brush with heavy machinery (a process known as mastication), and prescribed burning (intentionally setting lower-intensity fires that benefit the landscape).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To figure out where to put its resources, the Forest Service — which operates under the USDA — helped compile \u003ca href=\"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2001/08/17/01-20592/urban-wildland-interface-communities-within-the-vicinity-of-federal-lands-that-are-at-high-risk-from#citation-1-p43384\">a list of communities nationwide at “high risk from wildfire.”\u003c/a> It included thousands of communities, identified primarily for being in the “wildland-urban interface” or WUI, a term used to describe the intersection of developed land and the natural environment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Buried on the list was “Grizzly Flat.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>(The town, throughout history, has been referred to as “Grizzly Flat” and “Grizzly Flats.” The latter is more common.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shortly after the Forest Service’s cautionary meeting at the local church, Almer and two-dozen other residents formed the Grizzly Flats Fire Safe Council. They set up an informational phone line, installed a nine-foot community bulletin board at the post office and started an adopt-a-hydrant program, which got residents to shovel out hydrants after snowstorms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922590\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GFFSC-BBQ-2018.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922590\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GFFSC-BBQ-2018-800x533.jpeg\" alt=\"People sit eating and talking at long tables covered with red or orange tablecloths. Strings of lights are overhead, with dark green trees in the background. Vases of fresh orange, yellow and white flowers adorn the tables.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GFFSC-BBQ-2018-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GFFSC-BBQ-2018-1020x680.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GFFSC-BBQ-2018-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GFFSC-BBQ-2018-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GFFSC-BBQ-2018.jpeg 1824w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Grizzly Flats Fire Safe Council holds its 14th annual barbecue, July 21, 2018. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Grizzly Flats Fire Safe Council)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The council served as an essential community thread in the simple quilt of Grizzly Flats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There was no government, there was no mayor,” said Kathy Melvin, 78, who joined the council in 2007. “There was just the fire safe council, the church and the school. Everything kind of revolved around those entities because we didn’t have anything else.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Within a couple years of its founding, the council commissioned its own community wildfire protection plan. The 74-page document laid out plans to clear evacuation routes and assist residents with defensible space around homes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also proposed a series of fuel-reduction projects, including an ambitious “shaded fuel break” in the shape of a horseshoe around Grizzly Flats. Shaded fuel breaks remove ground vegetation to reduce wildfire intensity and provide a staging area for firefighters. The horseshoe covered the east, north and west sides of town; the community was banking on the Forest Service to tackle fuel reduction work along the southern border to complete the protective buffer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922589\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 631px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/2006-GFFSC-shaded-fuel-break-plan.png\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11922589\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/2006-GFFSC-shaded-fuel-break-plan.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"631\" height=\"466\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/2006-GFFSC-shaded-fuel-break-plan.png 631w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/2006-GFFSC-shaded-fuel-break-plan-160x118.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 631px) 100vw, 631px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A 2006 map of the Grizzly Flats Fire Safe Council’s planned fuel breaks around three sides of the community. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Grizzly Flats Fire Safe Council)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The plan would cost millions of dollars, and the council raised money however it could. An area couple hosted 150 people at their home for a wine tasting under paper lanterns and summer stars. The council held annual barbecues. What money it couldn’t raise, it made up for with grants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The efforts paid off. Over the next 15 years, the fire safe council cleared more than 1,500 acres of fire-prone vegetation around town, completing almost all of the horseshoe fuel break at a cost of nearly $2 million. \u003ca href=\"https://www.iafc.org/press-releases/press-release/partnership-announces-2018-wildfire-mitigation-awardees\">The council even earned national recognition for its productivity and wildfire mitigation work\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GFFSC-BBQ-2018.jpeg\"> \u003c/a>Meanwhile, most of the Forest Service land to the south of Grizzly Flats remained dense and overgrown — a reminder to residents that their community was dangerously exposed.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘Big, hairy, audacious goal’\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>As a district ranger in the Eldorado National Forest, Duane Nelson started each day with a clean, pressed uniform and aimed to clock out with dirty shirtsleeves and muddy boots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I wasn’t going to just be a ranger sitting in the office behind a computer all the time,” he said. “I made a promise to myself that I would be out looking at projects, checking up on crews or going by fire stations.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "‘We needed to reverse this massive fuels accumulation that had developed over 100 years of overly aggressive fire suppression.’",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>His 38-year career in the Forest Service can be traced to a childhood vacation to the Rocky Mountains. Sitting in the back of his family’s faux wood-paneled Ford Country Squire, he watched hours of hypnotic prairielands roll by. All of a sudden, purple mountaintops pierced the horizon, surrounded by timber canyons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s an image that’s been in my head ever since,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nelson earned a degree in forestry and left his Midwest roots behind, preferring the mountains and conifer forests of Northern California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When he took over as the Eldorado National Forest’s Placerville District Ranger in 2007, he didn’t like what he saw. The majority of his district was dense, dry and prone to catastrophic wildfires — especially around Grizzly Flats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few years before Nelson arrived, the district had thinned and burned 1,000 acres to the south of Grizzly Flats, including areas along the town’s southern border. But other fuel reduction efforts were scattered and piecemeal, often deep in woods and miles from town.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So Nelson devised what he called a “big, hairy, audacious goal.” He wanted to reduce forest congestion across his entire district.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922592\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Nelson_2.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922592\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Nelson_2-800x600.jpg\" alt=\"A man with pale skin wearing a white hardhat, yellow shirt and black pants stands on a cleared area of soil and green grasses, with trees and white smoke in the background. He carries a map and wears a pack at the small of his back and a walkie talkie in front.\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Nelson_2-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Nelson_2-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Nelson_2-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Nelson_2.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Duane Nelson, former Placerville district ranger, during an annual live fire training in the late 2000s near Grizzly Flats. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Duane Nelson)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To do that, he said, “We needed to reverse this massive fuels accumulation that had developed over 100 years of overly aggressive fire suppression.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before the advent of modern firefighting, naturally occurring fires served the important role of balancing ecosystems and preventing the accumulation of fuels. For millennia, indigenous communities set fire to forests and wildlands for a variety of reasons, including hunting and cultural practices, which also kept the land in check. But according to fire ecologists and historians, the federal government’s century-long practice of snuffing out every wildfire, instead of letting them perform their natural role on the landscape, has left forests overloaded. Combined with hotter, drier conditions caused by climate change, the heavy fuel loads are spurring bigger, more destructive blazes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nelson helped devise the Trestle Project as a big step toward his goal. It would create a miles-wide fuel reduction buffer east and south of Grizzly Flats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the Forest Service finally announced the project in 2013, the agency sent a letter to residents describing 16,000 acres of planned work. (A miscalculation led to the document overstating the work by nearly 1,000 acres. The actual number was just over 15,000.) It laid out an expeditious — and optimistic — timeline. The analysis was supposed to take about a year, with the forest management work scheduled to wrap up by 2020.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Almost immediately the project encountered an onslaught of hurdles and delays.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s sad to think about what could have been,” said Michael Wara, a \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MichaelWWara/status/1541784173047709696?s=20&t=NPO1IzD-aF1yaQXcj4-mFg\">climate policy expert at Stanford University who recently toured Grizzly Flats\u003c/a>. “[If] all this work was done by 2020, Grizzly Flats might still be there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922636\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GATEDSCF2157.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922636\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GATEDSCF2157-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Thick stands of burnt trees with ashen branches line a red dirt road. A metal gate bars the road. White smoke hangs in the air. \" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GATEDSCF2157-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GATEDSCF2157-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GATEDSCF2157-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GATEDSCF2157-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GATEDSCF2157-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GATEDSCF2157.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Grizzly Flats, Aug. 17, 2021. \u003ccite>(Andrew Nixon/CapRadio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘We don’t have that kind of time any longer’\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>One of the most aggressive objections to the Trestle Project came from Chad Hanson, co-founder of the John Muir Project, a nonprofit that aims to protect biodiversity in national forests and fiercely opposes tree removal. One of Hanson’s primary concerns was the spotted owl, which is designated as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a written objection to the Forest Service in 2015, Hanson argued the Trestle Project would “pose a serious and unacceptable threat to owl populations on the Eldorado National Forest.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Elsewhere, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/30/opinion/california-wildfires-oak-fire-yosemite-sequoias.html\">Hanson has argued that commercial tree removal could exacerbate wildfire intensity\u003c/a>. Leading fire scientists have publicly pushed back against a number of Hanson’s claims; \u003ca href=\"https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/fires/article254957722.html\">one expert even called his positions “self-serving garbage.”\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The project’s 296-page environmental impact statement devoted dozens of pages to analyzing potential impacts on the spotted owl. The report also invited public comment that demanded thoroughly researched responses from the Forest Service. The agency developed alternative maps, taking into account spotted owls and sensitive species of frog and trout.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Forest Service also put out other reports, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/22131479-fuels-and-fire-analysis-trestle-forest-health-project\">one that identified a likely ignition point very close to where the Caldor Fire would later start\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the Forest Service spun out reams of paperwork, Almer reminded the agency that Grizzly Flats remained woefully exposed to wildfires that were growing more severe every year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The most aggressive treatment of the [Trestle Project’s] fire fuels is critical to preventing the ‘loss of our community,’” wrote Almer in a 2015 public comment about the project on behalf of the Grizzly Flats Fire Safe Council. “Everything that can be done, must be done.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He followed up this plea with a 2017 letter addressed to Randy Moore, who at the time led the agency’s Pacific Southwest Region.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922594\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Almer-letter-to-Moore-with-page-tear.png\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922594\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Almer-letter-to-Moore-with-page-tear-800x491.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"491\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Almer-letter-to-Moore-with-page-tear-800x491.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Almer-letter-to-Moore-with-page-tear-160x98.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Almer-letter-to-Moore-with-page-tear.png 822w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mark Almer sent a letter to then-regional forester Randy Moore, imploring the Forest Service to quickly and thoroughly tackle the Trestle Project in order to protect Grizzly Flats, May 12, 2017. \u003ccite>(US Forest Service)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Maximum treatment must be given to the defense and threat zones abutting Grizzly Flats … to prevent spot fires from a wildland fire igniting homes within the community,” Almer wrote in his letter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an interview, Moore said he did not recall the letter from Almer. The threat Grizzly Flats faced “is not unique,” he said. “I can tell you that that’s going to be common for a number of communities all across the West.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Forest Service acknowledges that its regulatory approval process for desperately needed forest management projects can be a slog. But trying to streamline it is a delicate balance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Scot Rogers, the current Placerville district ranger, said in an interview, it’s essential that “the American public has an opportunity to engage in the management of their lands.” But, he added, “That doesn’t necessarily mean that we need to get lost in a sea of analysis and unable to actually execute these projects — because we don’t have that kind of time any longer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Trestle Project wasn’t approved until late 2017, more than four years after its announcement and more than a decade after the agency called the initial meeting at the church.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But by that time Duane Nelson, one of the project’s main architects, was gone. Burnout had set in, exacerbated by persistent staffing shortages. Sleepless nights left his nerves shot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If it’s hot, dry and windy, rangers don’t sleep,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nelson retired in early 2017, a year before he’d originally planned. Before submitting his notice, he took a drive through his district, following the backroads that bisected dense tree stands. He wanted to see the condition of the forest before making his official decision. Driving through the Trestle Project area, he envisioned the southern border of Grizzly Flats cleared of brush and returned to something like its natural condition after prescribed burning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We had done a lot of good things,” he said, reflecting on his retirement. “But there was still a lot of work that needed to be done.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Stalled out\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Over the next four years, the Forest Service completed only a fraction of the Trestle Project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It called for fuel reduction across more than 15,000 acres of land around Grizzly Flats, but completed work on just over 2,000 of those acres.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922595\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/CELLBQ3A8103.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922595\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/CELLBQ3A8103-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A cell phone tower is disguised as a tree with green branches of the same length sticking out on all sides. It's the only thing in the landscape that isn't charred and blackened. \" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/CELLBQ3A8103-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/CELLBQ3A8103-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/CELLBQ3A8103-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/CELLBQ3A8103-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/CELLBQ3A8103-1920x1281.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/CELLBQ3A8103.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A cellphone tower disguised as a tree is the only green ‘tree’ near the center of Grizzly Flats, Aug. 4, 2022. \u003ccite>(Andrew Nixon/CapRadio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Prescribed fire, considered crucial by fire scientists, was nowhere to be found. The project called for more than 10,000 acres of intentional low-intensity fire, but the agency only completed 136 acres of “pile burns,” the process of collecting and burning logs and vegetation that is widely considered much less impactful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The agency instead prioritized commercial tree thinning, which generates revenue that offsets costs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Generally, commercial thinning and other treatments designed to reduce fuel loads are a necessary precursor to prescribed fires, according to Rogers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Largely, we’re not going to be able to put fire on the ground before that work is completed,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Trestle Project reports and Forest Service data show the vast majority of the planned prescribed fire was intended as the first treatment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wildfire researchers and former Forest Service officials say it’s disappointing the agency would focus on commercial thinning over other forms of treatment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The evidence that commercial thinning really reduces risk is not that good,” said Wara, the Stanford climate policy expert. “If you thin and then burn in an area, then you get dramatic risk reduction.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, areas adjacent to the community that the Forest Service identified as “first priority” were left untouched and overgrown. One stands out: The highly overgrown — and highly combustible — southern border, which would have dovetailed with the buffer zone that Mark Almer and the Grizzly Flats Fire Safe Council worked on for over a decade.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The part that didn’t get treated was the part we should have been most worried about,” said Hugh Safford, who spent two decades as the Forest Service’s senior ecologist in California before retiring in late 2021.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The steep, dense and dry south-facing terrain made it one of the more complicated parts of the project, but also the most essential, Safford noted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922580\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-2-scaled.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922580\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-2-800x600.jpeg\" alt=\"White-yellow flames and an orange sky show through shadows of burnt trees. The flames and colors and reflected in a stream to the lower left of the image. A dark embankment is in the center right of the image.\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-2-800x600.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-2-1020x765.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-2-160x120.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-2-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-2-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/Flames-Photo-2-1920x1440.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Caldor Fire burns south of Grizzly Flats on Aug. 15, 2021. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Eric Henton)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Melvin, the longtime fire safe council member, lived on the south end of Grizzly Flats and shared a property line with the Forest Service for nearly four decades. Her house was among the first in town to face the Caldor Fire’s wrath.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She took defensible space seriously, clearing shrubs “down to the dirt” before every fire season. By contrast, she said, the nearby Forest Service land remained overgrown with trees, brush and highly flammable mountain misery shrubs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Melvin kept her expectations about the Trestle Project in check.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The history of the Forest Service, in the time that we lived there, was that everything took forever,” she said. “I wish they had done more.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>No money, no mitigation\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In a series of interviews, Forest Service officials offered an array of reasons why efforts like the Trestle Project face delays and are sometimes not completed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the top of the list: money.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Let’s not make any bones about this,” said Chief Moore in an interview. “We do not have the funding to do the level of work that needs to be done out there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Compared to the soaring costs of preparing for and fighting wildfire, spending on hazardous fuels reduction has barely increased over the last 15 years when adjusted for inflation, according to incomplete data provided by the agency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That doesn’t mean all projects struggle to secure funding. From 2008 to 2019, a partnership of private organizations and government agencies, including the Forest Service, pulled together $150 million and \u003ca href=\"https://tahoe.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/257/2019/08/Lake-Tahoe-Basin-Forest-Action-Plan.pdf\">tackled 57,000 acres of fuel reduction around Lake Tahoe, not far from Grizzly Flats\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chief Moore \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYttPaT6a0U\">lauded those efforts around Tahoe during testimony before Congress in March\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\" src=\"https://www.c-span.org/video/standalone/?518626-1/house-hearing-wildfire-management\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Last year, the Caldor Fire in California blew right through scattered small treatments on the Eldorado National Forest,” he testified, “then hit an area of treatment at-scale on the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The work, he said, allowed firefighters to engage with the Caldor Fire and keep it “from burning into South Lake Tahoe.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Forest Service repeatedly declined to — or could not — provide basic budget information for the agency’s nationwide wildfire management work, the Pacific Southwest Region and the Eldorado National Forest. The agency also could not provide funding information related to the Trestle Project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In December, CapRadio and the California Newsroom filed a FOIA request for detailed budget information from the Eldorado National Forest, which remains pending.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Forest Service officials described the process of securing funding for specific projects as fluid and sometimes unpredictable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[The] budget is not a one-and-done thing,” said Erin Uloth, Acting Deputy Director of Strategic Planning, Budget, and Accountability for the agency. “It’s a very ongoing, constantly shifting, evolving thing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And since Congress routinely delays funding to the agency — doling out money on an interim basis as politicians in Washington clash over the federal budget — it’s not always clear how much will be available for individual national forests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Forest Service conceded as much in Trestle Project documents: “With several other large-scale projects occurring on the [Eldorado National] Forest, it is unlikely that funding for this project will be prioritized over funding for other projects.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Forest Service estimated timber sales would have covered about 80% of the $1.3 million cost for commercial tree thinning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The real challenge is funding prescribed fires. Setting controlled burns under the Trestle Project would have cost about $3 million, according to project documents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/WCS-CommunicationAid.pdf\">bipartisan infrastructure law signed last year sets aside roughly $3 billion\u003c/a> over five years for restoring ecosystems and fuels reduction. Chief Moore called it “a shot in the arm” for future forest management projects, but said more money is required to tackle the work needed across the Western U.S. The Inflation Reduction Act plans to provide $1.8 billion to the Forest Service for hazardous fuels reduction projects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The money can’t come soon enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As former district ranger Nelson put it, the agency’s inability to get work done isn’t isolated to the Trestle Project and Grizzly Flats. Across the increasingly dry and fire-prone West, he said, the Forest Service has “over-promised and under-delivered on fire mitigation — work that could have changed fire behavior on these landscapes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Climate and crews\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Forest Service employees call them “Goldilocks days” — the brief window when weather, moisture levels, personnel demands and air quality all line up so prescribed burns can be done safely. Those days are becoming increasingly rare as hotter temperatures, severe drought and erratic weather patterns become facts of everyday life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rogers, the current Placerville district ranger, said his unit had a prescribed burn planned for spring of 2021, months before the Caldor Fire ignited.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We had to cancel because conditions just weren’t quite right,” he said. “The historic drought conditions really cannot be overstated.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even Goldilocks days come with an asterisk. Concerns over escaped prescribed fires have also stymied plans. \u003ca href=\"https://www.fs.usda.gov/inside-fs/leadership/chiefs-desk-reviewing-our-prescribed-fire-program\">Less than 1% of prescribed burns get out of control\u003c/a>, according to the Forest Service. But the ones that do can be devastating, creating PR nightmares and souring public support for this increasingly essential method of fuel reduction. Most recently, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/21/us/new-mexico-wildfire-forest-service.html\">the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire in New Mexico, which destroyed hundreds of homes\u003c/a>, started after two Forest Service prescribed fires escaped.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prescribed burns run amok can cause risk-aversion within the agency — from district rangers all the way to the top. Forest Service Chief Moore announced \u003ca href=\"https://www.fs.usda.gov/news/releases/statement-forest-service-chief-randy-moore-announcing-pause-prescribed-fire\">separate agency-wide prescribed burn suspensions this year\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/08/09/1026137249/with-extreme-fires-burning-forest-service-stops-good-fires-too\">last year\u003c/a>. Before Moore stepped in as chief, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-wildfires/trump-administration-halts-wildfire-prevention-tool-in-california-over-coronavirus-idUSKCN21X1HD\">Trump administration had suspended the practice in California\u003c/a> in 2020.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moore said this year’s pause only impacted “about 10%” of the agency’s planned prescribed burns, since most are done in the fall and early spring. But \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/07/03/1108748259/ecologists-wildfire-plans-climate-change\">many prescribed-fire experts say\u003c/a> the \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/lenyaqd/status/1528010302834413568?s=20&t=qpZlp7ORP7OLoyaWJ6nZow\">move is a dangerous step backward\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then there’s the staffing problem. Setting and managing a prescribed fire requires a lot of personnel. Longer and more extreme fire seasons mean crews ping-pong from district to district and fire to fire, often remaining on the frontlines for weeks at a time with no break. That prevents them from managing prescribed burns and tackling other vegetation reduction projects in their home districts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Forest Service struggles to retain staff due to the untenable stress of working extreme fires and stagnant pay. President Biden vowed to improve firefighter wages, but \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/06/11/1103982837/federal-firefighters-waiting-for-pay-raises-they-hope-will-help-fill-their-ranks\">getting money to people on the frontlines has been a slow process\u003c/a>. After a time-consuming analysis of which regions struggled most with high vacancy rates, \u003ca href=\"https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/interagency-faqs.pdf\">the federal government concluded\u003c/a> “it is difficult to recruit or retain wildland firefighters in every geographic area.