window.__IS_SSR__=true
window.__INITIAL_STATE__={
"attachmentsReducer": {
"audio_0": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_0",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background0.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_1": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_1",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background1.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_2": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_2",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background2.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_3": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_3",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background3.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_4": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_4",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background4.jpg"
}
}
},
"placeholder": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "placeholder",
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"small": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 32,
"height": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 50,
"height": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 64,
"height": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 96,
"height": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 128,
"height": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
}
},
"science_1993586": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1993586",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1993586",
"found": true
},
"title": "230809-SOLDOUTPARADISE-45-BL-KQED",
"publishDate": 1720649808,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1720652442,
"caption": "Empty lots dot the side of a residential area of Paradise, Butte County, on Aug. 9, 2023. The Camp Fire, the deadliest and most destructive fire in modern California history, swept through the area in 2018.",
"credit": "Beth LaBerge/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/07/230809-SOLDOUTPARADISE-45-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/07/230809-SOLDOUTPARADISE-45-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/07/230809-SOLDOUTPARADISE-45-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/07/230809-SOLDOUTPARADISE-45-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/07/230809-SOLDOUTPARADISE-45-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/07/230809-SOLDOUTPARADISE-45-BL-KQED-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/07/230809-SOLDOUTPARADISE-45-BL-KQED-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/07/230809-SOLDOUTPARADISE-45-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/07/230809-SOLDOUTPARADISE-45-BL-KQED.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1981584": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1981584",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1981584",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1981541,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/GettyImages-1428521496-1024x576.jpg",
"width": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/GettyImages-1428521496-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/GettyImages-1428521496-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/GettyImages-1428521496.jpg",
"width": 1024,
"height": 683
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/GettyImages-1428521496-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 680
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/GettyImages-1428521496-800x534.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 534
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/02/GettyImages-1428521496-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 512
}
},
"publishDate": 1676062523,
"modified": 1676062592,
"caption": "San Andreas fault zone and San Francisco.",
"description": null,
"title": "San Andreas fault zone and San Francisco",
"credit": "Marli Miller/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": "An aerial view of San Francisco peninsula",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1952361": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1952361",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1952361",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1949019,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_008-e1576716513646-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_008-e1576716513646-1-160x110.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 110
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_008-e1576716513646-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_008-e1576716513646-1.jpg",
"width": 1919,
"height": 1322
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_008-e1576716513646-1-1020x703.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 703
},
"complete_open_graph": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_008-e1576716513646-1-1200x827.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 827
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_008-e1576716513646-1-800x551.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 551
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_008-e1576716513646-1-768x529.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 529
}
},
"publishDate": 1576716600,
"modified": 1666824542,
"caption": "To make his home more safe in case of an earthquake, reporter Peter Arcuni moves a large framed poster from over his couch.",
"description": null,
"title": "Earthquakekit_008-e1576716513646",
"credit": "Lindsey Moore/KQED",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": null,
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1975691": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1975691",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1975691",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1975665,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/Camping-Wildfire-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/Camping-Wildfire-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/Camping-Wildfire-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/Camping-Wildfire-scaled.jpg",
"width": 2560,
"height": 1707
},
"2048x2048": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/Camping-Wildfire-2048x1365.jpg",
"width": 2048,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1365
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/Camping-Wildfire-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 680
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/Camping-Wildfire-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1024
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/Camping-Wildfire-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1280
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/Camping-Wildfire-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/Camping-Wildfire-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 512
}
},
"publishDate": 1625679193,
"modified": 1625679995,
"caption": "A hiker walks below an orange sky filled with wildfire smoke on the Limeridge Open Space hiking trails in Concord, California on September 9, 2020. Dangerous dry winds whipped up California's record-breaking wildfires and ignited new blazes, as hundreds were evacuated by helicopter.",
"description": null,
"title": "US-CALIFORNIA-FIRE",
"credit": "Brittany Hosea-Small/AFP/Getty Images",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": null,
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1974622": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1974622",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1974622",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1973196,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0084-1038x576.jpeg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0084-160x107.jpeg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0084-672x372.jpeg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0084-scaled-e1620406175348.jpeg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280
},
"2048x2048": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0084-2048x1365.jpeg",
"width": 2048,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1365
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0084-1020x680.jpeg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 680
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0084-1536x1024.jpeg",
"width": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1024
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0084-1920x1280.jpeg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1280
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0084-800x533.jpeg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0084-768x512.jpeg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 512
}
},
"publishDate": 1620406145,
"modified": 1620406718,
"caption": "A multiagency prescribed fire training burn in 2019 in Six Rivers National Forest.",
"description": null,
"title": "IMG_0084",
"credit": "Prescribed Fire Training Exchange",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": null,
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1973151": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1973151",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1973151",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1973149,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1606-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1606-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1606-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1606-scaled.jpg",