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lawmakers and labor unions are pushing the Forest Service to get the money out the door quickly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Employees are living in their trucks, vans, hammocks, or are ‘couch-surfing’ while working for the Forest Service,” wrote Randy Erwin, National President of the National Federation of Federal Employees, \u003ca href=\"https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/interagency-faqs.pdf\">in a recent letter to the heads of the USDA and the Forest Service\u003c/a>. “This is most often not by choice but out of necessity.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘We did our job’\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The day after Grizzly Flats burned, in August of 2021, former district ranger Duane Nelson had a call to make.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He had moved to southwestern Colorado after retiring from the Forest Service. He watched from afar as the Caldor Fire barreled through the Trestle Project area, leveled Grizzly Flats and then took off across the Eldorado National Forest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was hugely frustrating,” he said. “My entire ranger district basically burned up.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Frustration quickly gave way to anguish. Standing in a grocery store parking lot as shopping carts rattled by, Nelson dialed a close friend he hadn’t seen in years — Mark Almer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“All I could say to him before I started crying was, ‘Mark, I’m so sorry,’” Nelson said. “Because I felt like we had not done all that we had hoped.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The two men had worked for years toward the same goal — protecting Grizzly Flats — on opposite sides of the Forest Service boundary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922603\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/POSTOFFICEBQ3A8073.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922603\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/POSTOFFICEBQ3A8073-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"An American flag flies atop a sliver pole at the corner of a cement pad covered by burnt and rusted metal. A row of burnt trees are in the background. \" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/POSTOFFICEBQ3A8073-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/POSTOFFICEBQ3A8073-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/POSTOFFICEBQ3A8073-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/POSTOFFICEBQ3A8073-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/POSTOFFICEBQ3A8073-1920x1281.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/POSTOFFICEBQ3A8073.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nearly a year after the Caldor Fire, the Grizzly Flats Post Office remains a rubble pile, Aug. 4, 2022. \u003ccite>(Andrew Nixon/CapRadio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Nelson said he’s still processing the tragedy of the Caldor Fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m not going to say I felt guilt,” he said. “We had done a lot of work trying to make that area as resilient to fire as possible. But what I did feel was remorse.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Almer placed no blame on Nelson or the Forest Service for the devastation of the Caldor Fire. He gave them credit for at least drawing up a plan to protect the community, even if the Trestle Project fell years behind schedule.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re neighbors, and neighbors take care of each other,” he said. “But sometimes, the best intentions don’t happen quickly.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the fire safe council’s efforts didn’t prevent the Caldor Fire from destroying most of Grizzly Flats, Almer views their work as a success.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If everybody got out of here alive, then we did our job,” said Almer, noting that residents safely evacuated along routes cleared by the council. “People can rebuild — people can replace their stuff. But you can’t replace somebody’s life.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wara, the Stanford climate policy expert, marveled at the council’s dedication and handiwork after a recent trip to Grizzly Flats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was driving those roads and said, how did no one get killed in this fire?” he recalled. “How is it that everyone got out? And the answer is, the community invested.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922604\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 480px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/EVACUTATIONNOTEPHOTOIMG_6314-e1660605153170.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11922604\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/EVACUTATIONNOTEPHOTOIMG_6314-e1660605153170.jpg\" alt='A white piece of paper taped on a door reads: \"Evacuated 8-16, 22:18 hours.' width=\"480\" height=\"390\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/EVACUTATIONNOTEPHOTOIMG_6314-e1660605153170.jpg 480w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/EVACUTATIONNOTEPHOTOIMG_6314-e1660605153170-160x130.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A note Mark Almer left taped to the front door of his home on Aug. 16, 2021. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Mark Almer)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Almer’s home survived a flurry of embers, some the size of baseballs. He spent 12 weeks in a Sacramento hotel with his wife and six cats, waiting to return to a barely recognizable neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Others in the community, including residents who lost everything in the fire, are more critical of the Forest Service. In interviews, some laid blame at the agency’s feet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They did predict it, and they knew it was going to happen,” said Grant Ingram, a retired firefighter who now owns a fire-mapping business. The local fire district commissioned him to examine what happened before, during and after the Caldor Fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If it’s predictable,” he added, “it’s preventable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Uncertain future\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Today, Grizzly Flats is stuck in a negotiation between devastation and recovery. One of the only green trees left in town isn’t a tree at all. It’s a rehabbed cell tower, covered with fake green boughs, across the street from where the Community Church once stood. The tower’s vibrant color contrasts with the remaining real trees, all of them burned like a forest of spent match sticks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Up the road, a confused twister of scorched mail carts and collapsed P.O. boxes is all that’s left of the post office. An American flag flies above the rubble. In the parking lot, a couple of charred four-by-fours support a blackened crossbeam — the only remnants of the community bulletin board built by the Grizzly Flats Fire Safe Council over a decade ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While a few wood frames have gone up where homes once stood, it’s unclear how many Caldor Fire survivors will return to Grizzly Flats. Many are looking at homes elsewhere, ready for a new beginning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kathy Melvin, the longtime fire safe council member, lost her home. She recently purchased a new one in the suburbs of Sacramento. She’s holding onto her land in Grizzly Flats, maybe for her children to rebuild one day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922635\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZBQ3A8301.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922635\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZBQ3A8301-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A man with light skin, black hair and a black beard sits on the foundation of a home being built. He's sitting in a doorway, framed walls rising beside him. He's wearing a blue short-sleeved shirt with narrow white stripes and blue jeans. \" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZBQ3A8301-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZBQ3A8301-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZBQ3A8301-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZBQ3A8301-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZBQ3A8301-1920x1281.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZBQ3A8301.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Victor Diaz sits on the foundation of the new home he is building to replace his home lost in the Caldor Fire, Aug. 4, 2022. \u003ccite>(Andrew Nixon/CapRadio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Victor Diaz, who escaped with his wife and six kids after Almer called and told him to evacuate, also lost his house. The entire family has been living in an RV since winter, next to where their new home is being built.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922611\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZFAMILYBQ3A8203.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922611\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZFAMILYBQ3A8203-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A man and his wife with their six children and in front of an RV where they live. The family has light brown skin and dark hair. The children range in age from 5 to 11. They wear jeans with t-shirts in blue, white, or pink.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZFAMILYBQ3A8203-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZFAMILYBQ3A8203-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZFAMILYBQ3A8203-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZFAMILYBQ3A8203-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZFAMILYBQ3A8203-1920x1281.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/DIAZFAMILYBQ3A8203.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Victor Diaz and his wife, Safiro, pose with their children (left to right), Anna, 5; Gabriel, 6; Esteban, 8; Adaia, 13; Daila, 11; and Sofia, 2, outside their RV they all share as a home, Aug. 4, 2022. \u003ccite>(Andrew Nixon/CapRadio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On a warm afternoon in late July, Almer stood on his fire-resilient deck and talked about a bright future for his town — even if it’s a distant one. He’s continuing to lead the fire safe council. And he’s optimistic that Grizzly Flats will eventually get a new community center; \u003ca href=\"https://eldoradocf.org\">the nonprofit El Dorado Community Foundation\u003c/a> has already raised at least a quarter million dollars toward the effort.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The community will never look the way it did before the fire in our lifetime,” he said. “We know that the community will come back — how quickly and in what form, we’re not quite sure.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11922612\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/REBUILTBQ3A8440.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11922612\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/REBUILTBQ3A8440-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A view through a window from inside a home being built. The view shows a tent in the foreground and a trailer in the background, with burnt trees and patches of green growing from the burnt ground.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/REBUILTBQ3A8440-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/REBUILTBQ3A8440-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/REBUILTBQ3A8440-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/REBUILTBQ3A8440-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/REBUILTBQ3A8440-1920x1281.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/REBUILTBQ3A8440.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A tent and RV can be seen from a home being rebuilt after the Caldor Fire, Aug. 4, 2022. \u003ccite>(Andrew Nixon/CapRadio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Almer has already started the rebuilding process, fixing the things within his reach. He replaced the wood fence along his property that burned in the fire and the storage unit that holds cords of wood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But some things he won’t replace. Pointing down at his deck, he called attention to several dark spots caused by scorching embers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have spare pieces of decking,” he said. “I haven’t wanted to change it out, because it’s a reminder how fortunate we are.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The California Newsroom is a collaboration of California public radio stations, NPR and CalMatters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "creating-a-drought-tolerant-california-garden-how-to-replace-your-thirsty-lawn-with-lush-plants-and-grasses",
"title": "Creating a Drought-Tolerant California Garden: How to Replace Your Thirsty Lawn With Lush Plants and Grasses",
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"headTitle": "Creating a Drought-Tolerant California Garden: How to Replace Your Thirsty Lawn With Lush Plants and Grasses | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Skip to:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#begin\">How do I begin?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#cost\">How much will this cost?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#plants\">What plants are best for low-water landscaping?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#care\">How do I care for my low-water garden?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>The megadrought California is enduring right now \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-022-01290-z.epdf\">is the worst in more than a millennium\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the last two decades, we have only sporadically \u003cem>not\u003c/em> been in a state of drought, and the first three months of 2022 were the driest on record. Now, \u003ca href=\"https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?CA\">nearly every inch of California is experiencing severe or extreme drought, or even worse\u003c/a>: A thick, donut-shaped ring in the Central Valley is in an exceptional drought\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> — \u003c/span>the highest drought designation the U.S. Drought Monitor gives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most residents, though, have not been moved to replace their lawns by the kinds of stark facts that seem only to lead to more restrictions. But what if moving to a low-water landscape meant more butterflies, more birds, and a startling array of colors and textures? Since about half of all residential water use goes to landscape irrigation, that’s a good place to look first to make some significant cuts in your water use, and your water bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So, what are the best ways to begin? And are there other benefits to low-water landscaping besides the obvious?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KQED Forum spoke with three experts about how to get started and what to do:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Flora Grubb\u003c/strong>, owner of \u003ca href=\"https://www.floragrubb.com\">Flora Grubb Gardens\u003c/a> in San Francisco\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Shawn Maestretti\u003c/strong>, founder and principal of the landscape architectural design firm \u003ca href=\"https://studio-petrichor.com\">Studio Petrichor\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Caitlin Hernández\u003c/strong>, LA Explained reporter with KPCC-\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com\">LAist\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11921968\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-1241966859-scaled.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11921968\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-1241966859-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A close-up shot of bright orange poppies, filling the image, with blurred greenery in the background. \" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-1241966859-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-1241966859-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-1241966859-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-1241966859-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-1241966859-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-1241966859-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">California poppies are a colorful feature in a regenerative front yard garden that has replaced a typical grass lawn, in Los Angeles in July 2022. Authorities are encouraging residents to replace their lawns with water-wise gardens that require very little irrigation by using native and non-native drought-tolerant plants coupled with terraforming that captures rainwater, to save water amid California’s historic drought. \u003ccite>(Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"begin\">\u003c/a>How and where do I begin?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>First you want to build healthy soil, but you don’t actually have to take out your grass to do that. Instead, you can cover it up. Shawn Maestretti recommends what he calls “lasagna mulching.” Think of ordinary cardboard as the pasta and mulch as the cheese, and layer the cardboard and mulch right over the grass — using recycled moving boxes, for example, rather than ones with waxed or brightly colored cardboard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This part doesn’t need to cost a lot, Maestretti notes. Cardboard, of course, can be free; you can look for leftover moving boxes on sites like Craigslist and Buy Nothing, and sometimes you can find free mulch there, too. Some cities offer free mulch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Overlapping that cardboard and layers of thick mulch help to prevent that grass from growing back and it starts to build healthy soil,” Maestretti says. “That’s a place to start.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Flora Grubb says the method for removing the lawn can depend on how large it is. Using a flat shovel to remove the grass may not be too much work for a small area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan data-pm-slice='1 1 [\"paragraph-wrapper\",null,\"paragraph\",{\"id\":\"p26-0\"}]'>“I hopped on the YouTube to take a look,” she said, “and there are some great suggestions of DIY ways to remove a medium-sized lawn.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What about using chemicals to get rid of the grass?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nope. For one thing, the chemicals may not be safe for children, pets or adults, says Grubb. They also work against one of the main things you’re trying to do, which is build healthy soil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>It’s too much work. What about just using fake grass?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That would be another nope. A lot of chemicals go into producing fake grass, so it also won’t build healthy soil. Then, there’s the heat. Synthetic turf increases the heat-island effect, Maestretti says, and with a gravel layer underneath it, water won’t get into the soil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We want life,” he said. “We want to support life.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"cost\">\u003c/a>How much will this cost?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Major landscape overhauls can be expensive, depending on the size of your yard and how much you spend on plants, says Caitlin Hernández. In her recent story, “\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/la-removing-grass-turf-lawn-drought-native-plants-rebate\">How to Swap Out Your Thirsty Lawn With Drought-Friendly Plants\u003c/a>,” Hernández describes the rebate programs some water districts offer. For example, some pay $2 to $4 per square foot to trade out your lawn.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='news_11887053']“And there are rebate programs that will also even help you with converting your sprinklers to something like drip irrigation or a rain-capture system,” Hernández said. “So we always recommend, if you’re in a position to be able to afford an investment like this type of project, they’re great to do because you’re going to get paid back to do it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re a renter, you can also petition your landlord and let them know about the residential rebates that could be available.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"plants\">\u003c/a>What plants are best for low-water landscaping?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>People used to think a low-water garden could only be made of cactus and stone, notes Flora Grubb, and that may be what you want, but if not, your garden can look as richly alive and unique as any garden.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='science_20544']“I think that when we’re talking about using less water in the landscape, it’s just important to dispel the myth that it has to look any one way,” she said. “What we want is for people to have landscapes in their lives that they love.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You might want to go golden, or choose a wide range of colors, or you might want a lot of green, Grubb says. You might also choose plants from other parts of the globe that are as dry, or drier, than California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have plants with big, lush, green leaves that use significantly less water,” Grubb said. “We have plants with really abundant flowers that use less water and, of course, plants that wildlife love.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gardeners who’ve made the switch say they have flowers that bloom year-round; they have more wildlife, more bees, birds, squirrels, and maybe small lizards if they’re in your area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most local nurseries can tell you which low-water plants will do well in your area, Hernández says. You can also \u003ca href=\"https://calscape.org\">scope around for California native plants on websites like Calscape\u003c/a>, she adds, where you can search for plants by attributes like height or how much water they require.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In my experience,” she said, “maybe the most useful is looking at by ZIP code. So you can pop in your ZIP code and see what’s growing locally near you.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Hernández says it’s still worth checking with your local plant nursery, because some plants in databases like this may not grow as easily in the climate that California is developing today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What about my trees?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both the experts and people who have already traded out their lawns agree that trees can be worth preserving. Trees give you shade and cool in the summer, and, if you have deciduous trees, they mulch the landscape naturally when they drop their leaves, making more healthy soil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The more we can support the carbon in the soil — leaves, mulch and organic materials in the soil — that increases our water-holding capacity,” said Maestretti.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In winter, the bare branches let more light in, and offer more passive solar heating in your home. It takes a lot of resources to grow a tree, so it can be worth making sure they don’t die by watering them at least minimally during the summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"care\">\u003c/a>How do I care for my low-water garden?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>You will need some amount of water, say Grubb and Maestretti. Some people hand-water, or you can look into whether your water district offers rebates for installing drip irrigation or rain barrels. One popular method, as drought has worsened, has been to install gray water systems, where residents can divert sink and shower water and use it to water their gardens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11921967\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-479949111-scaled.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11921967\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-479949111-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"Large succulents with broad, flat, silver leaves blend with tall, delicate yellow flowers. Behind the plantings is a tall garden gnome carved from wood.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-479949111-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-479949111-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-479949111-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-479949111-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-479949111-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-479949111-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Drought-tolerant succulents are displayed during the 29th annual San Francisco Flower and Garden Show at the San Mateo County Event Center in March 2014. \u003ccite>(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>A tip sheet from the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County advises that \u003ca href=\"https://ccmg.ucanr.edu/files/289340.pdf\">gray water should be added to gardens with drip irrigation, and never with sprinklers\u003c/a>. It can also be used on food crops, as long as the edible part of the plant does not come in contact with the soil. Lettuces are out, and staked tomatoes are in, at least for the tomatoes higher up on the vines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maestretti says one more important thing to note about gray water, is that it typically has a high salt content.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Salt in the soil, or sodium in the soil, that sometimes comes with reclaimed water can restrict roots from being able to take up water, and our trees need water,” he said. “So being mindful of where you’re using gray water and what kind of gray water you’re using would be something I would explore.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ecologycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/greywater.cleaning.pdf\">Soaps and cleaning products that are plant-friendly\u003c/a> will generally be biodegradable and free of salts, boron and chlorine bleach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>My water goes downhill and won’t stay in my garden.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is a common problem, since many lawns were designed on purpose with a downward slope to prevent flooding in heavy rains and to funnel water to the street and stormwater drains. Hernández says when you design your low-water garden, you can create your own small water sinks to keep rain on site.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is an excellent opportunity for you to kind of dig out what they call concaves,” she said, “where you want to make a small bowl-shaped dip, where it actually retains water better than a standard lawn because it’s shaped to keep it in.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Can I stop weeds from growing in my garden?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Well, no. Weeds are going to grow when their seeds drop onto the soil from above, or grow up from below, says Grubb. All gardens need some amount of care, and some amount of weed-pulling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"tr-paragraph\" data-pm-slice='2 2 [\"paragraph-wrapper\",null]'>\u003cspan data-pm-slice='1 1 [\"paragraph-wrapper\",null,\"paragraph\",{\"id\":\"p67-0\"}]'>And this relationship of being with the land is important, says Maestretti. No matter how well-designed and how beautiful, the success and sustainability of your garden depends on your relationship to it. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Skip to:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#begin\">How do I begin?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#cost\">How much will this cost?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#plants\">What plants are best for low-water landscaping?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#care\">How do I care for my low-water garden?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>The megadrought California is enduring right now \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-022-01290-z.epdf\">is the worst in more than a millennium\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the last two decades, we have only sporadically \u003cem>not\u003c/em> been in a state of drought, and the first three months of 2022 were the driest on record. Now, \u003ca href=\"https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?CA\">nearly every inch of California is experiencing severe or extreme drought, or even worse\u003c/a>: A thick, donut-shaped ring in the Central Valley is in an exceptional drought\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> — \u003c/span>the highest drought designation the U.S. Drought Monitor gives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most residents, though, have not been moved to replace their lawns by the kinds of stark facts that seem only to lead to more restrictions. But what if moving to a low-water landscape meant more butterflies, more birds, and a startling array of colors and textures? Since about half of all residential water use goes to landscape irrigation, that’s a good place to look first to make some significant cuts in your water use, and your water bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So, what are the best ways to begin? And are there other benefits to low-water landscaping besides the obvious?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KQED Forum spoke with three experts about how to get started and what to do:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Flora Grubb\u003c/strong>, owner of \u003ca href=\"https://www.floragrubb.com\">Flora Grubb Gardens\u003c/a> in San Francisco\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Shawn Maestretti\u003c/strong>, founder and principal of the landscape architectural design firm \u003ca href=\"https://studio-petrichor.com\">Studio Petrichor\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Caitlin Hernández\u003c/strong>, LA Explained reporter with KPCC-\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com\">LAist\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11921968\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-1241966859-scaled.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11921968\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-1241966859-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A close-up shot of bright orange poppies, filling the image, with blurred greenery in the background. \" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-1241966859-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-1241966859-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-1241966859-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-1241966859-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-1241966859-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-1241966859-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">California poppies are a colorful feature in a regenerative front yard garden that has replaced a typical grass lawn, in Los Angeles in July 2022. Authorities are encouraging residents to replace their lawns with water-wise gardens that require very little irrigation by using native and non-native drought-tolerant plants coupled with terraforming that captures rainwater, to save water amid California’s historic drought. \u003ccite>(Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"begin\">\u003c/a>How and where do I begin?