"width": 2560,
"height": 1707
},
"2048x2048": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1606-2048x1365.jpg",
"width": 2048,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1365
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1606-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 680
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1606-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1024
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1606-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1280
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1606-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1606-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 512
}
},
"publishDate": 1615335948,
"modified": 1615335987,
"caption": "A sign thanking firefighters outside Bob's Market in Shaver Lake.",
"description": null,
"title": "IMG_1606",
"credit": "Danielle Venton/KQED",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": null,
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1973140": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1973140",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1973140",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1973138,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1557-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1557-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1557-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1557-scaled-e1620777613325.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280
},
"2048x2048": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1557-2048x1365.jpg",
"width": 2048,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1365
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1557-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 680
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1557-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1024
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1557-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1280
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1557-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1557-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 512
}
},
"publishDate": 1615333634,
"modified": 1620777629,
"caption": "Meghan Breniman, left, and Julianne Stewart stand to either side of a fir tree that survived the Creek Fire. ",
"description": "Two women stand on either side of a tree that is green on top, but the lower branches are brown",
"title": "IMG_1557",
"credit": "Danielle Venton/KQED",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": null,
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1973732": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1973732",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1973732",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1973731,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/04/jj-vaccine_enl-8fa0ad070db7cfd0851f479bee3cc05bcd8e0755-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/04/jj-vaccine_enl-8fa0ad070db7cfd0851f479bee3cc05bcd8e0755-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/04/jj-vaccine_enl-8fa0ad070db7cfd0851f479bee3cc05bcd8e0755-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/04/jj-vaccine_enl-8fa0ad070db7cfd0851f479bee3cc05bcd8e0755-e1619718205443.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/04/jj-vaccine_enl-8fa0ad070db7cfd0851f479bee3cc05bcd8e0755-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 680
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/04/jj-vaccine_enl-8fa0ad070db7cfd0851f479bee3cc05bcd8e0755-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1024
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/04/jj-vaccine_enl-8fa0ad070db7cfd0851f479bee3cc05bcd8e0755-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1280
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/04/jj-vaccine_enl-8fa0ad070db7cfd0851f479bee3cc05bcd8e0755-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/04/jj-vaccine_enl-8fa0ad070db7cfd0851f479bee3cc05bcd8e0755-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 512
}
},
"publishDate": 1618349122,
"modified": 1619720242,
"caption": "A health care worker loads a syringe with the COVID-19 Johnson & Johnson vaccine.",
"description": "BUFFALO, WV - MARCH 26: A Premise Health healthcare worker loads a syringe with the Covid-19 Johnson & Johnson Janssen vaccine as part of a collaborative effort from the West Virginia National Guard, FamilyCare Health Centers and Toyota to vaccinate Toyota employees on March 26, 2021 in Buffalo, West Virginia. The Buffalo West Virginia plant is the second Toyota Plant to provide its workers with vaccines Covid-19 Vaccines. (Photo by Stephen Zenner/Getty Images)",
"title": "Government health officials are recommending a \"pause\" in vaccinations with the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.",
"credit": "Stephen Zenner/Getty Images",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": "A gloved hand loads a syringe with the Covid-19 Johnson & Johnson vaccine.",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1956032": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1956032",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1956032",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1956030,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2020/01/IMG_3599-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2020/01/IMG_3599-160x120.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 120
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2020/01/IMG_3599-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2020/01/IMG_3599-e1579739212230.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1440
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2020/01/IMG_3599-1020x765.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 765
},
"complete_open_graph": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2020/01/IMG_3599-1200x900.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 900
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2020/01/IMG_3599-1920x1440.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1440
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2020/01/IMG_3599-800x600.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 600
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2020/01/IMG_3599-768x576.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
}
},
"publishDate": 1579739158,
"modified": 1617315232,
"caption": "A woman arrives at San Francisco International Airport from Wuhan, China, on Jan. 21, 2020.",
"description": null,
"title": "IMG_3599",
"credit": "Lesley McClurg/ KQED",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": null,
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1973220": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1973220",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1973220",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1973217,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/sea-otter-urchin-med-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/sea-otter-urchin-med-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/sea-otter-urchin-med-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/sea-otter-urchin-med-scaled.jpg",
"width": 2560,
"height": 1707
},
"2048x2048": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/sea-otter-urchin-med-2048x1366.jpg",
"width": 2048,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1366
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/sea-otter-urchin-med-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 680
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/sea-otter-urchin-med-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1024
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/sea-otter-urchin-med-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1280
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/sea-otter-urchin-med-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/sea-otter-urchin-med-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 512
}
},
"publishDate": 1615833630,
"modified": 1615833788,
"caption": "A southern sea otter with a purple sea urchin in Monterey Bay,\nCalifornia.",
"description": null,
"title": "sea-otter-urchin-med",
"credit": "Morgan Rector",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": null,
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1972844": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1972844",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1972844",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1972824,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2022/02/vaccinations-california-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2022/02/vaccinations-california-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2022/02/vaccinations-california-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2022/02/vaccinations-california-scaled-e1614190946770.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280
},
"2048x2048": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2022/02/vaccinations-california-2048x1365.jpg",
"width": 2048,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1365
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2022/02/vaccinations-california-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 680
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2022/02/vaccinations-california-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1024