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>First you want to build healthy soil, but you don’t actually have to take out your grass to do that. Instead, you can cover it up. Shawn Maestretti recommends what he calls “lasagna mulching.” Think of ordinary cardboard as the pasta and mulch as the cheese, and layer the cardboard and mulch right over the grass — using recycled moving boxes, for example, rather than ones with waxed or brightly colored cardboard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This part doesn’t need to cost a lot, Maestretti notes. Cardboard, of course, can be free; you can look for leftover moving boxes on sites like Craigslist and Buy Nothing, and sometimes you can find free mulch there, too. Some cities offer free mulch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Overlapping that cardboard and layers of thick mulch help to prevent that grass from growing back and it starts to build healthy soil,” Maestretti says. “That’s a place to start.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Flora Grubb says the method for removing the lawn can depend on how large it is. Using a flat shovel to remove the grass may not be too much work for a small area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan data-pm-slice='1 1 [\"paragraph-wrapper\",null,\"paragraph\",{\"id\":\"p26-0\"}]'>“I hopped on the YouTube to take a look,” she said, “and there are some great suggestions of DIY ways to remove a medium-sized lawn.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What about using chemicals to get rid of the grass?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nope. For one thing, the chemicals may not be safe for children, pets or adults, says Grubb. They also work against one of the main things you’re trying to do, which is build healthy soil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>It’s too much work. What about just using fake grass?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That would be another nope. A lot of chemicals go into producing fake grass, so it also won’t build healthy soil. Then, there’s the heat. Synthetic turf increases the heat-island effect, Maestretti says, and with a gravel layer underneath it, water won’t get into the soil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We want life,” he said. “We want to support life.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"cost\">\u003c/a>How much will this cost?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Major landscape overhauls can be expensive, depending on the size of your yard and how much you spend on plants, says Caitlin Hernández. In her recent story, “\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/la-removing-grass-turf-lawn-drought-native-plants-rebate\">How to Swap Out Your Thirsty Lawn With Drought-Friendly Plants\u003c/a>,” Hernández describes the rebate programs some water districts offer. For example, some pay $2 to $4 per square foot to trade out your lawn.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“And there are rebate programs that will also even help you with converting your sprinklers to something like drip irrigation or a rain-capture system,” Hernández said. “So we always recommend, if you’re in a position to be able to afford an investment like this type of project, they’re great to do because you’re going to get paid back to do it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re a renter, you can also petition your landlord and let them know about the residential rebates that could be available.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"plants\">\u003c/a>What plants are best for low-water landscaping?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>People used to think a low-water garden could only be made of cactus and stone, notes Flora Grubb, and that may be what you want, but if not, your garden can look as richly alive and unique as any garden.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“I think that when we’re talking about using less water in the landscape, it’s just important to dispel the myth that it has to look any one way,” she said. “What we want is for people to have landscapes in their lives that they love.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You might want to go golden, or choose a wide range of colors, or you might want a lot of green, Grubb says. You might also choose plants from other parts of the globe that are as dry, or drier, than California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have plants with big, lush, green leaves that use significantly less water,” Grubb said. “We have plants with really abundant flowers that use less water and, of course, plants that wildlife love.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gardeners who’ve made the switch say they have flowers that bloom year-round; they have more wildlife, more bees, birds, squirrels, and maybe small lizards if they’re in your area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most local nurseries can tell you which low-water plants will do well in your area, Hernández says. You can also \u003ca href=\"https://calscape.org\">scope around for California native plants on websites like Calscape\u003c/a>, she adds, where you can search for plants by attributes like height or how much water they require.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In my experience,” she said, “maybe the most useful is looking at by ZIP code. So you can pop in your ZIP code and see what’s growing locally near you.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Hernández says it’s still worth checking with your local plant nursery, because some plants in databases like this may not grow as easily in the climate that California is developing today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What about my trees?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both the experts and people who have already traded out their lawns agree that trees can be worth preserving. Trees give you shade and cool in the summer, and, if you have deciduous trees, they mulch the landscape naturally when they drop their leaves, making more healthy soil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The more we can support the carbon in the soil — leaves, mulch and organic materials in the soil — that increases our water-holding capacity,” said Maestretti.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In winter, the bare branches let more light in, and offer more passive solar heating in your home. It takes a lot of resources to grow a tree, so it can be worth making sure they don’t die by watering them at least minimally during the summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"care\">\u003c/a>How do I care for my low-water garden?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>You will need some amount of water, say Grubb and Maestretti. Some people hand-water, or you can look into whether your water district offers rebates for installing drip irrigation or rain barrels. One popular method, as drought has worsened, has been to install gray water systems, where residents can divert sink and shower water and use it to water their gardens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11921967\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-479949111-scaled.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11921967\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-479949111-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"Large succulents with broad, flat, silver leaves blend with tall, delicate yellow flowers. Behind the plantings is a tall garden gnome carved from wood.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-479949111-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-479949111-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-479949111-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-479949111-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-479949111-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/08/GettyImages-479949111-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Drought-tolerant succulents are displayed during the 29th annual San Francisco Flower and Garden Show at the San Mateo County Event Center in March 2014. \u003ccite>(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>A tip sheet from the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County advises that \u003ca href=\"https://ccmg.ucanr.edu/files/289340.pdf\">gray water should be added to gardens with drip irrigation, and never with sprinklers\u003c/a>. It can also be used on food crops, as long as the edible part of the plant does not come in contact with the soil. Lettuces are out, and staked tomatoes are in, at least for the tomatoes higher up on the vines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maestretti says one more important thing to note about gray water, is that it typically has a high salt content.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Salt in the soil, or sodium in the soil, that sometimes comes with reclaimed water can restrict roots from being able to take up water, and our trees need water,” he said. “So being mindful of where you’re using gray water and what kind of gray water you’re using would be something I would explore.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ecologycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/greywater.cleaning.pdf\">Soaps and cleaning products that are plant-friendly\u003c/a> will generally be biodegradable and free of salts, boron and chlorine bleach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>My water goes downhill and won’t stay in my garden.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is a common problem, since many lawns were designed on purpose with a downward slope to prevent flooding in heavy rains and to funnel water to the street and stormwater drains. Hernández says when you design your low-water garden, you can create your own small water sinks to keep rain on site.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is an excellent opportunity for you to kind of dig out what they call concaves,” she said, “where you want to make a small bowl-shaped dip, where it actually retains water better than a standard lawn because it’s shaped to keep it in.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Can I stop weeds from growing in my garden?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Well, no. Weeds are going to grow when their seeds drop onto the soil from above, or grow up from below, says Grubb. All gardens need some amount of care, and some amount of weed-pulling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"tr-paragraph\" data-pm-slice='2 2 [\"paragraph-wrapper\",null]'>\u003cspan data-pm-slice='1 1 [\"paragraph-wrapper\",null,\"paragraph\",{\"id\":\"p67-0\"}]'>And this relationship of being with the land is important, says Maestretti. No matter how well-designed and how beautiful, the success and sustainability of your garden depends on your relationship to it. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>The latest statewide water conservation numbers are improving, having more than doubled from May to June, and the Bay Area is leading the way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In June, statewide water consumption dropped by 7.6% compared to June 2020, whereas in May, Californians reduced water use by just 3.1%, according to a report from the State Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The second round of the drought emergency regulations took effect at the end of May and the numbers seem to indicate we’re seeing some positive impacts from that,” said Marielle Pinheiro, a data specialist with the Water Board’s Office of Research, Planning and Performance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='medium' citation='Dave Eggerton Association of California Water Agencies']‘I think the numbers are definitely heading in the right direction.’[/pullquote]The emergency regulations require all of the state’s 436 urban water suppliers to implement Water Shortage Contingency Plans, which vary from supplier to supplier but can include things like incentives for conservation and for replacing water-intensive landscaping as well as fines or additional charges for overconsuming water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For example, the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), which delivers drinking water to 1.4 million customers in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, mandated a 10% water-use reduction, tightened restrictions on outdoor water use and reinstated its Excessive Use Penalty Ordinance, which includes fines of $2 for every 748 gallons of water used above a 1,646-gallon threshold, among other things.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The district says it has recorded water-use reductions of 6% in May, 12% in June and 16% in July, compared to those months two years ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Customer savings figures are moving in the right direction, but we know we must do more,” said EBMUD General Manager Clifford Chan in a news release Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“EBMUD asks its customers to continue to conserve, and if they are able, make more changes to make long-term impacts to their water use habits,” Chan said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside tag=water,drought label='Related Coverage']Also in June, the Water Board banned the use of potable water on “decorative or non-functional grass” at commercial, industrial and institutional properties across the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think the numbers are definitely heading in the right direction,” said Dave Eggerton, executive director of the Association of California Water Agencies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s positive and only getting better,” said Eggerton, whose association represents hundreds of water systems that collectively deliver about 90% of the state’s water to residential and commercial users.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Water Board chairman E. Joaquin Esquivel said June’s conservation numbers are heartening since they come on the heels of two months, March and April, when statewide water-use numbers rose by 18.7% and 17.8% respectively.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What is important to see is that turnaround,” Esquivel said. “We did pass in late May our regs; all water agencies are now at Level 2 of their Water Shortage Contingency Plan and we began banning the irrigation of non-functional turf.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In June, all of the state’s 10 hydrologic regions reported a decrease in water use\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> — \u003c/span>the Bay Area heading up the list with 12.6%, followed by the North Coast and San Joaquin River regions with a bit over 10% each.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marin County residents saved the most at 24.7% in May. Napa and Sonoma counties also beat Gov. Gavin Newsom’s targeted 15% conservation goal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco and Solano lagged behind, each at only around 5% savings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]The South Coast region, which includes Los Angeles and San Diego and is home to more than 55% of the state’s population, recorded a nearly 6% drop in water use.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From July 2021 to June 2022, the state’s cumulative water use dropped by 2.7% compared to 2020, well below the governor’s conservation goal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We met with the governor recently and he made it very clear that he wants to see this happen,” Eggerton said. “It’s a critical part of our response to the drought.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eggerton also said the state needs to continue investing in water storage and delivery systems in order to build resiliency in the face of ongoing temperature rise and precipitation declines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We really need to capture as much (water) as we can when we do have wet years so we’re in a better position to deal with the challenges we have now,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s Kevin Stark and Bay City News contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The latest statewide water conservation numbers are improving, having more than doubled from May to June, and the Bay Area is leading the way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In June, statewide water consumption dropped by 7.6% compared to June 2020, whereas in May, Californians reduced water use by just 3.1%, according to a report from the State Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The second round of the drought emergency regulations took effect at the end of May and the numbers seem to indicate we’re seeing some positive impacts from that,” said Marielle Pinheiro, a data specialist with the Water Board’s Office of Research, Planning and Performance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The emergency regulations require all of the state’s 436 urban water suppliers to implement Water Shortage Contingency Plans, which vary from supplier to supplier but can include things like incentives for conservation and for replacing water-intensive landscaping as well as fines or additional charges for overconsuming water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For example, the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), which delivers drinking water to 1.4 million customers in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, mandated a 10% water-use reduction, tightened restrictions on outdoor water use and reinstated its Excessive Use Penalty Ordinance, which includes fines of $2 for every 748 gallons of water used above a 1,646-gallon threshold, among other things.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The district says it has recorded water-use reductions of 6% in May, 12% in June and 16% in July, compared to those months two years ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Customer savings figures are moving in the right direction, but we know we must do more,” said EBMUD General Manager Clifford Chan in a news release Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“EBMUD asks its customers to continue to conserve, and if they are able, make more changes to make long-term impacts to their water use habits,” Chan said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Also in June, the Water Board banned the use of potable water on “decorative or non-functional grass” at commercial, industrial and institutional properties across the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think the numbers are definitely heading in the right direction,” said Dave Eggerton, executive director of the Association of California Water Agencies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s positive and only getting better,” said Eggerton, whose association represents hundreds of water systems that collectively deliver about 90% of the state’s water to residential and commercial users.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Water Board chairman E. Joaquin Esquivel said June’s conservation numbers are heartening since they come on the heels of two months, March and April, when statewide water-use numbers rose by 18.7% and 17.8% respectively.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What is important to see is that turnaround,” Esquivel said. “We did pass in late May our regs; all water agencies are now at Level 2 of their Water Shortage Contingency Plan and we began banning the irrigation of non-functional turf.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In June, all of the state’s 10 hydrologic regions reported a decrease in water use\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> — \u003c/span>the Bay Area heading up the list with 12.6%, followed by the North Coast and San Joaquin River regions with a bit over 10% each.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marin County residents saved the most at 24.7% in May. Napa and Sonoma counties also beat Gov. Gavin Newsom’s targeted 15% conservation goal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco and Solano lagged behind, each at only around 5% savings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The South Coast region, which includes Los Angeles and San Diego and is home to more than 55% of the state’s population, recorded a nearly 6% drop in water use.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From July 2021 to June 2022, the state’s cumulative water use dropped by 2.7% compared to 2020, well below the governor’s conservation goal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We met with the governor recently and he made it very clear that he wants to see this happen,” Eggerton said. “It’s a critical part of our response to the drought.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eggerton also said the state needs to continue investing in water storage and delivery systems in order to build resiliency in the face of ongoing temperature rise and precipitation declines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We really need to capture as much (water) as we can when we do have wet years so we’re in a better position to deal with the challenges we have now,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s Kevin Stark and Bay City News contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"storyMajorUpdateDate\">\u003cstrong>Updated July 27, 2022 at 9:00 PM ET\u003c/strong>\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., have released preliminary details of a bill to address climate change, taxes, health care and inflation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The agreement is a major reversal for Democrats, who had narrowed their ambitions for the package to address looming lapses in the Affordable Care Act and changes to prescription drug prices after Manchin raised concerns over approving more spending during record inflation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/07/15/1111675233/manchin-rejects-climate-and-tax-provisions-in-democrats-spending-package\">After many months of negotiations\u003c/a>, we have finalized legislative text that will invest approximately $300 billion in Deficit Reduction and $369.75 billion in \u003ca href=\"https://www.democrats.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/summary_of_the_energy_security_and_climate_change_investments_in_the_inflation_reduction_act_of_2022.pdf\">Energy Security and Climate Change\u003c/a> programs over the next 10 years,” the senators said in a joint statement. “The investments will be fully paid for by closing tax loopholes on wealthy individuals and corporations.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The legislation — called the \u003ca href=\"https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.democrats.senate.gov/inflation-reduction-act-one-page-summary__;!!Iwwt!T_erBxxpsxo0-Hmp8mN0_yyTMtr1hHNdwOqioGHm_BFtSoENMuYlN1rZvJA_mG15UD3A3FfsnoGpEzSZAONcKbXVivzI8w%24\">Inflation Reduction Act of 2022\u003c/a> — would also continue expansions to the Affordable Care Act that passed during the pandemic through 2025 and allow Medicare to pursue \u003ca href=\"https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.democrats.senate.gov/topline-messages-for-senate-prescription-drug-pricing-reforms_fy22-budget-reconciliation__;!!Iwwt!T_erBxxpsxo0-Hmp8mN0_yyTMtr1hHNdwOqioGHm_BFtSoENMuYlN1rZvJA_mG15UD3A3FfsnoGpEzSZAONcKbWWL0vaEQ%24\">lower drug costs\u003c/a> by negotiating directly with drug companies. Democrats say the plan \u003ca href=\"https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.democrats.senate.gov/summary-closing-tax-loopholes-in-the-inflation-reduction-act-of-2022__;!!Iwwt!T_erBxxpsxo0-Hmp8mN0_yyTMtr1hHNdwOqioGHm_BFtSoENMuYlN1rZvJA_mG15UD3A3FfsnoGpEzSZAONcKbXlchQO-A%24\">avoids any new taxes\u003c/a> on families making $400,000 or less and does not include any new taxes on small businesses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Read the bill \u003ca href=\"https://www.democrats.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/inflation_reduction_act_of_2022.pdf\">here\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The new agreement aims to “reduce carbon emissions by roughly 40% by 2030” and address inflation while also reducing the deficit, according to documents released by Schumer and Manchin. Schumer planned to submit the bill to the Senate parliamentarian for review on Wednesday night in order to start votes on the bill next week. Democrats plan to pass the bill using the budget process known as reconciliation to avoid a Republican filibuster, provided the legislation has unanimous support among Senate Democrats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label=\"related coverage\" tag=\"climate-change\"]Manchin and Schumer say they have also reached an agreement with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and President Biden to pass a permitting reform bill by the end of the year, with the goal of easing permits for domestic energy production and transmission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The agreement is a significant expansion of the very narrow bill Democrats had hoped to pass through reconciliation before the midterm elections, though it still falls far short of the broader Build Back Better plan they began negotiating last year. That proposal initially included massive domestic spending to address climate, taxes, health care and social programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Manchin became the leading voice of opposition to major spending as inflation concerns grew in the country. He was able to single-handedly drive the talks because Democrats need unanimous support to pass the bill in the evenly divided Senate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The agreement comes hours after the Senate passed a major bipartisan bill to expand domestic production of critical semiconductor chips that have been in short supply, leading to delays in the delivery of new cars and supply chain issues for smartphones, computers and medical equipment. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., had threatened to block the semiconductor bill, known as CHIPS, if Democrats continued to pursue climate and tax legislation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/07/26/1113470753/chip-production-semiconductor-senate\">Finalizing the CHIPS bill\u003c/a> paved the way for Democrats to reach a deal without the threat of losing support for the semiconductor bill they viewed as a critical economic and political achievement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next step will be for the Senate parliamentarian to assess whether the proposals meet strict Senate budget rules that govern the reconciliation process. Once that is done, it will go through a vote-a-rama, a process that would serve to circumvent the 60-vote threshold that bills normally must cross in order to be passed. The House must then pass a similar bill before Biden signs it into law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement after the deal was announced, Biden praised it as “the action the American people have been waiting for.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This addresses the problems of today — high health care costs and overall inflation — as well as investments in our energy security for the future,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=After+spiking+earlier+talks%2C+Manchin+agrees+to+a+new+deal+on+climate+and+taxes&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cdiv class=\"storyMajorUpdateDate\">\u003cstrong>Updated July 27, 2022 at 9:00 PM ET\u003c/strong>\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., have released preliminary details of a bill to address climate change, taxes, health care and inflation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The agreement is a major reversal for Democrats, who had narrowed their ambitions for the package to address looming lapses in the Affordable Care Act and changes to prescription drug prices after Manchin raised concerns over approving more spending during record inflation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/07/15/1111675233/manchin-rejects-climate-and-tax-provisions-in-democrats-spending-package\">After many months of negotiations\u003c/a>, we have finalized legislative text that will invest approximately $300 billion in Deficit Reduction and $369.75 billion in \u003ca href=\"https://www.democrats.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/summary_of_the_energy_security_and_climate_change_investments_in_the_inflation_reduction_act_of_2022.pdf\">Energy Security and Climate Change\u003c/a> programs over the next 10 years,” the senators said in a joint statement. “The investments will be fully paid for by closing tax loopholes on wealthy individuals and corporations.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The legislation — called the \u003ca href=\"https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.democrats.senate.gov/inflation-reduction-act-one-page-summary__;!!Iwwt!T_erBxxpsxo0-Hmp8mN0_yyTMtr1hHNdwOqioGHm_BFtSoENMuYlN1rZvJA_mG15UD3A3FfsnoGpEzSZAONcKbXVivzI8w%24\">Inflation Reduction Act of 2022\u003c/a> — would also continue expansions to the Affordable Care Act that passed during the pandemic through 2025 and allow Medicare to pursue \u003ca href=\"https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.democrats.senate.gov/topline-messages-for-senate-prescription-drug-pricing-reforms_fy22-budget-reconciliation__;!!Iwwt!T_erBxxpsxo0-Hmp8mN0_yyTMtr1hHNdwOqioGHm_BFtSoENMuYlN1rZvJA_mG15UD3A3FfsnoGpEzSZAONcKbWWL0vaEQ%24\">lower drug costs\u003c/a> by negotiating directly with drug companies. Democrats say the plan \u003ca href=\"https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.democrats.senate.gov/summary-closing-tax-loopholes-in-the-inflation-reduction-act-of-2022__;!!Iwwt!T_erBxxpsxo0-Hmp8mN0_yyTMtr1hHNdwOqioGHm_BFtSoENMuYlN1rZvJA_mG15UD3A3FfsnoGpEzSZAONcKbXlchQO-A%24\">avoids any new taxes\u003c/a> on families making $400,000 or less and does not include any new taxes on small businesses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Read the bill \u003ca href=\"https://www.democrats.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/inflation_reduction_act_of_2022.pdf\">here\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Manchin and Schumer say they have also reached an agreement with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and President Biden to pass a permitting reform bill by the end of the year, with the goal of easing permits for domestic energy production and transmission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The agreement is a significant expansion of the very narrow bill Democrats had hoped to pass through reconciliation before the midterm elections, though it still falls far short of the broader Build Back Better plan they began negotiating last year. That proposal initially included massive domestic spending to address climate, taxes, health care and social programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Manchin became the leading voice of opposition to major spending as inflation concerns grew in the country. He was able to single-handedly drive the talks because Democrats need unanimous support to pass the bill in the evenly divided Senate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The agreement comes hours after the Senate passed a major bipartisan bill to expand domestic production of critical semiconductor chips that have been in short supply, leading to delays in the delivery of new cars and supply chain issues for smartphones, computers and medical equipment. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., had threatened to block the semiconductor bill, known as CHIPS, if Democrats continued to pursue climate and tax legislation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/07/26/1113470753/chip-production-semiconductor-senate\">Finalizing the CHIPS bill\u003c/a> paved the way for Democrats to reach a deal without the threat of losing support for the semiconductor bill they viewed as a critical economic and political achievement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next step will be for the Senate parliamentarian to assess whether the proposals meet strict Senate budget rules that govern the reconciliation process. Once that is done, it will go through a vote-a-rama, a process that would serve to circumvent the 60-vote threshold that bills normally must cross in order to be passed. The House must then pass a similar bill before Biden signs it into law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement after the deal was announced, Biden praised it as “the action the American people have been waiting for.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This addresses the problems of today — high health care costs and overall inflation — as well as investments in our energy security for the future,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=After+spiking+earlier+talks%2C+Manchin+agrees+to+a+new+deal+on+climate+and+taxes&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Young people in the generation known as Gen-Z \u003ca href=\"https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/2021-deloitte-global-millennial-survey-report.pdf\">consider climate change to be the biggest challenge we’re facing\u003c/a>. Gen-Z being people born between 1996 and 2012, it may explain why many environmental protests are often led by people who aren’t old enough to vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Paola Hoffman is one of those leaders. She volunteers with a group called \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/ycstrikela/?hl=en\">Youth Climate Strike Los Angeles\u003c/a>. For months, she kept an audio diary and shared her experiences. In those months she wrote speeches for protests and spoke on a youth summit climate change panel. She also testified before the state legislature about \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB1173\">SB 1173\u003c/a>, which would require that two of the state and nation’s largest public pension funds divest from fossil fuels. That was in her free time, when she wasn’t keeping up with her school work as a senior at \u003ca href=\"https://www.archer.org/\">The Archer School for Girls\u003c/a>, or leading the second violins in her school orchestra. And she did it all while carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>These entries have been edited for clarity and brevity.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>April 4\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Hi, it’s Paola, today is Monday, April 4, and it’s 1:14pm. I was just playing guitar and then figured I should probably check in. Yeah, so I’ve been pretty busy this weekend, mostly with a mix of personal deadlines and Youth Climate strike LA work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, there will be the Monday meeting for the \u003ca href=\"https://aper.assembly.ca.gov/\">Senate Retirement Committee\u003c/a>, around 3pm. And they’re going to have a hearing on SB 1173. And we’re trying to get people to call in because, like I said, we have people who are impacted, and the people who are trying to shut down this bill, which, if this doesn’t pass, if the Senate Retirement Committee doesn’t go through with this, the bill halts again. We’ve made so much progress with it, so we really can’t afford to lose this momentum. So I guess I’m preparing to do some calling in, and calling all my friends and getting them to call in. And I’m kind of nervous.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>April 12\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Well, my miniature break was fun while it lasted. I’m back home from my trip out of town to check out college. And now that I have officially made my enrollment, we have to go right back to work. I’m currently in my room at my desk. I have brought my food upstairs so I can work on finishing up our endorsement graphics while I eat because I want to get this done as fast as possible. Then I also have to record two videos. We’re still working to get SB 1173, through as many different Senate hearings as we can. Next Tuesday is the next one. We have the \u003ca href=\"https://sjud.senate.ca.gov/\">Judiciary Committee\u003c/a> that’s meeting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[The opposition] did not think we were going to get through the last committee. The bill is supposed to die there. And they had people calling in, they had people showing up, but we had more. But the issue is, they have money. And they have time. And they can have meetings with senators and meetings with politicians. And we have none of that. We have people, but that’s not enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hopefully I won’t be up too late, but it’s already nine. You know, fun times. But honestly we’re doing important things, so I don’t even mind so long as I have time to get my schoolwork done as well…or not. That’ll come second.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11920206\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/IMG_0342.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11920206\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/IMG_0342-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Young people carry a banner in a climate march reading, "Governor Newsom: It's your last chance to choose: Our Future or Fossil Fuels. Behind the banner is a crowd of young people wearing covid masks and carrying signs. At the front, Paola Hoffman speaks through a bullhorn. There are green trees on either side of the road and a glassy building on the left with an American flag in front of it.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/IMG_0342-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/IMG_0342-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/IMG_0342-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/IMG_0342.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Young people in Los Angeles march in a global 24-hour Youth Climate Strike on Sept 24-25, 2001. Paola Hoffman later spoke at a rally following the march.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>April 21\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>I am currently working on writing a speech. Tomorrow is Earth Day, or \u003ca href=\"https://www.earthcrisisdayla.org/about\">Earth Crisis Day\u003c/a>, as we have been preparing for. I’m gonna be talking about greenwashing [disinformation distributed by organizations to inflate environmental initiatives or present themselves as more environmentally conscious than they are]. Because it’s insidious. And a lot of what the UCLA protest is talking about is getting the UC system to divest and actually make changes that will actually do something.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My orchestra at school is in tech week currently, and I’m the section leader. So as much as I want to skip my actual school – I’m willing to skip my actual school to protest – I also have responsibility to my orchestra. So I’m going to have a very long day, and the next day I have my prom. I’m going with a bunch of friends; we’re really excited. Because despite all of this, I’m somehow still a high-schooler. And it’s my senior prom. That’s crazy.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Earth Crisis Day\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>I feel really good. There’s a good kind of tired after these kinds of events because you’re exhausted, but you feel like maybe there’s a chance that, this time, things will go better.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m really sad that I’m not going to be in the LA area anymore, especially now I feel like I’ve created such a close bond. I’m going to go to Houston. I’m going to go to Rice University. I’m currently dedicated to study astrophysics, but sometimes I feel guilty about it, because how am I going into the sciences, but not the science that we need right now to save the Earth? And then I think about how depressing that is because you tell kids to chase their dreams. And I’m sitting here feeling bad because I want to do that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I also have to be realistic.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>June 8\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>I just woke up from a dream where the world ended.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It started with the coastal cities and then it spread. I was on one of the last planes, and there was a little boy on the intercom, just telling us about our failure, telling us about how we were supposed to act. And here we were at the end. Then I woke up and I came downstairs. And I saw an article on \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/07/climate/salt-lake-city-climate-disaster.html\">The New York Times on the front page that says environmental nuclear bomb as the Great Salt Lake dries up\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So yeah, that’s a fun way to start my day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was trying to think what might have caused the nightmare. And all I can think about is we just had elections, the primary elections in LA. And last I went to sleep, I had checked to see \u003ca href=\"https://results.lavote.gov/#year=2022&election=4269\">what the results were looking like\u003c/a>. And a lot of the progressive candidates, the candidates that I’ve had the honor of just being able to work with, so many of them were not in the lead. It kind of felt like a punch in the gut. Because I know these people, and I know how dedicated they are and how driven they are and how they actually care about me, you know? And then I went to sleep and I saw the world ending.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I guess I have some good news. I recently spoke on the Changeist panel. \u003ca href=\"https://www.changeist.org/summit\">They were holding a summit over three days\u003c/a>. And we got to talk about the urgency of the climate crisis and provide information and tips. And I said, “We find the strength to keep going by doing things in groups. We find the strength to keep going by doing things together. We find the strength to keep going when we realize that we’re not the only people in this fight.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s what gives us the strength to keep going even when we have nightmares about the world ending. It’s the thought that there’s other people by our side who are just as passionate about making sure it doesn’t.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>June 21\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Hi, this is Paola. I am so angry right now. I don’t even know what to do with it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/bill/SB1173/2021\">Our bill [SB1173] is dead\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We didn’t get voted down, no. We still have tons of support, the support of 10 unions, five cities, three government offices, six local political party groups, over 100 organizations. We have the support of thousands of calls, nearly 20,000 letters, dozens of meetings with legislators all advocating for SB 1173. We have the support of everyone except \u003ca href=\"https://a09.asmdc.org/\">Assemblymember Jim Cooper\u003c/a>, who’s the Chair of the \u003ca href=\"https://aper.assembly.ca.gov/\">Assembly Committee on Public Employment and Retirement\u003c/a>, who has just pulled the bill. So the bill will not be heard in the committee. It will not be voted on. Instead, he vetoed it, essentially.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You know, you see people marching in the streets and you think with that many people, surely, surely we can get something done.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s hard to feel happy about what you’ve done. You just feel so small. I’m really tired of feeling small.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Graduation\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I am officially a high school graduate. Our school does a few things for graduating. We have a few events at school before we have the main ceremony with our family. And one of them, they give awards out to some members of the graduating class. And I got an award this year. I won it for my work with both \u003ca href=\"https://www.teenline.org/\">Teen Line [a teen-to-teen crisis hotline]\u003c/a> and Youth Climate Strike Los Angeles. That was pretty incredible. It’s weird to get recognition for things, especially after all those years I’ve been to Archer seeing other students get these kinds of awards and graduate, and it’s surreal to graduate in general. Just being on that stage singing our graduation song, hearing our names get called, walking across. I’ve gone to The Archer School for Girls for six years. So it’s very hard to say goodbye. But we did it and I am off to college next.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Young people in the generation known as Gen-Z \u003ca href=\"https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/2021-deloitte-global-millennial-survey-report.pdf\">consider climate change to be the biggest challenge we’re facing\u003c/a>. Gen-Z being people born between 1996 and 2012, it may explain why many environmental protests are often led by people who aren’t old enough to vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Paola Hoffman is one of those leaders. She volunteers with a group called \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/ycstrikela/?hl=en\">Youth Climate Strike Los Angeles\u003c/a>. For months, she kept an audio diary and shared her experiences. In those months she wrote speeches for protests and spoke on a youth summit climate change panel. She also testified before the state legislature about \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB1173\">SB 1173\u003c/a>, which would require that two of the state and nation’s largest public pension funds divest from fossil fuels. That was in her free time, when she wasn’t keeping up with her school work as a senior at \u003ca href=\"https://www.archer.org/\">The Archer School for Girls\u003c/a>, or leading the second violins in her school orchestra. And she did it all while carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>These entries have been edited for clarity and brevity.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>April 4\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Hi, it’s Paola, today is Monday, April 4, and it’s 1:14pm. I was just playing guitar and then figured I should probably check in. Yeah, so I’ve been pretty busy this weekend, mostly with a mix of personal deadlines and Youth Climate strike LA work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, there will be the Monday meeting for the \u003ca href=\"https://aper.assembly.ca.gov/\">Senate Retirement Committee\u003c/a>, around 3pm. And they’re going to have a hearing on SB 1173. And we’re trying to get people to call in because, like I said, we have people who are impacted, and the people who are trying to shut down this bill, which, if this doesn’t pass, if the Senate Retirement Committee doesn’t go through with this, the bill halts again. We’ve made so much progress with it, so we really can’t afford to lose this momentum. So I guess I’m preparing to do some calling in, and calling all my friends and getting them to call in. And I’m kind of nervous.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>April 12\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Well, my miniature break was fun while it lasted. I’m back home from my trip out of town to check out college. And now that I have officially made my enrollment, we have to go right back to work. I’m currently in my room at my desk. I have brought my food upstairs so I can work on finishing up our endorsement graphics while I eat because I want to get this done as fast as possible. Then I also have to record two videos. We’re still working to get SB 1173, through as many different Senate hearings as we can. Next Tuesday is the next one. We have the \u003ca href=\"https://sjud.senate.ca.gov/\">Judiciary Committee\u003c/a> that’s meeting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[The opposition] did not think we were going to get through the last committee. The bill is supposed to die there. And they had people calling in, they had people showing up, but we had more. But the issue is, they have money. And they have time. And they can have meetings with senators and meetings with politicians. And we have none of that. We have people, but that’s not enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hopefully I won’t be up too late, but it’s already nine. You know, fun times. But honestly we’re doing important things, so I don’t even mind so long as I have time to get my schoolwork done as well…or not. That’ll come second.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11920206\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/IMG_0342.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11920206\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/IMG_0342-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Young people carry a banner in a climate march reading, "Governor Newsom: It's your last chance to choose: Our Future or Fossil Fuels. Behind the banner is a crowd of young people wearing covid masks and carrying signs. At the front, Paola Hoffman speaks through a bullhorn. There are green trees on either side of the road and a glassy building on the left with an American flag in front of it.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/IMG_0342-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/IMG_0342-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/IMG_0342-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/IMG_0342.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Young people in Los Angeles march in a global 24-hour Youth Climate Strike on Sept 24-25, 2001. Paola Hoffman later spoke at a rally following the march.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>April 21\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>I am currently working on writing a speech. Tomorrow is Earth Day, or \u003ca href=\"https://www.earthcrisisdayla.org/about\">Earth Crisis Day\u003c/a>, as we have been preparing for. I’m gonna be talking about greenwashing [disinformation distributed by organizations to inflate environmental initiatives or present themselves as more environmentally conscious than they are]. Because it’s insidious. And a lot of what the UCLA protest is talking about is getting the UC system to divest and actually make changes that will actually do something.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My orchestra at school is in tech week currently, and I’m the section leader. So as much as I want to skip my actual school – I’m willing to skip my actual school to protest – I also have responsibility to my orchestra. So I’m going to have a very long day, and the next day I have my prom. I’m going with a bunch of friends; we’re really excited. Because despite all of this, I’m somehow still a high-schooler. And it’s my senior prom. That’s crazy.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Earth Crisis Day\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>I feel really good. There’s a good kind of tired after these kinds of events because you’re exhausted, but you feel like maybe there’s a chance that, this time, things will go better.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m really sad that I’m not going to be in the LA area anymore, especially now I feel like I’ve created such a close bond. I’m going to go to Houston. I’m going to go to Rice University. I’m currently dedicated to study astrophysics, but sometimes I feel guilty about it, because how am I going into the sciences, but not the science that we need right now to save the Earth? And then I think about how depressing that is because you tell kids to chase their dreams. And I’m sitting here feeling bad because I want to do that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I also have to be realistic.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>June 8\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>I just woke up from a dream where the world ended.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It started with the coastal cities and then it spread. I was on one of the last planes, and there was a little boy on the intercom, just telling us about our failure, telling us about how we were supposed to act. And here we were at the end. Then I woke up and I came downstairs. And I saw an article on \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/07/climate/salt-lake-city-climate-disaster.html\">The New York Times on the front page that says environmental nuclear bomb as the Great Salt Lake dries up\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So yeah, that’s a fun way to start my day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I was trying to think what might have caused the nightmare. And all I can think about is we just had elections, the primary elections in LA. And last I went to sleep, I had checked to see \u003ca href=\"https://results.lavote.gov/#year=2022&election=4269\">what the results were looking like\u003c/a>. And a lot of the progressive candidates, the candidates that I’ve had the honor of just being able to work with, so many of them were not in the lead. It kind of felt like a punch in the gut. Because I know these people, and I know how dedicated they are and how driven they are and how they actually care about me, you know? And then I went to sleep and I saw the world ending.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I guess I have some good news. I recently spoke on the Changeist panel. \u003ca href=\"https://www.changeist.org/summit\">They were holding a summit over three days\u003c/a>. And we got to talk about the urgency of the climate crisis and provide information and tips. And I said, “We find the strength to keep going by doing things in groups. We find the strength to keep going by doing things together. We find the strength to keep going when we realize that we’re not the only people in this fight.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s what gives us the strength to keep going even when we have nightmares about the world ending. It’s the thought that there’s other people by our side who are just as passionate about making sure it doesn’t.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>June 21\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Hi, this is Paola. I am so angry right now. I don’t even know what to do with it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/bill/SB1173/2021\">Our bill [SB1173] is dead\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We didn’t get voted down, no. We still have tons of support, the support of 10 unions, five cities, three government offices, six local political party groups, over 100 organizations. We have the support of thousands of calls, nearly 20,000 letters, dozens of meetings with legislators all advocating for SB 1173. We have the support of everyone except \u003ca href=\"https://a09.asmdc.org/\">Assemblymember Jim Cooper\u003c/a>, who’s the Chair of the \u003ca href=\"https://aper.assembly.ca.gov/\">Assembly Committee on Public Employment and Retirement\u003c/a>, who has just pulled the bill. So the bill will not be heard in the committee. It will not be voted on. Instead, he vetoed it, essentially.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You know, you see people marching in the streets and you think with that many people, surely, surely we can get something done.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s hard to feel happy about what you’ve done. You just feel so small. I’m really tired of feeling small.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Graduation\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I am officially a high school graduate. Our school does a few things for graduating. We have a few events at school before we have the main ceremony with our family. And one of them, they give awards out to some members of the graduating class. And I got an award this year. I won it for my work with both \u003ca href=\"https://www.teenline.org/\">Teen Line [a teen-to-teen crisis hotline]\u003c/a> and Youth Climate Strike Los Angeles. That was pretty incredible. It’s weird to get recognition for things, especially after all those years I’ve been to Archer seeing other students get these kinds of awards and graduate, and it’s surreal to graduate in general. Just being on that stage singing our graduation song, hearing our names get called, walking across. I’ve gone to The Archer School for Girls for six years. So it’s very hard to say goodbye. But we did it and I am off to college next.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Ojai's Famous Pixie Tangerine Struggles to Survive Wildfires and a Hot Real Estate Market",
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"headTitle": "Ojai’s Famous Pixie Tangerine Struggles to Survive Wildfires and a Hot Real Estate Market | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Ojai’s main street is charming, boasting tile roofs and Spanish-revival architecture. On weekends, crowds of the bohemian chic spill out of restaurants, boutiques and art galleries in the picturesque Ventura County valley ringed by mountains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Starting in the 1800s, people who could afford to would come out from the East and winter here,” explained long-time resident Tony Thacher. The town has hosted a tennis tournament since the 1880s and a music festival since the 1940s, and has drawn seekers to its spiritual centers and schools for over a century.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It served as a getaway for people from LA and Hollywood over the years,” Thacher explained.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ojai also drew farmers, like Thacher. The town is surrounded by orchards, some olive and avocado but mostly citrus. It’s iconic among citrus lovers, known for producing high-quality Valencia oranges originally, and more recently the Ojai Pixie tangerine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='medium' citation='Tony Thacher, Ojai farmer']‘Pixie is one of those varieties we have a bit of lore about in Ojai.’[/pullquote]The valley’s climate has been ideal for citrus, but it’s changing — getting windier, drier and hotter. A recent study showed that \u003ca href=\"https://achangeinthewind.com/2022/04/17/ventura-county-heats-faster-than-lower-48/?fbclid=IwAR0NCw9mKIttIJXothZxv5NNqLpOpAsU_E_pXaRYqpUvFGfWxVbE1r6xdyg\">Ventura County’s temperature has warmed more in the last 125 years than any other county’s in the lower 48 states\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fire and drought have caused some Ojai growers to take out orchards; farmers estimate working farmland has shrunk at least 15% over the last decade. Ventura County officials are concerned enough that they’re partnering with the local Farm Bureau and The Nature Conservancy to \u003ca href=\"https://www.ventura.org/agricultural-commissioner/salc-grant/\">evaluate threatened farmland in Ojai and across the county\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some farmers are questioning whether agriculture even has a future in the Ojai Valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>The Ojai Pixie\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The fruit this valley is best known for is the Ojai Pixie.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11919007\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57079_RS57068_DSC02769-qut.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11919007 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57079_RS57068_DSC02769-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing a blue short sleeved shirt, a gray ballcap and a white cloth mask reaches his right hand to pull tangerines into a basket. There are wooden bins of tangerines off to his right, and tangerine boxes on a shelf over the bins. The tangerines are bright orange.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57079_RS57068_DSC02769-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57079_RS57068_DSC02769-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57079_RS57068_DSC02769-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57079_RS57068_DSC02769-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57079_RS57068_DSC02769-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tony Ayala sorts tangerines by size in May 2022, preparing for the weekend’s farmers markets. The former fire battalion chief says he’s seen significant changes in Ojai Valley’s weather, as the snow season has dwindled. \u003ccite>(Lisa Morehouse/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“\u003ca href=\"https://achangeinthewind.com/2021/12/04/will-the-ojai-pixie-survive/\">Pixie is one of those varieties we have a bit of lore about in Ojai,\u003c/a>” explained Thacher, who’s a longtime farmer in the valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thacher’s wife’s family began growing citrus in the Ojai Valley in the late 1800s, and its descendants operate Friend’s Ranches on 65 acres. They grow avocados and a few other crops, but the bulk of their crop is citrus — more than 50 varieties of oranges, lemons, grapefruit and tangerines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thacher and his wife, Anne Friend, quit their academic lives to work for her family’s farm when a 1969 flood washed out the original packinghouse. The Pixie was an experimental variety of tangerine developed by scientists at the University of California, Riverside — small, seedless and easy to peel. The folks at Friend’s Ranches had planted some but, by the early ‘80s, had just two productive trees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I realized early on, when our children were small, they were just cleaning the bottoms of those trees as far as they could reach,” Thacher recalled. “It looked like feral pigs had gone through the orchard. There was no fruit, but there were peels. So that’s kind of a wake-up call for a farmer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across the valley, Jim Churchill, who spent much of his childhood in Ojai, had only started farming avocados a few years earlier. “I didn’t know anything about agriculture, but I grew up walking through the orange groves, and I know what a ripe citrus tastes like,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Churchill recalled visiting Friend’s Ranches one day. “I pulled something out of a bin, and I peeled it and put it in my mouth and I said, ‘Tony, what is this?’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was a Pixie.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And I just thought, ‘This is what I’m going to grow,’” Churchill said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11919006\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57078_RS57065_DSC02742-qut.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11919006 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57078_RS57065_DSC02742-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A large man with pink skin and white hair sits in an office, wearing dark-rimmed glasses, a black and white plaid shirt and a dark green canvas jacket with a leather collar. The office shows a calendar and other papers tacked to a wood-paneled wall, and piles of full file folders on a table. Tall windows let in light from a skylight in the room beyond.