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2022/02/vaccinations-california-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1280
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2022/02/vaccinations-california-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2022/02/vaccinations-california-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 512
}
},
"publishDate": 1613771562,
"modified": 1614296197,
"caption": "People stand in line at the mass vaccination site at San Francisco's Moscone Convention Center. It opened for health care workers and people over 65 on Feb. 5, 2021, in San Francisco. ",
"description": "People stand in line at the mass vaccination site at San Francisco's Moscone Convention Center. It opened for healthcare workers and people over 65 on February 5, 2021 in San Francisco, California. ",
"title": "vaccinations-california",
"credit": "Amy Osborne/AFP via Getty Images",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": "People stand in line at the mass vaccination site at San Francisco's Moscone Convention Center. It opened for healthcare workers and people over 65 on February 5, 2021 in San Francisco, California.",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1972642": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1972642",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1972642",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1972623,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/02/RS47070_GettyImages-1226432152-qut-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/02/RS47070_GettyImages-1226432152-qut-160x105.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 105
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/02/RS47070_GettyImages-1226432152-qut-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/02/RS47070_GettyImages-1226432152-qut.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1264
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/02/RS47070_GettyImages-1226432152-qut-1020x672.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 672
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/02/RS47070_GettyImages-1226432152-qut-1536x1011.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1011
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/02/RS47070_GettyImages-1226432152-qut-800x527.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 527
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/02/RS47070_GettyImages-1226432152-qut-768x506.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 506
}
},
"publishDate": 1612554904,
"modified": 1612562021,
"caption": "Paramedics drop off a patient in the emergency room at Regional Medical Center on May 21, 2020, in San Jose. Front-line workers are continuing to care for COVID-19 patients throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Paramedics and hospital workers are among those covered under the state's Airborne Transmissible Diseases rule.",
"description": "Paramedics drop off a patient in the emergency room at Regional Medical Center on May 21, 2020 in San Jose. Frontline workers are continuing to care for COVID-19 patients throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Paramedics and hospital workers are among those covered under the state's Airborne Transmissible Disease rule.",
"title": "Bay Area Hospital Workers On The Frontlines Of COVID-19 Pandemic",
"credit": "Justin Sullivan/Getty Images",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": "Paramedics drop off a patient in the emergency room at Regional Medical Center on May 21, 2020 in San Jose. Frontline workers are continuing to care for COVID-19 patients throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Paramedics and hospital workers are among those covered under the state's Airborne Transmissible Disease rule.",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
}
},
"audioPlayerReducer": {
"postId": "stream_live",
"isPaused": true,
"isPlaying": false,
"pfsActive": false,
"pledgeModalIsOpen": true,
"playerDrawerIsOpen": false,
"liveAudioPlayStartedAt": 0,
"liveAudioPlayContext": ""
},
"authorsReducer": {
"byline_science_1972824": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_science_1972824",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_science_1972824",
"name": "Carolina Cuellar, Peter Arcuni",
"isLoading": false
},
"jbrooks": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "80",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "80",
"found": true
},
"name": "Jon Brooks",
"firstName": "Jon",
"lastName": "Brooks",
"slug": "jbrooks",
"email": "jbrooks@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"science"
],
"title": "Digital Editor",
"bio": "Jon Brooks is a former Digital Editor for KQED Science. He is the former editor of KQED’s daily news blog, News Fix. In 2014, he won a California Journalism Award for his coverage of ride services like Uber and Lyft and the taxi industry. A veteran blogger, he previously worked for Yahoo! in various news writing and editing roles. Jon is also a playwright whose work has been produced in San Francisco, New York, Italy, and around the U.S. He has written about film for his own blog and studied film at Boston University.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/98887f7ed1c876ed414d4c915e969584?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "jbrooksfoy",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"Contributor",
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "futureofyou",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "mindshift",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "quest",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Jon Brooks | KQED",
"description": "Digital Editor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/98887f7ed1c876ed414d4c915e969584?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/98887f7ed1c876ed414d4c915e969584?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/jbrooks"
},
"dventon": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11088",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11088",
"found": true
},
"name": "Danielle Venton",
"firstName": "Danielle",
"lastName": "Venton",
"slug": "dventon",
"email": "dventon@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"science"
],
"title": "Science reporter",
"bio": "Danielle Venton is a reporter for KQED Science. She covers wildfires, space and oceans (though she is prone to sea sickness).\r\n\r\nBefore joining KQED in 2015, Danielle was a staff reporter at KRCB in Sonoma County and a freelancer. She studied science communication at UC Santa Cruz and formerly worked at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland where she wrote about computing. She lives in Sonoma County and enjoys backpacking.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/37b292b5c40c8d93959c4f48d73b5286f41b7abd8588277e941905a3ed4c801c?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "DanielleVenton",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"contributor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "futureofyou",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"contributor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Danielle Venton | KQED",
"description": "Science reporter",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/37b292b5c40c8d93959c4f48d73b5286f41b7abd8588277e941905a3ed4c801c?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/37b292b5c40c8d93959c4f48d73b5286f41b7abd8588277e941905a3ed4c801c?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/dventon"
},
"mpeterson": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11223",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11223",
"found": true
},
"name": "Molly Peterson",
"firstName": "Molly",
"lastName": "Peterson",
"slug": "mpeterson",
"email": "mpeterson@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": null,
"bio": "Molly Peterson reports for KQED science and news on climate change, catastrophe and risk. Previously she was environment correspondent at Southern California Public Radio. Her work has also appeared at The New York Times, The Guardian, on NPR, at High Country News, on Code Switch, and other national outlets. She has been honored with awards from Public Radio News Directors Incorporated, Investigative Reporters and Editors, the Society for Professional Journalists, the Los Angeles Press Club, and RTNDA Edward R. Murrow awards, among others.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7908e2807131f776cc8165c649530b05?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "Mollydacious",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": "https://www.instagram.com/radiomolly/",
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
},
{
"site": "futureofyou",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Molly Peterson | KQED",
"description": null,
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7908e2807131f776cc8165c649530b05?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7908e2807131f776cc8165c649530b05?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/mpeterson"
},
"lesleymcclurg": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11229",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11229",
"found": true
},
"name": "Lesley McClurg",
"firstName": "Lesley",
"lastName": "McClurg",
"slug": "lesleymcclurg",
"email": "lmcclurg@KQED.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news",
"science"
],
"title": "KQED Health Correspondent",