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57078_RS57065_DSC02742-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57078_RS57065_DSC02742-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57078_RS57065_DSC02742-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57078_RS57065_DSC02742-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57078_RS57065_DSC02742-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Longtime grower Tony Thacher sits in the Friend’s Ranches packinghouse office in May 2022. He says he’s not sure whether agriculture in Ojai can survive the pressures of climate change and population growth. \u003ccite>(Lisa Morehouse/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Churchill planted some Pixies, and Thacher planted more. Eventually, with a few other farmers, they started the \u003ca href=\"http://www.ojaipixies.com/\">Ojai Pixie Growers Association\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Commercial success took time, though. Churchill reached out to markets across the state, but couldn’t find customers. He wasn’t sure his farm was going to make it. Things finally changed in the late ’80s when \u003ca href=\"https://www.montereymarket.com/history.html\">Monterey Market\u003c/a> in Berkeley, 350 miles north, took a chance on the fruit, and the pastry chef for a groundbreaking restaurant got a taste. Churchill’s voice cracked when he recalled the story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I could never talk about this without crying,” he said. “Lindsey Shere was the founding pastry chef at \u003ca href=\"https://www.chezpanisse.com/1/\">Chez Panisse\u003c/a>, and she took Pixies and put them on the menu. And … then we were OK.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pixies gained credibility. Now, nearly 40 years later, Ojai Valley farmers ship up to 2 million pounds of Pixies all across the country each year.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>The many costs of fire\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Tony Ayala helps run the operation at Friend’s Ranches. His wife, Emily, is Tony and Anne Thacher’s daughter. At their packinghouse, he classified fruit by size, getting ready for the weekend farmers markets. His hands were busy sorting tangerines as he talked about changes in Ojai’s weather.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Back in the late ’60s and early ’70s, every year there would be snow in these mountains, and there would be snow for weeks on end,” said Ayala. “Now, if it snows, it lasts maybe until noon, if that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The biggest difference for him was something he witnessed over the course of his first career, the 25 years he spent as a firefighter and battalion chief. “The winter was the time to get a lot of training done. You didn’t have to worry about fire,” he said. But the Thomas Fire, in 2017, started on December 3. “That’s one of the biggest fires we’ve had. In December!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11919009\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS28573_IMG_2834-qut.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11919009 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS28573_IMG_2834-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Thick golden yellow smoke clogs the sky over a dark mountain in the background, where a line of fire is visible in the distance. In the middle distance and foreground is the main street of a town, framed on the left and right by dark green trees and white buildings. On the right is a tall building with a tower. On the left are low buildings. The middle of the picture shows cars moving in both directions with headlights on.\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS28573_IMG_2834-qut.jpg 640w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS28573_IMG_2834-qut-160x120.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Downtown Ojai was blanketed in smoke during the December wildfires, including the Thomas Fire, that raged in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties in December 2017. \u003ccite>(Stephanie O'Neill)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.vcstar.com/story/money/business/2018/01/23/over-170-million-damage-sustained-ventura-countys-agricultural-industry-thomas-fire-according-data-p/1055678001/\">The Thomas Fire caused an estimated $170 million in damages\u003c/a> to Ventura County’s agriculture industries. At Friend’s Ranches, flames came right over the metal building housing the packing machinery. They lost 3.5 acres of tangerines and avocados, but Ayala considers himself lucky.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Citrus trees don’t carry fire very well, and this whole valley is citrus,” he said. “That’s what basically saved us.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, Ayala explained, the impact of the Thomas Fire continued even after the flames were extinguished. “The smoke was here for so long that it did affect the trees,” he said. Fruit was covered in layers of ash, and gasses in the smoke made fruit mature faster and drop. Much of it was ruined. Tony’s wife, Emily Thacher Ayala, tried to sell some at a discount at a farmers market. As a joke, she labeled some completely burned fruit as “Thomas Fire Specialty Tangerines.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tony Ayala walked outside the packinghouse to point out another way fire can hurt crops: erosion. When a hillside burns, there is nothing to hold the soil in place. After the Thomas Fire, a big rain started a slide, and mud buried the trunks of more than an acre of trees. “We lost a bunch of trees down there because it gets up so high, it just kills them,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='medium' citation='Jim Churchill, Ojai farmer']‘People have been abandoning orchards because they don’t pay. And also new people are buying them who aren’t farmers.’[/pullquote]The problems didn’t stop there. Ash and fine silt hardened in the bottoms of creeks, and stopped water from percolating down into the soil and recharging the aquifer that many farms here rely on for irrigation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then there was the impact on infrastructure. Water lines burned, plastic irrigation lines melted, power lines fell. “We didn’t have power here for weeks,” Ayala recalled. They lost coolers full of juice and had to borrow a heavy-duty generator to run a pump to irrigate their thirsty trees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Because that’s a must. They’re not going to wait,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Managing a crisis worse than fire\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At his 15-acre organic orchard, Jim Churchill was up on a ladder, picking the last of the season’s Pixies. Those tiny tangerines, along with Kishu tangerines and avocados, make up the bulk of his crops; he’s also experimenting with a fruit called oroblanco, a cross between a pomelo and a grapefruit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With wildfire and other signs of climate change affecting this valley, drought is Churchill’s primary worry. “All the water that anybody has in the Ojai Valley, whether it’s from their own well, from Lake Casitas [the local reservoir] or one of the little mutual water companies, it all comes from the sky,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because of drought conditions, farmers who rely on Lake Casitas for water have faced restrictions since the 1980s; recently, most have had to cut back 30% from their 2012-2013 usage. But orchards are different from row crops — such as strawberries or lettuce — that are planted each year. It takes three to four years before a tangerine or avocado tree will bear fruit a farmer can sell. So farmers take a big financial hit when they have to rip out their trees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Churchill said some of his neighbors have dug up sections of their orchards to use less water. Friend’s Ranches removed Valencias and didn’t replant some of their orchard after the Thomas Fire. Their total acreage is down 15% compared to what they were farming before the drought and the Thomas Fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Churchill said he’s tried to avoid drastic measures. “We didn’t do wholesale removal, but we took out some trees, things that just weren’t productive, or things that died we didn’t replace,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='medium' citation='Jim Churchill, Ojai farmer']‘I am reluctant to sell the land to the people that could buy it from me. And I haven’t got a solution for that.’[/pullquote]For the past 20 years, Churchill’s also been mulching, building nutrients in his soil and keeping trees cool in the heat. An orchard with a bare floor absorbs more heat from the sun than one covered in mulch. “And it’s good for runoff. We don’t have any runoff from this farm,” he explained.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Churchill uses water-saving mini-sprinklers and even installed monitors throughout his orchard to measure exactly how much moisture leaves are releasing into the air.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When it tells me that an inch of water has been drawn down from a particular irrigation block, then I apply an inch of water,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Avocado trees basically shut down if the temperature goes above 95 or 100 degrees. One nearby farmer, Helen McGrath, said that during a heat wave, avocados trees dropped so much fruit it sounded like rain. Churchill and his partner obsess over the weather, and irrigate ahead of a heat spike to keep trees cooler.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They check each irrigation line for problems every time they turn one on, “looking for blockages and leaks, because there’s always something,” Churchill said. “A coyote will grab a hose, or some crud gets in a line. We are very careful.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Housing hot spot\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Churchill drove through a valley, pointing out another farmer’s orchard full of dead or dying trees. “He just turned off the water,” Churchill said of the farmer who owns the land. “Wasn’t worth it to him.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Churchill stopped at a vista point overlooking the Ojai Valley, with the Topatopa Mountains in the far distance. From here, he sees what an out-of-towner can’t. “Look at that dead patch in that olive orchard,” he explained. Then he pointed to another area next to a grove of Valencia oranges and said, “They just took that orchard out. People have been abandoning orchards because they don’t pay. And also new people are buying them who aren’t farmers.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ojai is a hot spot in more ways than one. Temperatures are rising, yes, and so are real estate prices. This valley has been a destination for decades. But now, Churchill said, the influx of newcomers is unlike anything he’s ever seen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In the last three or four years, everybody wants to live in Ojai, it seems like,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s people with a lot of money, from industries like tech and entertainment. “They’re buying 10 acres, so all of a sudden, they have a whole bunch of lemons or a whole bunch of oranges,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Having more wealthy people move into the region, Churchill said, puts pressure on a community like Ojai.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It raises the price for people that live here. If you own property, you’re fine. And if you don’t own property, you just can’t afford to live here anymore,” he said. “So the texture and flavor of the town is very different than it has been. I know this is happening all over the United States, but it’s particularly intense here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That puts Churchill in a funny situation. He’s 75, and his orchard is on land that’s probably worth a lot. “I have money as long as I keep working. And I am reluctant to sell the land to the people that could buy it from me. And I haven’t got a solution for that,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neither does his old friend Tony Thacher. He’s 81.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You know, being an old man, I’m reasonably pessimistic that agriculture may not survive in Ojai,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thacher sees the irony in what he said next.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We sold one piece of property. What did we do with that money? Well, we went and bought two rental units,” he said with a sad laugh, noting that it was money that didn’t go back into farming in the Ojai Valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This piece was produced in collaboration with the \u003ca href=\"https://thefern.org/\">Food and Environment Reporting Network\u003c/a>, a nonprofit, investigative news organization.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Ojai’s main street is charming, boasting tile roofs and Spanish-revival architecture. On weekends, crowds of the bohemian chic spill out of restaurants, boutiques and art galleries in the picturesque Ventura County valley ringed by mountains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Starting in the 1800s, people who could afford to would come out from the East and winter here,” explained long-time resident Tony Thacher. The town has hosted a tennis tournament since the 1880s and a music festival since the 1940s, and has drawn seekers to its spiritual centers and schools for over a century.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It served as a getaway for people from LA and Hollywood over the years,” Thacher explained.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ojai also drew farmers, like Thacher. The town is surrounded by orchards, some olive and avocado but mostly citrus. It’s iconic among citrus lovers, known for producing high-quality Valencia oranges originally, and more recently the Ojai Pixie tangerine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The valley’s climate has been ideal for citrus, but it’s changing — getting windier, drier and hotter. A recent study showed that \u003ca href=\"https://achangeinthewind.com/2022/04/17/ventura-county-heats-faster-than-lower-48/?fbclid=IwAR0NCw9mKIttIJXothZxv5NNqLpOpAsU_E_pXaRYqpUvFGfWxVbE1r6xdyg\">Ventura County’s temperature has warmed more in the last 125 years than any other county’s in the lower 48 states\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fire and drought have caused some Ojai growers to take out orchards; farmers estimate working farmland has shrunk at least 15% over the last decade. Ventura County officials are concerned enough that they’re partnering with the local Farm Bureau and The Nature Conservancy to \u003ca href=\"https://www.ventura.org/agricultural-commissioner/salc-grant/\">evaluate threatened farmland in Ojai and across the county\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some farmers are questioning whether agriculture even has a future in the Ojai Valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>The Ojai Pixie\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The fruit this valley is best known for is the Ojai Pixie.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11919007\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57079_RS57068_DSC02769-qut.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11919007 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57079_RS57068_DSC02769-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing a blue short sleeved shirt, a gray ballcap and a white cloth mask reaches his right hand to pull tangerines into a basket. There are wooden bins of tangerines off to his right, and tangerine boxes on a shelf over the bins. The tangerines are bright orange.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57079_RS57068_DSC02769-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57079_RS57068_DSC02769-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57079_RS57068_DSC02769-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57079_RS57068_DSC02769-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57079_RS57068_DSC02769-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tony Ayala sorts tangerines by size in May 2022, preparing for the weekend’s farmers markets. The former fire battalion chief says he’s seen significant changes in Ojai Valley’s weather, as the snow season has dwindled. \u003ccite>(Lisa Morehouse/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“\u003ca href=\"https://achangeinthewind.com/2021/12/04/will-the-ojai-pixie-survive/\">Pixie is one of those varieties we have a bit of lore about in Ojai,\u003c/a>” explained Thacher, who’s a longtime farmer in the valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thacher’s wife’s family began growing citrus in the Ojai Valley in the late 1800s, and its descendants operate Friend’s Ranches on 65 acres. They grow avocados and a few other crops, but the bulk of their crop is citrus — more than 50 varieties of oranges, lemons, grapefruit and tangerines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thacher and his wife, Anne Friend, quit their academic lives to work for her family’s farm when a 1969 flood washed out the original packinghouse. The Pixie was an experimental variety of tangerine developed by scientists at the University of California, Riverside — small, seedless and easy to peel. The folks at Friend’s Ranches had planted some but, by the early ‘80s, had just two productive trees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I realized early on, when our children were small, they were just cleaning the bottoms of those trees as far as they could reach,” Thacher recalled. “It looked like feral pigs had gone through the orchard. There was no fruit, but there were peels. So that’s kind of a wake-up call for a farmer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across the valley, Jim Churchill, who spent much of his childhood in Ojai, had only started farming avocados a few years earlier. “I didn’t know anything about agriculture, but I grew up walking through the orange groves, and I know what a ripe citrus tastes like,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Churchill recalled visiting Friend’s Ranches one day. “I pulled something out of a bin, and I peeled it and put it in my mouth and I said, ‘Tony, what is this?’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was a Pixie.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And I just thought, ‘This is what I’m going to grow,’” Churchill said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11919006\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57078_RS57065_DSC02742-qut.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11919006 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57078_RS57065_DSC02742-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A large man with pink skin and white hair sits in an office, wearing dark-rimmed glasses, a black and white plaid shirt and a dark green canvas jacket with a leather collar. The office shows a calendar and other papers tacked to a wood-paneled wall, and piles of full file folders on a table. Tall windows let in light from a skylight in the room beyond.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57078_RS57065_DSC02742-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57078_RS57065_DSC02742-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57078_RS57065_DSC02742-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57078_RS57065_DSC02742-qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS57078_RS57065_DSC02742-qut.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Longtime grower Tony Thacher sits in the Friend’s Ranches packinghouse office in May 2022. He says he’s not sure whether agriculture in Ojai can survive the pressures of climate change and population growth. \u003ccite>(Lisa Morehouse/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Churchill planted some Pixies, and Thacher planted more. Eventually, with a few other farmers, they started the \u003ca href=\"http://www.ojaipixies.com/\">Ojai Pixie Growers Association\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Commercial success took time, though. Churchill reached out to markets across the state, but couldn’t find customers. He wasn’t sure his farm was going to make it. Things finally changed in the late ’80s when \u003ca href=\"https://www.montereymarket.com/history.html\">Monterey Market\u003c/a> in Berkeley, 350 miles north, took a chance on the fruit, and the pastry chef for a groundbreaking restaurant got a taste. Churchill’s voice cracked when he recalled the story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I could never talk about this without crying,” he said. “Lindsey Shere was the founding pastry chef at \u003ca href=\"https://www.chezpanisse.com/1/\">Chez Panisse\u003c/a>, and she took Pixies and put them on the menu. And … then we were OK.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pixies gained credibility. Now, nearly 40 years later, Ojai Valley farmers ship up to 2 million pounds of Pixies all across the country each year.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>The many costs of fire\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Tony Ayala helps run the operation at Friend’s Ranches. His wife, Emily, is Tony and Anne Thacher’s daughter. At their packinghouse, he classified fruit by size, getting ready for the weekend farmers markets. His hands were busy sorting tangerines as he talked about changes in Ojai’s weather.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Back in the late ’60s and early ’70s, every year there would be snow in these mountains, and there would be snow for weeks on end,” said Ayala. “Now, if it snows, it lasts maybe until noon, if that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The biggest difference for him was something he witnessed over the course of his first career, the 25 years he spent as a firefighter and battalion chief. “The winter was the time to get a lot of training done. You didn’t have to worry about fire,” he said. But the Thomas Fire, in 2017, started on December 3. “That’s one of the biggest fires we’ve had. In December!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11919009\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS28573_IMG_2834-qut.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11919009 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS28573_IMG_2834-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Thick golden yellow smoke clogs the sky over a dark mountain in the background, where a line of fire is visible in the distance. In the middle distance and foreground is the main street of a town, framed on the left and right by dark green trees and white buildings. On the right is a tall building with a tower. On the left are low buildings. The middle of the picture shows cars moving in both directions with headlights on.\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS28573_IMG_2834-qut.jpg 640w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/07/RS28573_IMG_2834-qut-160x120.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Downtown Ojai was blanketed in smoke during the December wildfires, including the Thomas Fire, that raged in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties in December 2017. \u003ccite>(Stephanie O'Neill)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.vcstar.com/story/money/business/2018/01/23/over-170-million-damage-sustained-ventura-countys-agricultural-industry-thomas-fire-according-data-p/1055678001/\">The Thomas Fire caused an estimated $170 million in damages\u003c/a> to Ventura County’s agriculture industries. At Friend’s Ranches, flames came right over the metal building housing the packing machinery. They lost 3.5 acres of tangerines and avocados, but Ayala considers himself lucky.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Citrus trees don’t carry fire very well, and this whole valley is citrus,” he said. “That’s what basically saved us.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, Ayala explained, the impact of the Thomas Fire continued even after the flames were extinguished. “The smoke was here for so long that it did affect the trees,” he said. Fruit was covered in layers of ash, and gasses in the smoke made fruit mature faster and drop. Much of it was ruined. Tony’s wife, Emily Thacher Ayala, tried to sell some at a discount at a farmers market. As a joke, she labeled some completely burned fruit as “Thomas Fire Specialty Tangerines.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tony Ayala walked outside the packinghouse to point out another way fire can hurt crops: erosion. When a hillside burns, there is nothing to hold the soil in place. After the Thomas Fire, a big rain started a slide, and mud buried the trunks of more than an acre of trees. “We lost a bunch of trees down there because it gets up so high, it just kills them,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The problems didn’t stop there. Ash and fine silt hardened in the bottoms of creeks, and stopped water from percolating down into the soil and recharging the aquifer that many farms here rely on for irrigation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then there was the impact on infrastructure. Water lines burned, plastic irrigation lines melted, power lines fell. “We didn’t have power here for weeks,” Ayala recalled. They lost coolers full of juice and had to borrow a heavy-duty generator to run a pump to irrigate their thirsty trees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Because that’s a must. They’re not going to wait,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Managing a crisis worse than fire\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At his 15-acre organic orchard, Jim Churchill was up on a ladder, picking the last of the season’s Pixies. Those tiny tangerines, along with Kishu tangerines and avocados, make up the bulk of his crops; he’s also experimenting with a fruit called oroblanco, a cross between a pomelo and a grapefruit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With wildfire and other signs of climate change affecting this valley, drought is Churchill’s primary worry. “All the water that anybody has in the Ojai Valley, whether it’s from their own well, from Lake Casitas [the local reservoir] or one of the little mutual water companies, it all comes from the sky,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because of drought conditions, farmers who rely on Lake Casitas for water have faced restrictions since the 1980s; recently, most have had to cut back 30% from their 2012-2013 usage. But orchards are different from row crops — such as strawberries or lettuce — that are planted each year. It takes three to four years before a tangerine or avocado tree will bear fruit a farmer can sell. So farmers take a big financial hit when they have to rip out their trees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Churchill said some of his neighbors have dug up sections of their orchards to use less water. Friend’s Ranches removed Valencias and didn’t replant some of their orchard after the Thomas Fire. Their total acreage is down 15% compared to what they were farming before the drought and the Thomas Fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Churchill said he’s tried to avoid drastic measures. “We didn’t do wholesale removal, but we took out some trees, things that just weren’t productive, or things that died we didn’t replace,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>For the past 20 years, Churchill’s also been mulching, building nutrients in his soil and keeping trees cool in the heat. An orchard with a bare floor absorbs more heat from the sun than one covered in mulch. “And it’s good for runoff. We don’t have any runoff from this farm,” he explained.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Churchill uses water-saving mini-sprinklers and even installed monitors throughout his orchard to measure exactly how much moisture leaves are releasing into the air.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When it tells me that an inch of water has been drawn down from a particular irrigation block, then I apply an inch of water,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Avocado trees basically shut down if the temperature goes above 95 or 100 degrees. One nearby farmer, Helen McGrath, said that during a heat wave, avocados trees dropped so much fruit it sounded like rain. Churchill and his partner obsess over the weather, and irrigate ahead of a heat spike to keep trees cooler.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They check each irrigation line for problems every time they turn one on, “looking for blockages and leaks, because there’s always something,” Churchill said. “A coyote will grab a hose, or some crud gets in a line. We are very careful.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Housing hot spot\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Churchill drove through a valley, pointing out another farmer’s orchard full of dead or dying trees. “He just turned off the water,” Churchill said of the farmer who owns the land. “Wasn’t worth it to him.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Churchill stopped at a vista point overlooking the Ojai Valley, with the Topatopa Mountains in the far distance. From here, he sees what an out-of-towner can’t. “Look at that dead patch in that olive orchard,” he explained. Then he pointed to another area next to a grove of Valencia oranges and said, “They just took that orchard out. People have been abandoning orchards because they don’t pay. And also new people are buying them who aren’t farmers.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ojai is a hot spot in more ways than one. Temperatures are rising, yes, and so are real estate prices. This valley has been a destination for decades. But now, Churchill said, the influx of newcomers is unlike anything he’s ever seen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In the last three or four years, everybody wants to live in Ojai, it seems like,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s people with a lot of money, from industries like tech and entertainment. “They’re buying 10 acres, so all of a sudden, they have a whole bunch of lemons or a whole bunch of oranges,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Having more wealthy people move into the region, Churchill said, puts pressure on a community like Ojai.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It raises the price for people that live here. If you own property, you’re fine. And if you don’t own property, you just can’t afford to live here anymore,” he said. “So the texture and flavor of the town is very different than it has been. I know this is happening all over the United States, but it’s particularly intense here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That puts Churchill in a funny situation. He’s 75, and his orchard is on land that’s probably worth a lot. “I have money as long as I keep working. And I am reluctant to sell the land to the people that could buy it from me. And I haven’t got a solution for that,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neither does his old friend Tony Thacher. He’s 81.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You know, being an old man, I’m reasonably pessimistic that agriculture may not survive in Ojai,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thacher sees the irony in what he said next.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We sold one piece of property. What did we do with that money? Well, we went and bought two rental units,” he said with a sad laugh, noting that it was money that didn’t go back into farming in the Ojai Valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This piece was produced in collaboration with the \u003ca href=\"https://thefern.org/\">Food and Environment Reporting Network\u003c/a>, a nonprofit, investigative news organization.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "severe-drought-in-sacramento-valley-slams-farmers-salmon-and-migratory-birds",
"title": "Severe Drought in Sacramento Valley Slams Farmers, Salmon and Migratory Birds",
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"content": "\u003cp>Standing on the grassy plateau where water is piped onto his property, Josh Davy wished his feet were wet and his irrigation ditch full.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Three years ago, when he sank everything he had into 66 acres of irrigated pasture in Shasta County, Davy thought he’d drought-proofed his cattle operation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’d been banking on the Sacramento Valley’s water supply, which was guaranteed even during the deepest of droughts almost 60 years ago, when irrigation districts up and down the valley cut a deal with the federal government. Buying this land was his insurance against droughts expected to intensify with climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But this spring, for the first time ever, no water is flowing through his pipes and canals or those of his neighbors: The district won’t be delivering any water to Davy or any of its roughly 800 other customers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='medium' citation='Mathew Garcia, rice farmer, Glenn County']‘Without the water, we have dirt. It’s basically worthless.’[/pullquote]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Without rain for rangeland grass where his cows forage in the winter, or water to irrigate his pasture, he will probably have to sell at least half the cows he’s raised for breeding and sell all his calves a season early. Davy expects to lose money this year — more than $120,000, he guesses, and if it happens again next year, he won’t be able to pay his bills.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I would never have bought [this land] if I had known it wasn’t going to get water. Not when you pay the price you pay for it,” he said. “If this is a one-time fluke, I’ll suck it up and be fine. But I don’t have another year in me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since 1964, the water supply of the western Sacramento Valley has been virtually guaranteed, even during critically dry years, the result of an arcane water rights system and legal agreements underlying operations of the Central Valley Project, the federal government’s massive water management system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But as California weathers a third year of drought, conditions have grown so dry and reservoirs gotten so low that the valley’s landowners and irrigation districts are being forced to give up more water than ever before. Now, this region, which has relied on the largest portion of federally managed water flowing from Lake Shasta, is wrestling with what to do as its deal with the federal government no longer protects them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11915001\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/Drought-Cattle-Ranching-MG-CM-16.jpg.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11915001\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/Drought-Cattle-Ranching-MG-CM-16.jpg-800x533.jpeg\" alt=\"An irrigation canal runs straight down the middle of the photo; the canal is filled with green grasses and brush, but no water. A thin strip of dark blue mountains is in the distance.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/Drought-Cattle-Ranching-MG-CM-16.jpg-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/Drought-Cattle-Ranching-MG-CM-16.jpg-1020x680.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/Drought-Cattle-Ranching-MG-CM-16.jpg-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/Drought-Cattle-Ranching-MG-CM-16.jpg-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/Drought-Cattle-Ranching-MG-CM-16.jpg.jpeg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An irrigation canal on Davy’s pasture in Shasta County is bone-dry on April 27, 2022. \u003ccite>(Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>All relying on the lake’s supplies will make sacrifices: Many are struggling to keep their cattle and crops. Refuges for wildlife also will have to cope with less water from Lake Shasta, endangering migratory birds. And the eggs of endangered salmon that depend on cold water released from Shasta Dam are expected to die by the millions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For decades, water wars have pitted growers and ranchers against nature, north against south. But in this new California, where everyone is suffering, no one is guaranteed anything.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In the end, when one person wins, everybody loses,” Davy said. “And we don’t actually solve the problem.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Portioning out the river’s precious water\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This parched valley was once a land of floods, regularly inundated when the Sacramento River overflowed to turn grasslands and riverbank forests into a vast, seasonal lake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Colonizers who flooded into California on the tide of the Gold Rush of 1849 staked their claims to the river’s flow with notices posted to trees in a system of “first in time, first in right.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The river was corralled by levees, the region replumbed with drainage ditches and irrigation canals. Grasslands and swamps lush with tules turned to ranches and wheat fields, then to orchards, irrigated pasture and rice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The federal government took over in the 1930s, when it began building the Central Valley Project’s Shasta Dam, which displaced the Winnemem Wintu people. A 20-year negotiation between water rights holders — the colonizers, who comprised miners, landowners and irrigation districts — and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation culminated in a deal in 1964.\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-water-graphic.png\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11915076\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-water-graphic-800x1090.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1090\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-water-graphic-800x1090.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-water-graphic-1020x1390.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-water-graphic-160x218.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-water-graphic.png 1120w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, under the agreements, which were renewed in 2005, nearly 150 landowners and irrigation districts that supply almost half a million acres of agriculture in the western Sacramento Valley are entitled to receive about three times more water than Los Angeles and San Francisco use in a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a controversial amount in the parched state. Before this year, the Sacramento River Settlement Contractors, as they’re called, received the largest portion of the federally managed supply of water that flows from Shasta Lake. It’s more than cities receive, more than wildlife refuges, more even than other powerful agricultural suppliers like the Westlands Water District farther south.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their contract bars the irrigation districts’ supply from being cut by more than a quarter in critically dry years. During the last drought in 2014, federal efforts to cut it to 40% of the contracted amount were met with resistance, and deliveries ultimately increased to the full 75% allocation for the dry year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But this year, facing exceptionally dry conditions, the irrigation districts negotiated with state and federal agencies, and agreed in March to reduce their water deliveries to 18%. Other agricultural suppliers with less senior rights are set to get nothing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='small' citation='\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/california-drought-monitor/\">CalMatters California Water and Drought Tracker\u003c/a>']‘Urban water use statewide increased 18.9 percent between March 2020 and 2022.’[/pullquote]Growers understand that they have to sacrifice some water this year, said Thaddeus Bettner, general manager for Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District, the largest of the Sacramento River Settlement Contractors and one of the largest irrigation districts in the state. But he wondered why irrigation districts in the western Sacramento Valley draw so much of the blame.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I understand we’re bigger than everybody so we catch the focus,” Bettner said. “We’re just trying to survive this year. Frankly, it’s just complete devastation up here. And it’s unfortunate that the view seems to be that we should get hurt even more to save fish.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cutting deliveries to growers means that more water can flow through the rivers, which slightly raises the chances for more endangered winter-run Chinook salmon to survive this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They had the water rights to take 75% of their allocation instead of 18%, and we were anticipating another total bust,” said Howard Brown, senior policy advisor with NOAA Fisheries’ West Coast Region. “One hundred percent temperature-dependent mortality [of salmon eggs] would not have been something out of reason to imagine.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet more than half the eggs of endangered winter-run Chinook salmon are expected to die this year, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11915079\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-Shasta-Lake.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11915079\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-Shasta-Lake-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A steep embankment of brown dirt and clay borders Shasta Lake in April 2022, showing low water levels. A border of thick trees runs along the top of the brown embankment. Houseboats float at a pier.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-Shasta-Lake-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-Shasta-Lake-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-Shasta-Lake-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-Shasta-Lake.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Low water levels at Shasta Lake on April 25, 2022. \u003ccite>(Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>State and federal biologists are racing to move some of the adult salmon to a cooler tributary of the Sacramento River and a hatchery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re spreading the risk around, and putting our eggs in different baskets,” Brown said. “The animal that’s on the flag of California is extinct. How many can we afford to lose before we lose our identity as people and as citizens of California?”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Nothing like I thought I’d ever see’ in the Sacramento Valley\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In any other year, Davy would run his cattle on rain-fed rangeland he leases in Tehama County until late spring before moving the herd to his home pasture, kept green and lush with spring and summer irrigation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Davy, who grew up roping and running cattle, supports his career as a full-time rancher with his other full-time job as a farm adviser with the University of California Cooperative Extension, specializing in livestock, rangelands and natural resources.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Three years ago, he sold his home in Cottonwood, on the Shasta-Tehama county line, for a fixer-upper nearby with holes in the floor, a shoddy electrical system and windows that wouldn’t close. This fixer-upper had two inarguable selling points: a view of Mount Shasta, and water from the Anderson-Cottonwood Irrigation District, a settlement contractor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year, without rain, the grass where his cows forage through the winter crunches underfoot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This grass should be up to my waist right now,” Davy said, readying a chute he would soon use to transport his cattle. He unloaded hay from his pickup to feed the cows and calves until he could move them — unheard of, he said, in April.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11915083\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-cattle.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11915083\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-cattle-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"About a dozen black, brown and tan cows feed on bales of , against a blurred backdrop of gray-green trees.ay. \" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-cattle-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-cattle-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-cattle-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-cattle.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cattle feed on hay in Tehama County. \u003ccite>(Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Forty miles away, his pasture, green from the April rains, is faring a little better — but the green can’t last without irrigation. Thinking about it too hard makes Davy feel sick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I try to stick to what I can get done today, and then assume next year I’ll be OK. I think that’s the mantra for agriculture: Next year will be better,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About 75 miles south of Davy’s ranch, rangeland and irrigated pastures open up to orchards and thousands of acres of empty rice fields.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Nothing like I thought I’d ever see,” said Mathew Garcia, gazing at one of his dry rice fields in Glenn, about an hour and a half north of Sacramento.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In any other year, he would have been preparing to seed and flood the crumbled clay. This year, he had to abandon even the one field he’d planned to irrigate from a well; the ground was too thirsty to hold the water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Garcia’s water comes from two different irrigation districts with settlement contracts. This year, the roughly 420 acres he farms will see water deliveries either eliminated or too diminished to plant rice. He’ll funnel the water instead to his tenant’s irrigated pasture where cattle graze.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Without the water, we have dirt. It’s basically worthless,” Garcia said. “It’s very depressing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California is one of the main rice producers in the United States, and almost all is grown in the Sacramento Valley. It’s an especially water-demanding crop: The plants and evaporation drink up about two-thirds of the flows; the rest dribbles through the earth to refill groundwater stores or flows back into irrigation ditches that supply other crops, rivers and wetlands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Garcia places some of the blame on the weather. But he also blames federal regulators, who allow water to flow from the reservoirs year-round for fish, wildlife and water quality.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Everybody says, well, you shouldn’t farm in the desert. Does this look like a desert to you? No. It looks like fertile, beautiful farmland with the most amazing irrigation system that’s ever been put in. And they’re just taking the water from it. They’re creating a desert,” Garcia said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11915085\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-farmer-in-field.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11915085\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-farmer-in-field-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A large-boned man with brown skin, wearing blue jeans and a black t-shirt stands in a field of brown dirt and bleached rice stalks. Behind him is a pale blue sky with whisps of clouds.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-farmer-in-field-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-farmer-in-field-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-farmer-in-field-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-farmer-in-field.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mathew Garcia, standing in one of his fallow rice fields in Glenn, says he can’t plant anything this year because of reduced water deliveries. \u003ccite>(Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the depths of California’s last historic drought from 2012 through 2016, Garcia could still plant his fields. Even with last year’s reduced water deliveries, he planted — filling the gaps in water supply by pumping from his groundwater wells.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Garcia will survive this year: He credits his wife’s foresight to purchase crop insurance years ago. Without it, he said, he’d be done — he’d have to sell land, maybe find another job.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If this drought sustains, I don’t know how long insurance is going to last. And then at what point do you throw in the towel?” said Garcia. “There’s a teetering point somewhere. Everybody’s is different. I don’t know where mine is yet.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Local water suppliers anticipate that about 370,000 acres of cropland will go fallow in the western Sacramento Valley, the result of diminished deliveries to the settlement contractors. Most of those acres lie in Colusa and Glenn counties, where agriculture is the epicenter of the economy. Money and jobs radiate from the fields to the crop dusters and chemical suppliers, rice driers and warehouses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And, like the water, jobs for farmworkers have dried up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For nine years, Sergio Cortez has been traveling from Jalisco, Mexico, to work in Sacramento Valley fields. This is the driest he’s ever seen it, and he knows that next year could be worse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Aquí el agua es todo, pues,” he said. “Al no haber agua, pues no hay trabajo.” Water is everything, he said. If there’s no water, there’s no work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The parking lot at the migrant farmworker housing in Colusa County where Cortez and his family live for part of the year was full of cars and pickups that would normally be parked at the fields. Cortez hadn’t worked in two days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Adolfo Morales Martinez, 74, it had been a month since he worked. And, at the end of April, his unemployment benefits were about to end.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Desesperados. Estamos desesperados,” he said. “Pues en el campo gana uno poquito, no? Y sin nada? No mas.” We’re desperate, he said. In the fields, he can earn a little. But now, nothing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Normally Morales Martinez drives a tractor, readying rice fields for planting. Now it’s like a desert, his wife, Alma Galavez, said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Eso está desértico, vea. Todo. Nada, nada. Está feo y triste,” she said. There’s nothing. It’s ugly and sad.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Extreme effects on salmon and birds, too\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Environmental advocates and California tribes have been fighting the growers’ and irrigation districts’ claim to California’s finite water supply for years, citing inadequate water to maintain water quality and temperatures for endangered fish and the Sacramento Delta.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People who have built their farms in the desert, or in areas where their water has to be exported to them, need to think about changing. Because that’s what’s killing the state,” said Caleen Sisk, chief and spiritual leader of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, whose lands were flooded with the damming of Lake Shasta.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To Sisk, the salmon that once spawned in the tributaries above the Central Valley signal the region’s health. “If there are no salmon, there will be no people soon,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal scientists estimate that last year about three-quarters of endangered winter-run Chinook salmon eggs died because the water downstream of a depleted Lake Shasta was too warm. Only about 3% of the salmon ultimately survived to migrate downriver.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s been clear for decades that there was a need to reduce diversions,” said Doug Obegi, senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. “The consequences are just becoming more and more extreme.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2020, California sued the Trump administration over what it said were flawed federal assessments for how the Central Valley Project’s operations harm endangered species.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The judge sent the federal plans back for more work and approved what he called a “reasonable interim approach“ that called for prioritizing fish and public safety over irrigation districts. He called the contracts an “800-pound gorilla” and said they “make it exceedingly and increasingly difficult” for the federal government to be “sufficiently protective of winter-run [salmon].”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>U.S. Bureau of Reclamation spokesperson Gary Pitzer said the agency worked with the districts to reach an agreement on how much water to deliver because “it’s the right thing to do, particularly during drought — one of the worst on record.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Environmental advocacy groups applauded the reduced allocations to the Sacramento Valley irrigation districts. But they also raised concerns that other irrigation districts with similar contracts elsewhere in the state would still see their full dry-year allocations, and cautioned that the temperatures will still kill salmon by the scores this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wildlife refuges where birds can rest and eat during their 4,000-mile winter journeys along the Pacific Flyway also are receiving significantly less water this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Curtis McCasland, manager of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex, expects less than half a typical year’s water supply to be delivered to the refuges this year — cobbled together from purchased water supplies, federal deliveries and, he hopes, storm flows this winter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>North of Sacramento, the five refuges in the complex are painstakingly tended wilderness in a sea of agriculture. More than a century ago, wetlands fanned out for miles on either side of the flood-prone Sacramento River. Now, more than 90% of the state’s wetlands are gone, drained for fields, homes and businesses. Those remaining in these refuges now depend on water flowing from Shasta Dam and shunted through irrigation canals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the end of April, the Colusa National Wildlife Refuge offered an oasis among the barren rice fields, which normally provide about two-thirds of the migrating bird’s calories. Dark green bulrushes rose from shallow ponds where shorebirds jackhammered their bills in and out of the muck.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11915087\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-bittern.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11915087\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-bittern-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Dark water grasses looking black in a fading sun frame an image of pale blue water. An American bittern, a bird with a long neck and pointed beak, looks up toward the sky.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-bittern-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-bittern-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-bittern-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-bittern.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An American bittern feeds at the Colusa National Wildlife Refuge on April 28, 2022. \u003ccite>(Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>McCasland knows all this lush green can’t last. As he steered an SUV past black-necked stilts picking their way through the water and ducklings paddling ferociously, he talked of bracing for another dry year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Instead of being those postage stamps in a sea of rice, we’re going to be postage stamps in a sea of fallow fields,” McCasland said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a typical year, the refuge wetlands that depend on federal water get much less water than the settlement contractors are entitled to — about 4% of the total, McCasland estimates. And he worries that this year, whatever water they do receive won’t be enough to keep all these birds fed and healthy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More than a million birds descend on the refuges every winter to rest and find food. More stop in the surrounding rice fields, which are largely dry this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In years where Shasta is at a normal or average level, it should be no problem to get us the water,” he said. “In years like this, certainly it’s going to be terribly difficult.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The drought may already have taken a toll. Last November, only 745,000 birds landed in the refuge, a decrease of more than 700,000 from November of 2019, although some may have remained farther north because of unseasonably balmy weather there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The refuges are like a farm, where McCasland and his colleagues carefully cultivate tule, shrubs and grasses with pulses of summertime irrigations. With less water this summer, these wintertime food sources for birds will dry and shrivel. And with less water during the peak of fall and winter migrations, hungry birds will be packed together in the few remaining marshes — raising the risk of outbreaks from diseases like avian botulism or cholera.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s not a lot of places for these birds to go,” McCasland said. “The Sacramento Valley has always been the bankable piece. … They do have wings, they may be able to move through.” But, he added, “the question is, what happens next?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>CalMatters Photo Editor Miguel Gutierrez contributed to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Sacramento Valley growers protected for decades by their water rights are suffering for the first time during this record-breaking drought. Wildlife refuges are struggling, too.",
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"title": "Severe Drought in Sacramento Valley Slams Farmers, Salmon and Migratory Birds | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Standing on the grassy plateau where water is piped onto his property, Josh Davy wished his feet were wet and his irrigation ditch full.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Three years ago, when he sank everything he had into 66 acres of irrigated pasture in Shasta County, Davy thought he’d drought-proofed his cattle operation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’d been banking on the Sacramento Valley’s water supply, which was guaranteed even during the deepest of droughts almost 60 years ago, when irrigation districts up and down the valley cut a deal with the federal government. Buying this land was his insurance against droughts expected to intensify with climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But this spring, for the first time ever, no water is flowing through his pipes and canals or those of his neighbors: The district won’t be delivering any water to Davy or any of its roughly 800 other customers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Without rain for rangeland grass where his cows forage in the winter, or water to irrigate his pasture, he will probably have to sell at least half the cows he’s raised for breeding and sell all his calves a season early. Davy expects to lose money this year — more than $120,000, he guesses, and if it happens again next year, he won’t be able to pay his bills.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I would never have bought [this land] if I had known it wasn’t going to get water. Not when you pay the price you pay for it,” he said. “If this is a one-time fluke, I’ll suck it up and be fine. But I don’t have another year in me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since 1964, the water supply of the western Sacramento Valley has been virtually guaranteed, even during critically dry years, the result of an arcane water rights system and legal agreements underlying operations of the Central Valley Project, the federal government’s massive water management system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But as California weathers a third year of drought, conditions have grown so dry and reservoirs gotten so low that the valley’s landowners and irrigation districts are being forced to give up more water than ever before. Now, this region, which has relied on the largest portion of federally managed water flowing from Lake Shasta, is wrestling with what to do as its deal with the federal government no longer protects them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11915001\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/Drought-Cattle-Ranching-MG-CM-16.jpg.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11915001\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/Drought-Cattle-Ranching-MG-CM-16.jpg-800x533.jpeg\" alt=\"An irrigation canal runs straight down the middle of the photo; the canal is filled with green grasses and brush, but no water. A thin strip of dark blue mountains is in the distance.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/Drought-Cattle-Ranching-MG-CM-16.jpg-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/Drought-Cattle-Ranching-MG-CM-16.jpg-1020x680.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/Drought-Cattle-Ranching-MG-CM-16.jpg-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/Drought-Cattle-Ranching-MG-CM-16.jpg-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/Drought-Cattle-Ranching-MG-CM-16.jpg.jpeg 1568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An irrigation canal on Davy’s pasture in Shasta County is bone-dry on April 27, 2022. \u003ccite>(Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>All relying on the lake’s supplies will make sacrifices: Many are struggling to keep their cattle and crops. Refuges for wildlife also will have to cope with less water from Lake Shasta, endangering migratory birds. And the eggs of endangered salmon that depend on cold water released from Shasta Dam are expected to die by the millions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For decades, water wars have pitted growers and ranchers against nature, north against south. But in this new California, where everyone is suffering, no one is guaranteed anything.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In the end, when one person wins, everybody loses,” Davy said. “And we don’t actually solve the problem.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Portioning out the river’s precious water\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This parched valley was once a land of floods, regularly inundated when the Sacramento River overflowed to turn grasslands and riverbank forests into a vast, seasonal lake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Colonizers who flooded into California on the tide of the Gold Rush of 1849 staked their claims to the river’s flow with notices posted to trees in a system of “first in time, first in right.