"bio": "Lesley McClurg is a health correspondent and fill-in host whose work is regularly rebroadcast on NPR and PBS programs. She’s earned multiple regional Emmy awards, a national and a regional Edward R. Murrow award, and was named Best Beat Reporter by the Association of Health Care Journalists. The Society of Professional Journalists has recognized her work several times, and the Society of Environmental Journalists spotlighted her coverage of California’s historic drought.\r\n\r\nBefore joining KQED in 2016, Lesley covered food and sustainability for Capital Public Radio, environmental issues for Colorado Public Radio, and reported for KUOW and KCTS 9 in Seattle. Away from the newsroom, she loves skiing with her daughter, mountain biking with her partner, and playing with Ollie, the family’s goldendoodle. On deadline, she runs almost entirely on chocolate chips.\r\n\r\n ",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/bab49e972ea10c774fe0f5e29dba1722b158f7c0d58a360923d1389d380b2978?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "lesleywmcclurg",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "futureofyou",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "quest",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
},
{
"site": "forum",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"author"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Lesley McClurg | KQED",
"description": "KQED Health Correspondent",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/bab49e972ea10c774fe0f5e29dba1722b158f7c0d58a360923d1389d380b2978?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/bab49e972ea10c774fe0f5e29dba1722b158f7c0d58a360923d1389d380b2978?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/lesleymcclurg"
},
"parcuni": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11368",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11368",
"found": true
},
"name": "Peter Arcuni",
"firstName": "Peter",
"lastName": "Arcuni",
"slug": "parcuni",
"email": "parcuni@KQED.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [
"science"
],
"title": "Reporter",
"bio": "Peter reports radio and online stories for \u003cem>KQED Science\u003c/em>. His work has also appeared on the \u003cem>The California Report\u003c/em> morning show and \u003cem>KQED News\u003c/em>. His production credits include \u003cem>The California Report, The California Report Magazine\u003c/em> and KQED's local news podcast \u003cem>The Bay\u003c/em>. Other credits include NPR's \u003cem>All Things Considered\u003c/em>, WNYC's \u003cem>Science Friday\u003c/em>, WBUR's \u003cem>Here & Now\u003c/em>, WIRED and SFGate. Peter graduated from Brown University and earned a master's degree in journalism from Stanford. He's covered everything from homelessness to wildfires, health, the environment, arts and Thanksgiving in San Quentin prison. In other lives, he played rock n roll music and studied neuroscience. You can email him at: parcuni@kqed.org",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d5032f6f27199d478af34ad2e1d98732?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "peterarcuni",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Peter Arcuni | KQED",
"description": "Reporter",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d5032f6f27199d478af34ad2e1d98732?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d5032f6f27199d478af34ad2e1d98732?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/parcuni"
},
"rdillon": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11495",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11495",
"found": true
},
"name": "Raquel Maria Dillon",
"firstName": "Raquel Maria",
"lastName": "Dillon",
"slug": "rdillon",
"email": "rdillon@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": null,
"bio": "Raquel Maria Dillon was a reporter and host for KQED News. Previously, she produced the daily statewide California Report, edited newscasts, and covered health and education stories. Before returning to the Bay Area in 2016, she worked in Los Angeles as a wire reporter and one-woman-band video journalist for the Associated Press, where she shot, edited and reported breaking news and features across the West. Her work has appeared online and in print around the globe, and also on NPR’s Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Here and Now, Marketplace, On The Media, and Studio 360. She previously edited and mentored up-and-coming reporters at KALW, produced social videos for Timeline.com, and was a local TV news videographer for KTVU and digital producer for KNTV. She got her start as a Radio News Trainee at KQED, produced a weekly public affairs roundtable show for OPB, and covered health and politics at New Hampshire Public Radio. She has a BA in political science from Barnard College and a MA in video journalism from UC Berkeley, where she was awarded the Faith Fancher Scholarship and a Student Emmy. She has received numerous local awards from the Associated Press and the Society of Professional Journalists.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/b8e02ae982913d0950df605910267c1b?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "RaquelMDillon",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "forum",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Raquel Maria Dillon | KQED",
"description": null,
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/b8e02ae982913d0950df605910267c1b?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/b8e02ae982913d0950df605910267c1b?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/rdillon"
},
"smohamad": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11631",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11631",
"found": true
},
"name": "Sarah Mohamad",
"firstName": "Sarah",
"lastName": "Mohamad",
"slug": "smohamad",
"email": "smohamad@KQED.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "Engagement Producer and Reporter, KQED Science",
"bio": "Sarah Mohamad is an audience engagement reporter and producer for KQED Science. She reports on audience-focused science and environment stories and manages the team's social media, newsletter, and engagement efforts. Prior to this role, she played a key role as project manager for NSF's \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/crackingthecode\">\u003cem>Cracking the Code: Influencing Millennial Science Engagement\u003c/em> \u003c/a>audience research.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e6224957cd82d015183756ddde1f928013a563d7ca2e4565f8c4de1ec64886c5?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "sarahkmohamad",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "about",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Sarah Mohamad | KQED",
"description": "Engagement Producer and Reporter, KQED Science",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e6224957cd82d015183756ddde1f928013a563d7ca2e4565f8c4de1ec64886c5?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e6224957cd82d015183756ddde1f928013a563d7ca2e4565f8c4de1ec64886c5?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/smohamad"
}
},
"pagesReducer": {
"science_category_science-podcast": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3423",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3423",
"score": 13.561218
},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Science Podcast",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"socialTitle": "Bay Area Science: Stories & Insights with KQED's Science Podcasts",
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "Our captivating podcasts take you on a journey through the Bay Area's vibrant scientific landscape. Discover groundbreaking research & hear expert insights.",
"title": "Bay Area Science: Stories & Insights with KQED's Science Podcasts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3423,
"slug": "science-podcast",
"isLoading": false,
"title": "Science Podcast",
"pageMeta": {
"site": "science",
"WpPageTemplate": "page-topic-editorial",
"currentPage": 1
},
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "kqed/post-list",
"attrs": {
"layout": "cardArticle2",
"query": "posts/science?category=science-podcast",
"seeMore": false,
"paginated": true,
"page": 1
}
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad"
}
]
}
},
"pfsSessionReducer": {},
"postsReducer": {
"stream_live": {
"type": "live",
"id": "stream_live",
"audioUrl": "https://streams.kqed.org/kqedradio",
"title": "Live Stream",
"excerpt": "Live Stream information currently unavailable.",
"link": "/radio",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "KQED Live",
"link": "/"
}
},
"stream_kqedNewscast": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stream_kqedNewscast",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/newscast.mp3?_=1",
"title": "KQED Newscast",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "88.5 FM",
"link": "/"
}
},
"science_1965575": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1965575",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1965575",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1720695655000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "and-now-fire-season-heres-how-to-prepare",
"title": "Wildfire Season Just Got Worse. Here's How to Prepare Your Home",