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The river was corralled by levees, the region replumbed with drainage ditches and irrigation canals. Grasslands and swamps lush with tules turned to ranches and wheat fields, then to orchards, irrigated pasture and rice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The federal government took over in the 1930s, when it began building the Central Valley Project’s Shasta Dam, which displaced the Winnemem Wintu people. A 20-year negotiation between water rights holders — the colonizers, who comprised miners, landowners and irrigation districts — and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation culminated in a deal in 1964.\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-water-graphic.png\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11915076\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-water-graphic-800x1090.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1090\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-water-graphic-800x1090.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-water-graphic-1020x1390.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-water-graphic-160x218.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-water-graphic.png 1120w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, under the agreements, which were renewed in 2005, nearly 150 landowners and irrigation districts that supply almost half a million acres of agriculture in the western Sacramento Valley are entitled to receive about three times more water than Los Angeles and San Francisco use in a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a controversial amount in the parched state. Before this year, the Sacramento River Settlement Contractors, as they’re called, received the largest portion of the federally managed supply of water that flows from Shasta Lake. It’s more than cities receive, more than wildlife refuges, more even than other powerful agricultural suppliers like the Westlands Water District farther south.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their contract bars the irrigation districts’ supply from being cut by more than a quarter in critically dry years. During the last drought in 2014, federal efforts to cut it to 40% of the contracted amount were met with resistance, and deliveries ultimately increased to the full 75% allocation for the dry year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But this year, facing exceptionally dry conditions, the irrigation districts negotiated with state and federal agencies, and agreed in March to reduce their water deliveries to 18%. Other agricultural suppliers with less senior rights are set to get nothing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Growers understand that they have to sacrifice some water this year, said Thaddeus Bettner, general manager for Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District, the largest of the Sacramento River Settlement Contractors and one of the largest irrigation districts in the state. But he wondered why irrigation districts in the western Sacramento Valley draw so much of the blame.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I understand we’re bigger than everybody so we catch the focus,” Bettner said. “We’re just trying to survive this year. Frankly, it’s just complete devastation up here. And it’s unfortunate that the view seems to be that we should get hurt even more to save fish.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cutting deliveries to growers means that more water can flow through the rivers, which slightly raises the chances for more endangered winter-run Chinook salmon to survive this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They had the water rights to take 75% of their allocation instead of 18%, and we were anticipating another total bust,” said Howard Brown, senior policy advisor with NOAA Fisheries’ West Coast Region. “One hundred percent temperature-dependent mortality [of salmon eggs] would not have been something out of reason to imagine.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet more than half the eggs of endangered winter-run Chinook salmon are expected to die this year, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11915079\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-Shasta-Lake.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11915079\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-Shasta-Lake-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A steep embankment of brown dirt and clay borders Shasta Lake in April 2022, showing low water levels. A border of thick trees runs along the top of the brown embankment. Houseboats float at a pier.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-Shasta-Lake-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-Shasta-Lake-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-Shasta-Lake-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-Shasta-Lake.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Low water levels at Shasta Lake on April 25, 2022. \u003ccite>(Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>State and federal biologists are racing to move some of the adult salmon to a cooler tributary of the Sacramento River and a hatchery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re spreading the risk around, and putting our eggs in different baskets,” Brown said. “The animal that’s on the flag of California is extinct. How many can we afford to lose before we lose our identity as people and as citizens of California?”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Nothing like I thought I’d ever see’ in the Sacramento Valley\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In any other year, Davy would run his cattle on rain-fed rangeland he leases in Tehama County until late spring before moving the herd to his home pasture, kept green and lush with spring and summer irrigation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Davy, who grew up roping and running cattle, supports his career as a full-time rancher with his other full-time job as a farm adviser with the University of California Cooperative Extension, specializing in livestock, rangelands and natural resources.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Three years ago, he sold his home in Cottonwood, on the Shasta-Tehama county line, for a fixer-upper nearby with holes in the floor, a shoddy electrical system and windows that wouldn’t close. This fixer-upper had two inarguable selling points: a view of Mount Shasta, and water from the Anderson-Cottonwood Irrigation District, a settlement contractor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year, without rain, the grass where his cows forage through the winter crunches underfoot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This grass should be up to my waist right now,” Davy said, readying a chute he would soon use to transport his cattle. He unloaded hay from his pickup to feed the cows and calves until he could move them — unheard of, he said, in April.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11915083\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-cattle.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11915083\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-cattle-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"About a dozen black, brown and tan cows feed on bales of , against a blurred backdrop of gray-green trees.ay. \" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-cattle-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-cattle-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-cattle-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-cattle.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cattle feed on hay in Tehama County. \u003ccite>(Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Forty miles away, his pasture, green from the April rains, is faring a little better — but the green can’t last without irrigation. Thinking about it too hard makes Davy feel sick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I try to stick to what I can get done today, and then assume next year I’ll be OK. I think that’s the mantra for agriculture: Next year will be better,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About 75 miles south of Davy’s ranch, rangeland and irrigated pastures open up to orchards and thousands of acres of empty rice fields.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Nothing like I thought I’d ever see,” said Mathew Garcia, gazing at one of his dry rice fields in Glenn, about an hour and a half north of Sacramento.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In any other year, he would have been preparing to seed and flood the crumbled clay. This year, he had to abandon even the one field he’d planned to irrigate from a well; the ground was too thirsty to hold the water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Garcia’s water comes from two different irrigation districts with settlement contracts. This year, the roughly 420 acres he farms will see water deliveries either eliminated or too diminished to plant rice. He’ll funnel the water instead to his tenant’s irrigated pasture where cattle graze.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Without the water, we have dirt. It’s basically worthless,” Garcia said. “It’s very depressing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California is one of the main rice producers in the United States, and almost all is grown in the Sacramento Valley. It’s an especially water-demanding crop: The plants and evaporation drink up about two-thirds of the flows; the rest dribbles through the earth to refill groundwater stores or flows back into irrigation ditches that supply other crops, rivers and wetlands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Garcia places some of the blame on the weather. But he also blames federal regulators, who allow water to flow from the reservoirs year-round for fish, wildlife and water quality.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Everybody says, well, you shouldn’t farm in the desert. Does this look like a desert to you? No. It looks like fertile, beautiful farmland with the most amazing irrigation system that’s ever been put in. And they’re just taking the water from it. They’re creating a desert,” Garcia said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11915085\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-farmer-in-field.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11915085\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-farmer-in-field-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A large-boned man with brown skin, wearing blue jeans and a black t-shirt stands in a field of brown dirt and bleached rice stalks. Behind him is a pale blue sky with whisps of clouds.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-farmer-in-field-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-farmer-in-field-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-farmer-in-field-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-farmer-in-field.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mathew Garcia, standing in one of his fallow rice fields in Glenn, says he can’t plant anything this year because of reduced water deliveries. \u003ccite>(Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the depths of California’s last historic drought from 2012 through 2016, Garcia could still plant his fields. Even with last year’s reduced water deliveries, he planted — filling the gaps in water supply by pumping from his groundwater wells.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Garcia will survive this year: He credits his wife’s foresight to purchase crop insurance years ago. Without it, he said, he’d be done — he’d have to sell land, maybe find another job.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If this drought sustains, I don’t know how long insurance is going to last. And then at what point do you throw in the towel?” said Garcia. “There’s a teetering point somewhere. Everybody’s is different. I don’t know where mine is yet.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Local water suppliers anticipate that about 370,000 acres of cropland will go fallow in the western Sacramento Valley, the result of diminished deliveries to the settlement contractors. Most of those acres lie in Colusa and Glenn counties, where agriculture is the epicenter of the economy. Money and jobs radiate from the fields to the crop dusters and chemical suppliers, rice driers and warehouses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And, like the water, jobs for farmworkers have dried up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For nine years, Sergio Cortez has been traveling from Jalisco, Mexico, to work in Sacramento Valley fields. This is the driest he’s ever seen it, and he knows that next year could be worse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Aquí el agua es todo, pues,” he said. “Al no haber agua, pues no hay trabajo.” Water is everything, he said. If there’s no water, there’s no work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The parking lot at the migrant farmworker housing in Colusa County where Cortez and his family live for part of the year was full of cars and pickups that would normally be parked at the fields. Cortez hadn’t worked in two days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Adolfo Morales Martinez, 74, it had been a month since he worked. And, at the end of April, his unemployment benefits were about to end.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Desesperados. Estamos desesperados,” he said. “Pues en el campo gana uno poquito, no? Y sin nada? No mas.” We’re desperate, he said. In the fields, he can earn a little. But now, nothing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Normally Morales Martinez drives a tractor, readying rice fields for planting. Now it’s like a desert, his wife, Alma Galavez, said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Eso está desértico, vea. Todo. Nada, nada. Está feo y triste,” she said. There’s nothing. It’s ugly and sad.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Extreme effects on salmon and birds, too\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Environmental advocates and California tribes have been fighting the growers’ and irrigation districts’ claim to California’s finite water supply for years, citing inadequate water to maintain water quality and temperatures for endangered fish and the Sacramento Delta.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People who have built their farms in the desert, or in areas where their water has to be exported to them, need to think about changing. Because that’s what’s killing the state,” said Caleen Sisk, chief and spiritual leader of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, whose lands were flooded with the damming of Lake Shasta.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To Sisk, the salmon that once spawned in the tributaries above the Central Valley signal the region’s health. “If there are no salmon, there will be no people soon,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal scientists estimate that last year about three-quarters of endangered winter-run Chinook salmon eggs died because the water downstream of a depleted Lake Shasta was too warm. Only about 3% of the salmon ultimately survived to migrate downriver.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s been clear for decades that there was a need to reduce diversions,” said Doug Obegi, senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. “The consequences are just becoming more and more extreme.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2020, California sued the Trump administration over what it said were flawed federal assessments for how the Central Valley Project’s operations harm endangered species.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The judge sent the federal plans back for more work and approved what he called a “reasonable interim approach“ that called for prioritizing fish and public safety over irrigation districts. He called the contracts an “800-pound gorilla” and said they “make it exceedingly and increasingly difficult” for the federal government to be “sufficiently protective of winter-run [salmon].”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>U.S. Bureau of Reclamation spokesperson Gary Pitzer said the agency worked with the districts to reach an agreement on how much water to deliver because “it’s the right thing to do, particularly during drought — one of the worst on record.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Environmental advocacy groups applauded the reduced allocations to the Sacramento Valley irrigation districts. But they also raised concerns that other irrigation districts with similar contracts elsewhere in the state would still see their full dry-year allocations, and cautioned that the temperatures will still kill salmon by the scores this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wildlife refuges where birds can rest and eat during their 4,000-mile winter journeys along the Pacific Flyway also are receiving significantly less water this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Curtis McCasland, manager of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex, expects less than half a typical year’s water supply to be delivered to the refuges this year — cobbled together from purchased water supplies, federal deliveries and, he hopes, storm flows this winter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>North of Sacramento, the five refuges in the complex are painstakingly tended wilderness in a sea of agriculture. More than a century ago, wetlands fanned out for miles on either side of the flood-prone Sacramento River. Now, more than 90% of the state’s wetlands are gone, drained for fields, homes and businesses. Those remaining in these refuges now depend on water flowing from Shasta Dam and shunted through irrigation canals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the end of April, the Colusa National Wildlife Refuge offered an oasis among the barren rice fields, which normally provide about two-thirds of the migrating bird’s calories. Dark green bulrushes rose from shallow ponds where shorebirds jackhammered their bills in and out of the muck.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11915087\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-bittern.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11915087\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-bittern-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Dark water grasses looking black in a fading sun frame an image of pale blue water. An American bittern, a bird with a long neck and pointed beak, looks up toward the sky.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-bittern-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-bittern-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-bittern-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/05/CalMatters-bittern.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An American bittern feeds at the Colusa National Wildlife Refuge on April 28, 2022. \u003ccite>(Miguel Gutierrez Jr./CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>McCasland knows all this lush green can’t last. As he steered an SUV past black-necked stilts picking their way through the water and ducklings paddling ferociously, he talked of bracing for another dry year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Instead of being those postage stamps in a sea of rice, we’re going to be postage stamps in a sea of fallow fields,” McCasland said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a typical year, the refuge wetlands that depend on federal water get much less water than the settlement contractors are entitled to — about 4% of the total, McCasland estimates. And he worries that this year, whatever water they do receive won’t be enough to keep all these birds fed and healthy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More than a million birds descend on the refuges every winter to rest and find food. More stop in the surrounding rice fields, which are largely dry this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In years where Shasta is at a normal or average level, it should be no problem to get us the water,” he said. “In years like this, certainly it’s going to be terribly difficult.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The drought may already have taken a toll. Last November, only 745,000 birds landed in the refuge, a decrease of more than 700,000 from November of 2019, although some may have remained farther north because of unseasonably balmy weather there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The refuges are like a farm, where McCasland and his colleagues carefully cultivate tule, shrubs and grasses with pulses of summertime irrigations. With less water this summer, these wintertime food sources for birds will dry and shrivel. And with less water during the peak of fall and winter migrations, hungry birds will be packed together in the few remaining marshes — raising the risk of outbreaks from diseases like avian botulism or cholera.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s not a lot of places for these birds to go,” McCasland said. “The Sacramento Valley has always been the bankable piece. … They do have wings, they may be able to move through.” But, he added, “the question is, what happens next?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>CalMatters Photo Editor Miguel Gutierrez contributed to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Between vast almond orchards and dairy pastures in the heart of California’s farm country sits a property being redesigned to look like it did 150 years ago, before levees restricted the flow of rivers that weave across the landscape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The 2,100 acres at the confluence of the Tuolumne and San Joaquin rivers in the state’s Central Valley are being reverted to a floodplain. That means when heavy rains cause the rivers to go over their banks, water will run onto the land, allowing traditional ecosystems to flourish and lowering flood risk downstream.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Dos Rios Ranch Preserve is California’s largest single floodplain restoration project, part of the nation’s broadest effort to rethink how rivers flow as climate change alters the environment. The land it covers used to be a farm, but the owners sold it to the nonprofit River Partners to use for restoring wildlife habitat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state wants to fund and prioritize similar projects that lower risks to homes and property while providing other benefits, like boosting habitats, improving water quality and potentially recharging depleted groundwater supplies. With the notching or removal of levees, swelling rivers can flow onto land that no longer needs to be kept dry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s giving new life ecologically but in a way that’s consistent with, complementary to, the human systems that have developed over the 150 years since the Gold Rush,” said Julie Rentner, president of River Partners.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Central Valley covers about 20,000 square miles and is an agricultural powerhouse — more than 250 crops are grown there. The region constitutes about 1% of U.S. farmland but produces 25% of the nation’s food while accounting for one-fifth of all groundwater pumping in the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A flood in the 1860s demonstrated the potential for disaster: Up to 6,000 square miles of the valley were submerged. As the state’s population rapidly expanded and farming boomed through the 20th century, the government engineered vast systems to move water around to supply people and farms, and erected levees to protect cities and crops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of those levees cut off rivers from their natural floodplains. As climate change causes temperatures to warm, mountain snow that typically trickles into the state’s watershed may fill rivers much faster, increasing the flows beyond what levees can take.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11911592\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/GettyImages-1237211786-scaled.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11911592\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/GettyImages-1237211786-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A white woman with black hair in a ponytail stands in the foreground, wearing a yellow-and-white striped shirt and dark, outdoor vest. Behind her is a slender river, meandering through a landscape of lush grasses and low brush.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/GettyImages-1237211786-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/GettyImages-1237211786-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/GettyImages-1237211786-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/GettyImages-1237211786-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/GettyImages-1237211786-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/GettyImages-1237211786-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">River Partners President Julie Rentner stands along the bank of the Tuolumne River near a restored floodplain and riparian habitat on the Dos Rios Ranch in September 2021 in Modesto. \u003ccite>(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Floodplain restoration can help. For projects like Dos Rios, land that farmers no longer want to manage is being turned into space where rivers can breathe. Farther north, barriers on the Feather River have been altered to allow more water to flow into an existing wildlife area. In West Sacramento, 4 miles of levee along the Sacramento River is being set back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California officials began centralizing valley flood planning a decade ago. Though some of the worst and most notable floods in recent decades have occurred in places like Houston and New Orleans, parts of California are at serious risk that’s only expected to increase due to climate change. In 1997, major storms caused levees to break throughout the valley, including on the Tuolumne River, causing nearly $2 billion in damage and destroying more than 20,000 homes. Nine people died.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='small' citation='Barry Nelson, water consultant']‘One of the things that drives me crazy about California water is that decision-makers want to talk about floods in flood years and droughts in drought years. The weather whiplash we’re seeing this year is really teaching us we need to break out of that pattern.’[/pullquote]An update to the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan is set for release this week. It will detail ways to lower flood risk and protect the roughly 1.3 million people who live on floodplains, along with key infrastructure, agricultural lands and ecosystems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the last update five years ago, the state put a premium on floodplain restoration projects. Dos Rios is one of 17 identified by the state. Four have been completed since 2013, three are under construction, and 10 are proposed. They’ve cost $300 million so far, with money coming from bond funds and local and federal dollars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Dos Rios is an amazing example, but we need like 30 more of those,” said Jane Dolan, chair of the Central Valley Flood Protection Board.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Floodplain restoration isn’t unique to California. Washington state launched a program in 2013 called Floodplains by Design, and \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/tn-state-wire-nd-state-wire-mo-state-wire-michael-brown-ar-state-wire-aa5812a166b36687af3a4d0fc2a292b8\">projects are popping up along the Mississippi River\u003c/a>. But experts say California stands out for its emphasis on projects that provide ecological support.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s tremendous potential for this kind of work, and I’m quite impressed by how deliberate and thoughtful California is being in this space,” said Todd Bridges, head of the Army Corps of Engineers’ \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-technology-science-todd-bridges-floods-18d32b6cbe365cca92b6bd4b9384da83\">Engineering with Nature\u003c/a> program, which takes a similar approach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Biden administration set aside at least $1.75 billion in the infrastructure bill for multipurpose projects aimed at reducing flood risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11911590\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/feather-river.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11911590\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/feather-river-800x481.jpg\" alt=\"Brown river water flows past a brown soil embankment that has broken off and fallen into the river. Trees slip down the embankment and green grass is in the background.\" width=\"800\" height=\"481\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/feather-river-800x481.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/feather-river-1020x613.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/feather-river-160x96.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/feather-river-1536x923.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/feather-river.jpg 1542w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rushing water from heavy rains tore apart this levee on the Feather River in 2017. \u003ccite>(Lauren Sommer/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Just as climate change is making California’s dry periods drier, it’s expected to make the wet periods wetter. The state experienced an \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-floods-california-los-angeles-droughts-7fabc66dc0cfab55441e1bf25c6c08f9\">atmospheric river in October\u003c/a> and major rain and snowfall in December, followed by its \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-floods-california-los-angeles-droughts-7fabc66dc0cfab55441e1bf25c6c08f9\">driest January through March\u003c/a> on record.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the things that drives me crazy about California water is that decision-makers want to talk about floods in flood years and droughts in drought years,” said Barry Nelson, a water consultant who worked on the Dos Rios project. “The weather whiplash we’re seeing this year is really teaching us we need to break out of that pattern.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since the 1850s, 95% of the historical wetlands and river habitats in the Central Valley have been eliminated, according to state flood planners. It would be impossible to restore all of that in a state of 40 million people, where major cities like the capital, Sacramento, and Stockton have been built in floodplains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the valley’s vast open spaces offer opportunities, such as on farmland that’s no longer in use. The property that Dos Rios sits on was most recently a dairy, and the owners approached River Partners about selling the land for conservation in the mid-2000s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>River Partners has notched berms to allow river water to flow onto 1,000 acres. The nonprofit is going through government hurdles to breach a federal levee keeping the Tuolumne River at bay. Eventually Dos Rios could hold up to 10,000 acre-feet of flood water, keeping it from flowing toward cities like Stockton. An acre-foot is about 325,850 gallons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fourteen kinds of woody trees and shrubs are planted in a way that’s designed to attract native species. The riparian brush rabbit, chinook salmon, steelhead trout, the yellow warbler and the sandhill crane are among the species that call Dos Rios home. The habitat there also supports the Aleutian cackling goose, which once was listed as an endangered species.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates for such projects would like to see them built faster in California and beyond. Rentner, of River Partners, said that while there’s broad agreement on the value of restoring floodplains, concerns about the impact of land conversion on local tax bases and debates about how broadly to expand public access can slow things down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in the messy world of California water, floodplain restoration stands out, said Nelson, the water consultant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In this sort of ocean of disagreements about water policy, about all these other issues, flood management is this place where enormous change has happened in the last decade in a way that is incredibly broadly supported,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "In 1997, nine people died when major storms caused levees to break throughout the Central Valley. As storms and flooding worsen due to climate change, here's a solution to protect levees and communities. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Between vast almond orchards and dairy pastures in the heart of California’s farm country sits a property being redesigned to look like it did 150 years ago, before levees restricted the flow of rivers that weave across the landscape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The 2,100 acres at the confluence of the Tuolumne and San Joaquin rivers in the state’s Central Valley are being reverted to a floodplain. That means when heavy rains cause the rivers to go over their banks, water will run onto the land, allowing traditional ecosystems to flourish and lowering flood risk downstream.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Dos Rios Ranch Preserve is California’s largest single floodplain restoration project, part of the nation’s broadest effort to rethink how rivers flow as climate change alters the environment. The land it covers used to be a farm, but the owners sold it to the nonprofit River Partners to use for restoring wildlife habitat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state wants to fund and prioritize similar projects that lower risks to homes and property while providing other benefits, like boosting habitats, improving water quality and potentially recharging depleted groundwater supplies. With the notching or removal of levees, swelling rivers can flow onto land that no longer needs to be kept dry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s giving new life ecologically but in a way that’s consistent with, complementary to, the human systems that have developed over the 150 years since the Gold Rush,” said Julie Rentner, president of River Partners.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Central Valley covers about 20,000 square miles and is an agricultural powerhouse — more than 250 crops are grown there. The region constitutes about 1% of U.S. farmland but produces 25% of the nation’s food while accounting for one-fifth of all groundwater pumping in the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A flood in the 1860s demonstrated the potential for disaster: Up to 6,000 square miles of the valley were submerged. As the state’s population rapidly expanded and farming boomed through the 20th century, the government engineered vast systems to move water around to supply people and farms, and erected levees to protect cities and crops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of those levees cut off rivers from their natural floodplains. As climate change causes temperatures to warm, mountain snow that typically trickles into the state’s watershed may fill rivers much faster, increasing the flows beyond what levees can take.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11911592\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/GettyImages-1237211786-scaled.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11911592\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/GettyImages-1237211786-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A white woman with black hair in a ponytail stands in the foreground, wearing a yellow-and-white striped shirt and dark, outdoor vest. Behind her is a slender river, meandering through a landscape of lush grasses and low brush.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/GettyImages-1237211786-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/GettyImages-1237211786-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/GettyImages-1237211786-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/GettyImages-1237211786-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/GettyImages-1237211786-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/GettyImages-1237211786-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">River Partners President Julie Rentner stands along the bank of the Tuolumne River near a restored floodplain and riparian habitat on the Dos Rios Ranch in September 2021 in Modesto. \u003ccite>(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Floodplain restoration can help. For projects like Dos Rios, land that farmers no longer want to manage is being turned into space where rivers can breathe. Farther north, barriers on the Feather River have been altered to allow more water to flow into an existing wildlife area. In West Sacramento, 4 miles of levee along the Sacramento River is being set back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California officials began centralizing valley flood planning a decade ago. Though some of the worst and most notable floods in recent decades have occurred in places like Houston and New Orleans, parts of California are at serious risk that’s only expected to increase due to climate change. In 1997, major storms caused levees to break throughout the valley, including on the Tuolumne River, causing nearly $2 billion in damage and destroying more than 20,000 homes. Nine people died.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "‘One of the things that drives me crazy about California water is that decision-makers want to talk about floods in flood years and droughts in drought years. The weather whiplash we’re seeing this year is really teaching us we need to break out of that pattern.’",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>An update to the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan is set for release this week. It will detail ways to lower flood risk and protect the roughly 1.3 million people who live on floodplains, along with key infrastructure, agricultural lands and ecosystems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the last update five years ago, the state put a premium on floodplain restoration projects. Dos Rios is one of 17 identified by the state. Four have been completed since 2013, three are under construction, and 10 are proposed. They’ve cost $300 million so far, with money coming from bond funds and local and federal dollars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Dos Rios is an amazing example, but we need like 30 more of those,” said Jane Dolan, chair of the Central Valley Flood Protection Board.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Floodplain restoration isn’t unique to California. Washington state launched a program in 2013 called Floodplains by Design, and \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/tn-state-wire-nd-state-wire-mo-state-wire-michael-brown-ar-state-wire-aa5812a166b36687af3a4d0fc2a292b8\">projects are popping up along the Mississippi River\u003c/a>. But experts say California stands out for its emphasis on projects that provide ecological support.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s tremendous potential for this kind of work, and I’m quite impressed by how deliberate and thoughtful California is being in this space,” said Todd Bridges, head of the Army Corps of Engineers’ \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-technology-science-todd-bridges-floods-18d32b6cbe365cca92b6bd4b9384da83\">Engineering with Nature\u003c/a> program, which takes a similar approach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Biden administration set aside at least $1.75 billion in the infrastructure bill for multipurpose projects aimed at reducing flood risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11911590\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/feather-river.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11911590\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/feather-river-800x481.jpg\" alt=\"Brown river water flows past a brown soil embankment that has broken off and fallen into the river. Trees slip down the embankment and green grass is in the background.\" width=\"800\" height=\"481\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/feather-river-800x481.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/feather-river-1020x613.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/feather-river-160x96.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/feather-river-1536x923.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/04/feather-river.jpg 1542w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rushing water from heavy rains tore apart this levee on the Feather River in 2017. \u003ccite>(Lauren Sommer/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Just as climate change is making California’s dry periods drier, it’s expected to make the wet periods wetter. The state experienced an \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-floods-california-los-angeles-droughts-7fabc66dc0cfab55441e1bf25c6c08f9\">atmospheric river in October\u003c/a> and major rain and snowfall in December, followed by its \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-floods-california-los-angeles-droughts-7fabc66dc0cfab55441e1bf25c6c08f9\">driest January through March\u003c/a> on record.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the things that drives me crazy about California water is that decision-makers want to talk about floods in flood years and droughts in drought years,” said Barry Nelson, a water consultant who worked on the Dos Rios project. “The weather whiplash we’re seeing this year is really teaching us we need to break out of that pattern.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since the 1850s, 95% of the historical wetlands and river habitats in the Central Valley have been eliminated, according to state flood planners. It would be impossible to restore all of that in a state of 40 million people, where major cities like the capital, Sacramento, and Stockton have been built in floodplains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the valley’s vast open spaces offer opportunities, such as on farmland that’s no longer in use. The property that Dos Rios sits on was most recently a dairy, and the owners approached River Partners about selling the land for conservation in the mid-2000s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>River Partners has notched berms to allow river water to flow onto 1,000 acres. The nonprofit is going through government hurdles to breach a federal levee keeping the Tuolumne River at bay. Eventually Dos Rios could hold up to 10,000 acre-feet of flood water, keeping it from flowing toward cities like Stockton. An acre-foot is about 325,850 gallons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fourteen kinds of woody trees and shrubs are planted in a way that’s designed to attract native species. The riparian brush rabbit, chinook salmon, steelhead trout, the yellow warbler and the sandhill crane are among the species that call Dos Rios home. The habitat there also supports the Aleutian cackling goose, which once was listed as an endangered species.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates for such projects would like to see them built faster in California and beyond. Rentner, of River Partners, said that while there’s broad agreement on the value of restoring floodplains, concerns about the impact of land conversion on local tax bases and debates about how broadly to expand public access can slow things down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in the messy world of California water, floodplain restoration stands out, said Nelson, the water consultant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In this sort of ocean of disagreements about water policy, about all these other issues, flood management is this place where enormous change has happened in the last decade in a way that is incredibly broadly supported,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Ahead of California's Ban on Gas-Powered Tools, Some Landscapers Call the State's Subsidy Inadequate",
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"headTitle": "Ahead of California’s Ban on Gas-Powered Tools, Some Landscapers Call the State’s Subsidy Inadequate | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/calmatters-en-espanol/2021/11/un-cupon-del-50-de-descuento-para-una-herramienta-electrica-los-jardineros-dicen-que-el-subsidio-de-california-es-inadecuado/\">\u003cem>Leer en español.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1977168/the-sounds-of-silence-california-bans-new-gas-powered-leaf-blowers\">banning the sale of most new gas-powered tools by 2024\u003c/a>, gardeners and landscapers say a $30 million state subsidy isn’t nearly enough to help small operators make the switch to electric.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state agency responsible for administering the subsidy estimates it has only enough to give each self-employed gardener a 50% coupon for one tool, far from the truckload of leaf blowers, lawn mowers, small chain saws, brush cutters and trimmers most haul around.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=\"science_1977168\" hero=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/10/RS52049_GettyImages-1346603572-qut-1020x695.jpg\"]In fact, local governments have learned they need to offer more. In Southern California, a regional air quality district that has been running a similar incentive program since 2017, saw few takers until it increased rebates to 75% per tool. The district paired that with an outreach program and encouraged landscapers to test electric equipment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California Air Resources Board is still figuring out who will qualify for the rebate, and Assemblymember Marc Berman, one of the authors of the bill, said he’s open to adding more funding if needed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Let’s not make the perfect be the enemy of the good,” said the Menlo Park Democrat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Environmentalists hailed the first-in-the-nation law for advancing California’s clean energy goals, noting the state estimates that smog-forming pollution from small gas-powered engines will surpass emissions from passenger cars this year. But electrifying the landscaping industry creates financial and physical burdens for the estimated 60,000 one-person and often unlicensed landscaping operations, \u003ca href=\"https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes373011.htm\">an industry that sees an average income under $40,000 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11897482\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11897482 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-03.jpg\" alt=\"A chain saw lies on the ground, next to a red gasoline tank.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-03.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-03-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-03-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-03-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A chain saw and gas can on the ground during fire mitigation work at a property along Via Floreado in Orinda on Nov. 16, 2021. Ken’s Rototilling and Landscaping owns around 50 gas-powered tools that could be affected by a state ban on new small gas motors. \u003ccite>(Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>There’s an argument for subsidizing the transition. An electric leaf blower and batteries cost nearly twice as much as a comparable gas version. California estimates that \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/barcu/regact/2021/sore21/isor.pdf#page=22\">a full transition of nearly 3 million tools used by landscaping professionals will cost $1.29 billion\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bryan, a landscaper who asked to be identified by his first name only because he fears losing business, uses a mix of electric and gas equipment. The electric ones fall short.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I have 10 to 15 houses a day right now, but with electric [tools], I may do seven or five houses a day,” he said. That’s a loss of $1,000 a week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Already, Bryan has told his kid he can’t afford books or a new laptop. The cost of a full conversion by purchasing all electric tools, he said, would require him to raise prices 30%. He fears his residential clients will purchase their own tools and do it themselves, pushing him out of a job.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the bill was signed, Berman and Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez of San Diego called it a win for both the environment and human health. Electric tools have already been widely adopted by California homeowners, \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/3.24.21%20Workshop%20Staff%20Presentation.pdf\">but only a fraction of commercial landscaping companies have made the switch, according to a 2018 survey by the air resources board\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=\"science_1977672\" hero=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/11/RS52246_029_SanFrancisco_YouthClimateStrike_10292021-qut-1020x680.jpg\"]At that time, 8 in 10 landscapers said they planned on buying gas-powered equipment with many prioritizing performance, run time and cost. But operating a gas-powered leaf blower for one hour, for example, emits the same amount of pollution as driving a Toyota Camry from Los Angeles to Denver, according to the air board.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lawn equipment conversion will bring the rest of the state in line with cities such as Palo Alto, Los Altos and Menlo Park, which have already banned noisy leaf blowers. The law also directs the air resources board to come up with statewide regulations for other small motor equipment, such as golf carts, small generators and power washers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the landscaping industry, the main target of the ban, says the transition has already been costly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Steven Wood purchased four batteries for his electric leaf blower after a number of communities in the Bay Area banned gas-powered leaf blowers. Woods, who owns a small landscaping business, immediately noticed the batteries don’t go far enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I never spent $200 on something that lasted 45 minutes,” Wood said, “and it doesn’t last for six to eight houses a day.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once the batteries drain, Wood’s two employees resort to raking, which takes three times as long to complete a job.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tests back him up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Consumer Reports rated gas and electric tools, such as \u003ca href=\"https://www.consumerreports.org/lawn-mowers-and-tractors/ego-electric-mower-vs-honda-gas-mower-face-off-a6853992124/\">lawn mowers\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/leaf-blowers/buying-guide/index.htm\">leaf blowers\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/leaf-blowers/buying-guide/index.htm\">string trimmers\u003c/a>, side by side. The nonprofit consumer organization found that battery-powered tools, with low maintenance and ease of use, were strong candidates for homeowners with less than an acre of land who could wait to recharge their batteries. But when it came to larger plots, more robust weeds to whack, or long hours of use, gas tools excelled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As an industry, we want this [battery-powered] equipment to be able to handle what we throw at it,” said Sandra Giarde, executive director of the California Landscape Contractors Association. “But it’s not there yet.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11897483\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11897483\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-01.jpg\" alt=\"A man holds up a chainsaw in the outdoors and looks up at the canopy.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-01.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-01-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-01-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-01-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jorge Mijango of Ken’s Rototilling and Landscaping uses a chain saw to cut trees for fire mitigation at a property along Via Floreado in Orinda on Nov. 16, 2021. The landscaping company owns around 50 gas-powered tools that could be affected by a state ban on new small gas motors. \u003ccite>(Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The air resources board said the technology is close enough. While electric tools may not have the same power, they offer other benefits, such as longer life span, better torque for some tools and savings on gas and maintenance, said air pollution specialist Christopher Dilbeck.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We recognize that, yes, there will be substantial costs associated with what we are proposing,” said Dilbeck. “That is part of why this funding is available.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label ='Related Coverage' tag='climate']The board, which will allocate the state’s $30 million subsidy, has yet to release how it will hand out incentives other than saying it will target small operators, including those without a business license. In one scenario, California could offer 12,000 small landscapers a 50% discount on all their new tools, or every sole proprietor could receive a 50% discount on one tool.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You are not going to be able to get the jobs done as fast,” said Ken Tamplen, owner of Ken’s Rototilling and Landscaping in Contra Costa County. “You’re not going to be able to make as much money.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "California will ban most new gas-powered lawn equipment starting in 2024, but industry officials say the $30 million incentive program for small operators is not enough.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/calmatters-en-espanol/2021/11/un-cupon-del-50-de-descuento-para-una-herramienta-electrica-los-jardineros-dicen-que-el-subsidio-de-california-es-inadecuado/\">\u003cem>Leer en español.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1977168/the-sounds-of-silence-california-bans-new-gas-powered-leaf-blowers\">banning the sale of most new gas-powered tools by 2024\u003c/a>, gardeners and landscapers say a $30 million state subsidy isn’t nearly enough to help small operators make the switch to electric.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state agency responsible for administering the subsidy estimates it has only enough to give each self-employed gardener a 50% coupon for one tool, far from the truckload of leaf blowers, lawn mowers, small chain saws, brush cutters and trimmers most haul around.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In fact, local governments have learned they need to offer more. In Southern California, a regional air quality district that has been running a similar incentive program since 2017, saw few takers until it increased rebates to 75% per tool. The district paired that with an outreach program and encouraged landscapers to test electric equipment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California Air Resources Board is still figuring out who will qualify for the rebate, and Assemblymember Marc Berman, one of the authors of the bill, said he’s open to adding more funding if needed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Let’s not make the perfect be the enemy of the good,” said the Menlo Park Democrat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Environmentalists hailed the first-in-the-nation law for advancing California’s clean energy goals, noting the state estimates that smog-forming pollution from small gas-powered engines will surpass emissions from passenger cars this year. But electrifying the landscaping industry creates financial and physical burdens for the estimated 60,000 one-person and often unlicensed landscaping operations, \u003ca href=\"https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes373011.htm\">an industry that sees an average income under $40,000 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11897482\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11897482 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-03.jpg\" alt=\"A chain saw lies on the ground, next to a red gasoline tank.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-03.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-03-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-03-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-03-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A chain saw and gas can on the ground during fire mitigation work at a property along Via Floreado in Orinda on Nov. 16, 2021. Ken’s Rototilling and Landscaping owns around 50 gas-powered tools that could be affected by a state ban on new small gas motors. \u003ccite>(Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>There’s an argument for subsidizing the transition. An electric leaf blower and batteries cost nearly twice as much as a comparable gas version. California estimates that \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/barcu/regact/2021/sore21/isor.pdf#page=22\">a full transition of nearly 3 million tools used by landscaping professionals will cost $1.29 billion\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bryan, a landscaper who asked to be identified by his first name only because he fears losing business, uses a mix of electric and gas equipment. The electric ones fall short.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I have 10 to 15 houses a day right now, but with electric [tools], I may do seven or five houses a day,” he said. That’s a loss of $1,000 a week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Already, Bryan has told his kid he can’t afford books or a new laptop. The cost of a full conversion by purchasing all electric tools, he said, would require him to raise prices 30%. He fears his residential clients will purchase their own tools and do it themselves, pushing him out of a job.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the bill was signed, Berman and Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez of San Diego called it a win for both the environment and human health. Electric tools have already been widely adopted by California homeowners, \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/3.24.21%20Workshop%20Staff%20Presentation.pdf\">but only a fraction of commercial landscaping companies have made the switch, according to a 2018 survey by the air resources board\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>At that time, 8 in 10 landscapers said they planned on buying gas-powered equipment with many prioritizing performance, run time and cost. But operating a gas-powered leaf blower for one hour, for example, emits the same amount of pollution as driving a Toyota Camry from Los Angeles to Denver, according to the air board.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lawn equipment conversion will bring the rest of the state in line with cities such as Palo Alto, Los Altos and Menlo Park, which have already banned noisy leaf blowers. The law also directs the air resources board to come up with statewide regulations for other small motor equipment, such as golf carts, small generators and power washers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the landscaping industry, the main target of the ban, says the transition has already been costly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Steven Wood purchased four batteries for his electric leaf blower after a number of communities in the Bay Area banned gas-powered leaf blowers. Woods, who owns a small landscaping business, immediately noticed the batteries don’t go far enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I never spent $200 on something that lasted 45 minutes,” Wood said, “and it doesn’t last for six to eight houses a day.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once the batteries drain, Wood’s two employees resort to raking, which takes three times as long to complete a job.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tests back him up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Consumer Reports rated gas and electric tools, such as \u003ca href=\"https://www.consumerreports.org/lawn-mowers-and-tractors/ego-electric-mower-vs-honda-gas-mower-face-off-a6853992124/\">lawn mowers\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/leaf-blowers/buying-guide/index.htm\">leaf blowers\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/leaf-blowers/buying-guide/index.htm\">string trimmers\u003c/a>, side by side. The nonprofit consumer organization found that battery-powered tools, with low maintenance and ease of use, were strong candidates for homeowners with less than an acre of land who could wait to recharge their batteries. But when it came to larger plots, more robust weeds to whack, or long hours of use, gas tools excelled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As an industry, we want this [battery-powered] equipment to be able to handle what we throw at it,” said Sandra Giarde, executive director of the California Landscape Contractors Association. “But it’s not there yet.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11897483\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11897483\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-01.jpg\" alt=\"A man holds up a chainsaw in the outdoors and looks up at the canopy.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-01.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-01-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-01-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/11/111621-Gas-Lawn-Ban-CAD-CM-01-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jorge Mijango of Ken’s Rototilling and Landscaping uses a chain saw to cut trees for fire mitigation at a property along Via Floreado in Orinda on Nov. 16, 2021. The landscaping company owns around 50 gas-powered tools that could be affected by a state ban on new small gas motors. \u003ccite>(Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The air resources board said the technology is close enough. While electric tools may not have the same power, they offer other benefits, such as longer life span, better torque for some tools and savings on gas and maintenance, said air pollution specialist Christopher Dilbeck.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We recognize that, yes, there will be substantial costs associated with what we are proposing,” said Dilbeck. “That is part of why this funding is available.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The board, which will allocate the state’s $30 million subsidy, has yet to release how it will hand out incentives other than saying it will target small operators, including those without a business license. In one scenario, California could offer 12,000 small landscapers a 50% discount on all their new tools, or every sole proprietor could receive a 50% discount on one tool.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You are not going to be able to get the jobs done as fast,” said Ken Tamplen, owner of Ken’s Rototilling and Landscaping in Contra Costa County. “You’re not going to be able to make as much money.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
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