"publishDate": 1720695655,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Wildfire Season Just Got Worse. Here’s How to Prepare Your Home | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>After two relatively mild fire seasons, 2024 looks poised to reverse that trend.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As of early July, Cal Fire has responded to more than 3,500 wildland fires that have burned more than 207,000 acres. That’s a similar number of fires but 197,000 more acres than at this time in 2023.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Punishingly hot and dry conditions around the state have dried out grasses and brush, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11993386/california-heat-turned-brush-into-prime-fuel-for-fires-forests-will-be-next\">laying the conditions for fast-moving intense wildfires\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are fully fuel loaded at this point,” said Brian Garcia, the National Weather Service’s warning coordination meteorologist, on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101906134/hot-summer-promises-more-blazes-this-wildfire-season\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">KQED’s Forum\u003c/a> recently. He’s most concerned about the fall, when the Bay Area typically has its largest fires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s when “[the weather] turns into the low humidity offshore wind, the gusty offshore wind regime that brought us fires like the Nuns, the Tubbs, the Kincade, the Camp,” said Garcia, citing some of the most destructive fires in California history, and in the history of the nation. “We need to be prepared now.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_11993386]Cal Fire Battalion Chief of Communications Issac Sanchez said Californians shouldn’t wait. “Preparation steps need to be done now. That way, when a fire breaks out — not \u003cem>if\u003c/em> a fire breaks out in your community, but \u003cem>when\u003c/em> a fire breaks out in your community — you’re ready to react at a moment’s notice.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The public needs to maintain a constant state of readiness,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cal Fire has launched some new tools to help residents get organized. Its \u003ca href=\"https://plan.readyforwildfire.org/en\">fire\u003cem>PLANNER\u003c/em>\u003c/a> application hosts to-do checklists tailored to the user’s circumstances to prioritize safety steps. It also offers text alerts and information to track wildfires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKuwfnOXHO4&t=30s\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In any disaster, there aren’t enough emergency personnel to help everyone. So first responders depend on the majority of people being ready and able to take care of themselves and help their neighbors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the top things to do, said Sanchez, is a \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/DSpace\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">self-assessment\u003c/a> of the trees, brush and other vegetation on and around your property. Learn the steps to protect your home from wildfire and start clearing brush and doing other key tasks now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cal Fire’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.readyforwildfire.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ready for Wildfire\u003c/a> website and app breaks down steps everyone can take to get prepared. Sanchez also advised people to \u003ca href=\"http://calalerts.org/signup.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">register for emergency alerts\u003c/a> and evacuation warnings from their county’s emergency services agencies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Preparing for a wildfire or other disaster can feel daunting. So the\u003ca href=\"https://www.listoscalifornia.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Listos California \u003c/a>Emergency Preparedness Campaign provides a five-step readiness plan that sends you reminders \u003ca href=\"https://listos.arist.co/courses/5f0898b34456264206dbc956\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via text\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are some guidelines to help get you ready.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Prepare the outside of your home\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you live in a fire-prone area, sometimes called the “wildland-urban interface,” clearing brush and tree limbs close to your home is an important way to slow the spread of fires, increasing the chance of your home’s survival. This area of cleared and low vegetation is called “defensible space,” and you can think of it as a buffer zone, free of anything likely to catch fire.\u003cbr>\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uawt5fTLU6Q&feature=youtu.be\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cal Fire asks homeowners to think about two zones of defensible space. The first extends 30 feet from homes, outbuildings and decks:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Remove overhanging and dead branches. All branches should be a minimum of 10 feet away from your chimney and other trees.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>All dead vegetation should be removed.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Clear dry leaves and pine needles from the yard, roof and rain gutters.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Move wood piles to Zone 2.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Zone 2 extends from the end of Zone 1 to 100 feet out from your home, structures and deck:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli class=\"p1\">Here, mow annual grasses down to 4 inches or less, and create horizontal and vertical spaces between vegetation.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli class=\"p1\">Don’t let fallen leaves, needles, twigs, bark, cones and small branches accumulate more than 3 inches high.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Find detailed instructions at \u003ca href=\"https://www.readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/get-ready/defensible-space/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Readyforwildfire.org\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1965579\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2020/06/def_space_zones-800x555.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"555\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/06/def_space_zones-800x555.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/06/def_space_zones-160x111.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/06/def_space_zones-768x533.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/06/def_space_zones.png 820w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One thing people don’t think about a lot is to make sure their home address is clearly visible. You should make sure it is. That way, if you call for emergency help, responders can find you.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Harden’ your home against wildfire\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Many homes that burn in a wildfire are never in the path of flames, but ignite from flying embers and firebrands that can accumulate in eaves or drift into vents. Hardening homes against fire can be as inexpensive as installing screens over vents and as pricey as installing new windows, roofing or siding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Find detailed information \u003ca href=\"https://www.readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/get-ready/hardening-your-home/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">here\u003c/a>, including a low-cost \u003ca href=\"https://readyforwildfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Low-Cost-Retrofit-List-Updated-5_1_2024.pdf\">retrofit list (PDF)\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Have a go bag ready\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_11833686]There are three reasons people tend to put off preparing for a disaster, says Karen Baker, co-chair of Listos California. “They either find it scary, expensive, and/or time-consuming,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Listos tries to overcome those qualms with a simple readiness guide, available in \u003ca href=\"https://www.elsolnec.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/ENG-Disaster-Ready-Guide.pdf\">English (PDF)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.listoscalifornia.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/508_LIS_DRG_19pp_1_03_ES_50520.pdf\">Spanish (PDF)\u003c/a>. Sign up for readiness text prompts \u003ca href=\"https://www.listoscalifornia.org/online-course/en/\">here\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The organization recommends packing up some items in advance so you can get out of the house quickly if you need to. If cost is a concern, you can assemble the kits over time. Recommended items to pack beforehand:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Documents: copies of insurance, identification, and other important papers and photos.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Cash: $1 and $5 bills are best.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Map: with different routes out of your neighborhood marked.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Medications list: Include all prescriptions and other important medical information.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Portable radio.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Flashlight.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>To grab on your way out the door:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Wallet, purse, keys.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Phone and charger.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Medicine.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Portable computer.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>First-aid supplies, N95 masks, hand sanitizer, wipes.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Change of clothes.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Anything else needed by people or animals in your household.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Create a plan for your household in the event of a wildfire emergency. (See Cal Fire’s wildfire \u003ca href=\"https://www.readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/get-set/wildfire-action-plan/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">action plan checklist\u003c/a>.) And be sure you’re signed up to receive emergency alerts for your area. You can \u003ca href=\"http://calalerts.org/signup.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">sign up here\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cal Fire also recommends mapping out your household’s fire escape route and running your own \u003ca href=\"https://readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/prepare-your-family/\">fire drills (PDF)\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Expect Smoky Days\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='science_1926793']With wildfire comes smoke.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can get smoke advisories, forecasts and current fire conditions through the federal government’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.airnow.gov/\">AirNow website\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How to protect yourself from wildfire smoke:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli class=\"p3\">Keep windows and doors closed.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli class=\"p3\">Use fans, air conditioners, ice packs or a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11836824/how-to-cope-with-the-california-heat-wave#tips\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">frozen bandana\u003c/a> to stay cool.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli class=\"p3\">Know how the ventilation system in your home works and close the outdoor air damper, if there is one.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli class=\"p3\">Avoid making indoor air pollution any worse by smoking cigarettes, spraying aerosols, frying food or burning candles or incense.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli class=\"p3\">Buy an air cleaner (also called an air purifier) that doesn’t produce ozone and has a HEPA filter. Designate a “clean-air room” in your home for smoky days. (The Environmental Protection Agency has a \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-07/documents/guide_to_air_cleaners_in_the_home_2nd_edition.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">guide (PDF)\u003c/a> for air cleaners in the home).\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>If air purifiers are too costly, here’s a less expensive \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1968863/helping-kids-protect-themselves-from-dirty-air-one-diy-filter-at-a-time\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">DIY option\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Air purifiers can range from $100 on up and can be hard to obtain during bad fires, so think about buying one in advance of fire season. In California, few resources exist to help people with low income afford these devices; one asthma intervention program in Fresno does provide enrollees with air cleaners for a year. In years past, some counties have set up “clean air shelters” during smoky days.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>People power\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>One theme running through the advice of fire and emergency officials: Your social network is one of your most important safety tools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Really, when it comes down to a ‘no-notice’ event, like a fast-running wildland fire through your neighborhood, it really is neighbor helping neighbor,“ said Santa Rosa Fire Chief Gossner.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"alignright\">\n\u003ch3>Emergency Resource Websites\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://211CA.org\">211CA.org\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\nDial 211 for evacuation routes, shelters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://CalAlerts.org\">CalAlerts.org\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\nSign up to get your county’s alerts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://Earthquake.ca.gov\">Earthquake.ca.gov\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\nGet MyShake earthquake warning app.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://Response.ca.gov\">Response.ca.gov\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\nReal-time wildfire and shelter news.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://Ready.gov\">Ready.gov\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\nResources to prepare for any disaster.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>That means it’s time to think about who in your neighborhood might need help getting ready for fire season. Maybe they’re elderly and could use some help trimming vegetation. During an evacuation order, who will you check on and who will check on you? Write down their names and contact information, pack the list in your go bag, and share it with others for backup. At least one person on your list should live outside your area to ensure you’re not relying on someone who also might be affected by the fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if this feels overwhelming or scary, the time to do it is \u003cem>now\u003c/em>. Every step you can take toward preparedness makes you, your family, and your community a little bit safer.\u003cbr>\n[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>A version of this story originally published on June 8, 2020.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "California's extended heat wave means some forests are primed to burn. Protect yourself, your family and your neighborhood by preparing now for wildfire.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1727135384,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": true,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 42,
"wordCount": 1519
},
"headData": {
"title": "Wildfire Season Just Got Worse. Here's How to Prepare Your Home | KQED",
"description": "California's extended heat wave means some forests are primed to burn. Protect yourself, your family and your neighborhood by preparing now for wildfire.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Wildfire Season Just Got Worse. Here's How to Prepare Your Home",
"datePublished": "2024-07-11T04:00:55-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-23T16:49:44-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"source": "Wildfire",
"sticky": false,
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/1965575/and-now-fire-season-heres-how-to-prepare",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>After two relatively mild fire seasons, 2024 looks poised to reverse that trend.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As of early July, Cal Fire has responded to more than 3,500 wildland fires that have burned more than 207,000 acres. That’s a similar number of fires but 197,000 more acres than at this time in 2023.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Punishingly hot and dry conditions around the state have dried out grasses and brush, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11993386/california-heat-turned-brush-into-prime-fuel-for-fires-forests-will-be-next\">laying the conditions for fast-moving intense wildfires\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are fully fuel loaded at this point,” said Brian Garcia, the National Weather Service’s warning coordination meteorologist, on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101906134/hot-summer-promises-more-blazes-this-wildfire-season\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">KQED’s Forum\u003c/a> recently. He’s most concerned about the fall, when the Bay Area typically has its largest fires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s when “[the weather] turns into the low humidity offshore wind, the gusty offshore wind regime that brought us fires like the Nuns, the Tubbs, the Kincade, the Camp,” said Garcia, citing some of the most destructive fires in California history, and in the history of the nation. “We need to be prepared now.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_11993386",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Cal Fire Battalion Chief of Communications Issac Sanchez said Californians shouldn’t wait. “Preparation steps need to be done now. That way, when a fire breaks out — not \u003cem>if\u003c/em> a fire breaks out in your community, but \u003cem>when\u003c/em> a fire breaks out in your community — you’re ready to react at a moment’s notice.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The public needs to maintain a constant state of readiness,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cal Fire has launched some new tools to help residents get organized. Its \u003ca href=\"https://plan.readyforwildfire.org/en\">fire\u003cem>PLANNER\u003c/em>\u003c/a> application hosts to-do checklists tailored to the user’s circumstances to prioritize safety steps. It also offers text alerts and information to track wildfires.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/kKuwfnOXHO4'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/kKuwfnOXHO4'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>In any disaster, there aren’t enough emergency personnel to help everyone. So first responders depend on the majority of people being ready and able to take care of themselves and help their neighbors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the top things to do, said Sanchez, is a \u003ca href=\"https://www.fire.ca.gov/DSpace\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">self-assessment\u003c/a> of the trees, brush and other vegetation on and around your property. Learn the steps to protect your home from wildfire and start clearing brush and doing other key tasks now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cal Fire’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.readyforwildfire.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ready for Wildfire\u003c/a> website and app breaks down steps everyone can take to get prepared. Sanchez also advised people to \u003ca href=\"http://calalerts.org/signup.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">register for emergency alerts\u003c/a> and evacuation warnings from their county’s emergency services agencies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Preparing for a wildfire or other disaster can feel daunting. So the\u003ca href=\"https://www.listoscalifornia.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Listos California \u003c/a>Emergency Preparedness Campaign provides a five-step readiness plan that sends you reminders \u003ca href=\"https://listos.arist.co/courses/5f0898b34456264206dbc956\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via text\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are some guidelines to help get you ready.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Prepare the outside of your home\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you live in a fire-prone area, sometimes called the “wildland-urban interface,” clearing brush and tree limbs close to your home is an important way to slow the spread of fires, increasing the chance of your home’s survival. This area of cleared and low vegetation is called “defensible space,” and you can think of it as a buffer zone, free of anything likely to catch fire.\u003cbr>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/uawt5fTLU6Q'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/uawt5fTLU6Q'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>Cal Fire asks homeowners to think about two zones of defensible space. The first extends 30 feet from homes, outbuildings and decks:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Remove overhanging and dead branches. All branches should be a minimum of 10 feet away from your chimney and other trees.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>All dead vegetation should be removed.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Clear dry leaves and pine needles from the yard, roof and rain gutters.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Move wood piles to Zone 2.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Zone 2 extends from the end of Zone 1 to 100 feet out from your home, structures and deck:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli class=\"p1\">Here, mow annual grasses down to 4 inches or less, and create horizontal and vertical spaces between vegetation.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli class=\"p1\">Don’t let fallen leaves, needles, twigs, bark, cones and small branches accumulate more than 3 inches high.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Find detailed instructions at \u003ca href=\"https://www.readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/get-ready/defensible-space/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Readyforwildfire.org\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1965579\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2020/06/def_space_zones-800x555.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"555\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/06/def_space_zones-800x555.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/06/def_space_zones-160x111.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/06/def_space_zones-768x533.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/06/def_space_zones.png 820w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One thing people don’t think about a lot is to make sure their home address is clearly visible. You should make sure it is. That way, if you call for emergency help, responders can find you.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Harden’ your home against wildfire\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Many homes that burn in a wildfire are never in the path of flames, but ignite from flying embers and firebrands that can accumulate in eaves or drift into vents. Hardening homes against fire can be as inexpensive as installing screens over vents and as pricey as installing new windows, roofing or siding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Find detailed information \u003ca href=\"https://www.readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/get-ready/hardening-your-home/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">here\u003c/a>, including a low-cost \u003ca href=\"https://readyforwildfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Low-Cost-Retrofit-List-Updated-5_1_2024.pdf\">retrofit list (PDF)\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Have a go bag ready\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_11833686",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>There are three reasons people tend to put off preparing for a disaster, says Karen Baker, co-chair of Listos California. “They either find it scary, expensive, and/or time-consuming,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Listos tries to overcome those qualms with a simple readiness guide, available in \u003ca href=\"https://www.elsolnec.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/ENG-Disaster-Ready-Guide.pdf\">English (PDF)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.listoscalifornia.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/508_LIS_DRG_19pp_1_03_ES_50520.pdf\">Spanish (PDF)\u003c/a>. Sign up for readiness text prompts \u003ca href=\"https://www.listoscalifornia.org/online-course/en/\">here\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The organization recommends packing up some items in advance so you can get out of the house quickly if you need to. If cost is a concern, you can assemble the kits over time. Recommended items to pack beforehand:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Documents: copies of insurance, identification, and other important papers and photos.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Cash: $1 and $5 bills are best.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Map: with different routes out of your neighborhood marked.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Medications list: Include all prescriptions and other important medical information.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Portable radio.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Flashlight.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>To grab on your way out the door:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Wallet, purse, keys.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Phone and charger.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Medicine.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Portable computer.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>First-aid supplies, N95 masks, hand sanitizer, wipes.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Change of clothes.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Anything else needed by people or animals in your household.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Create a plan for your household in the event of a wildfire emergency. (See Cal Fire’s wildfire \u003ca href=\"https://www.readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/get-set/wildfire-action-plan/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">action plan checklist\u003c/a>.) And be sure you’re signed up to receive emergency alerts for your area. You can \u003ca href=\"http://calalerts.org/signup.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">sign up here\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cal Fire also recommends mapping out your household’s fire escape route and running your own \u003ca href=\"https://readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/prepare-your-family/\">fire drills (PDF)\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Expect Smoky Days\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "science_1926793",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>With wildfire comes smoke.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can get smoke advisories, forecasts and current fire conditions through the federal government’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.airnow.gov/\">AirNow website\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How to protect yourself from wildfire smoke:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli class=\"p3\">Keep windows and doors closed.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli class=\"p3\">Use fans, air conditioners, ice packs or a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11836824/how-to-cope-with-the-california-heat-wave#tips\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">frozen bandana\u003c/a> to stay cool.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli class=\"p3\">Know how the ventilation system in your home works and close the outdoor air damper, if there is one.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli class=\"p3\">Avoid making indoor air pollution any worse by smoking cigarettes, spraying aerosols, frying food or burning candles or incense.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli class=\"p3\">Buy an air cleaner (also called an air purifier) that doesn’t produce ozone and has a HEPA filter. Designate a “clean-air room” in your home for smoky days. (The Environmental Protection Agency has a \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-07/documents/guide_to_air_cleaners_in_the_home_2nd_edition.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">guide (PDF)\u003c/a> for air cleaners in the home).\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>If air purifiers are too costly, here’s a less expensive \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1968863/helping-kids-protect-themselves-from-dirty-air-one-diy-filter-at-a-time\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">DIY option\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Air purifiers can range from $100 on up and can be hard to obtain during bad fires, so think about buying one in advance of fire season. In California, few resources exist to help people with low income afford these devices; one asthma intervention program in Fresno does provide enrollees with air cleaners for a year. In years past, some counties have set up “clean air shelters” during smoky days.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>People power\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>One theme running through the advice of fire and emergency officials: Your social network is one of your most important safety tools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Really, when it comes down to a ‘no-notice’ event, like a fast-running wildland fire through your neighborhood, it really is neighbor helping neighbor,“ said Santa Rosa Fire Chief Gossner.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"alignright\">\n\u003ch3>Emergency Resource Websites\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://211CA.org\">211CA.org\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\nDial 211 for evacuation routes, shelters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://CalAlerts.org\">CalAlerts.org\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\nSign up to get your county’s alerts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://Earthquake.ca.gov\">Earthquake.ca.gov\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\nGet MyShake earthquake warning app.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://Response.ca.gov\">Response.ca.gov\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\nReal-time wildfire and shelter news.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://Ready.gov\">Ready.gov\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\nResources to prepare for any disaster.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>That means it’s time to think about who in your neighborhood might need help getting ready for fire season. Maybe they’re elderly and could use some help trimming vegetation. During an evacuation order, who will you check on and who will check on you? Write down their names and contact information, pack the list in your go bag, and share it with others for backup. At least one person on your list should live outside your area to ensure you’re not relying on someone who also might be affected by the fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if this feels overwhelming or scary, the time to do it is \u003cem>now\u003c/em>. Every step you can take toward preparedness makes you, your family, and your community a little bit safer.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>A version of this story originally published on June 8, 2020.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1965575/and-now-fire-season-heres-how-to-prepare",
"authors": [
"11088",
"11368"
],
"programs": [
"science_5376"
],
"categories": [
"science_40",
"science_5141",
"science_4450",
"science_3423",
"science_3730"
],
"tags": [
"science_4417",
"science_3779",
"science_113",
"science_5342",
"science_5347"
],
"featImg": "science_1993586",
"label": "source_science_1965575"
},
"science_1981541": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1981541",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1981541",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1676064170000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "earthquake-science",
"title": "Can a 7.8 Earthquake Hit the Bay Area? Here's the Science Behind It",
"publishDate": 1676064170,
"format": "aside",
"headTitle": "Can a 7.8 Earthquake Hit the Bay Area? Here’s the Science Behind It | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>The magnitude 7.8 earthquake that rocked parts of Turkey and Syria on Monday, killing more than 23,000 people, resembles a threat that Californians could potentially face. The same type of fault runs across most of the state. Here’s the science behind these huge earthquakes and how to be prepared.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What makes a big earthquake?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Earthquakes result from a slip along a fault line, a geological term for a crack in Earth’s crust. Basically, two slabs of rock suddenly and violently slip past one another, radiating energy in all directions in the form of seismic waves that cause the shaking that people experience. The Turkey earthquake occurred along the East Anatolian fault, a \u003ca href=\"https://www.usgs.gov/media/videos/strike-slip-fault\">strike-slip fault \u003c/a>— where two tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally — that measures hundreds of miles long. The portion that ruptured is at least 100 miles long. Essentially, the longer the length of the fault that ruptures, the larger the magnitude of the earthquake it produces. And the larger the population surrounding the fault lines, the more devastation is caused by the earthquake.[aside postID=news_11940413,science_1933064]“You’re not necessarily seeing stronger ground motions, but you’re seeing a longer duration of ground motion and a greater area that is exposed to the most extreme shaking just because more of the fault is involved in producing the shaking,” said Austin Elliott, a research geologist at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earthquake Science Center based in Mountain View’s Moffett Field in the South Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We have several long faults in the Bay Area that are capable of producing strong earthquakes similar to what happened in Turkey. A strike-slip quake can occur along the San Andreas Fault, for example. The fault line runs 800 miles long from the Salton Sea in Southern California to Cape Mendocino through the Peninsula and San Francisco and along the North Coast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Tectonically and seismologically, the earthquakes we expect in California are very similar to the earthquakes that have just happened in Turkey,” said Elliott, but, “geographically and demographically, the situation is different.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The San Andreas Fault is largely offshore as it goes north, and is distant from some of the major population centers, Elliott said. Other faults that run through cities, like the Hayward Fault, the Rodgers Creek Fault and the Calaveras Fault, are also capable of large earthquakes, potentially involving more communities in the temblor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Explaining Earthquakes - KQED QUEST\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/wDfIgoXaXis?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists have calculated about a \u003ca href=\"https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2016/3020/fs20163020.pdf\">30% chance that the Hayward Fault will “break big” (PDF)\u003c/a> — with a magnitude 6.7 event or bigger — within 30 years. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.usgs.gov/programs/science-application-for-risk-reduction/science/haywired-scenario?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects\">“HayWired” scenario\u003c/a> from the USGS projects that in the aftermath of a magnitude 7.0 quake in Hayward, 2,500 people would need immediate rescue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We still consider the Hayward Fault to be the one with the highest probability of producing a large event in the Bay Area in years and decades to come,” said Roland Bürgmann, a UC Berkeley seismologist. ”The damages will be tremendous given the continuing exposure, despite all the great efforts made to mitigate the impact.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists use triangulation to find the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/quest/136760/how-to-find-the-epicenter-of-an-earthquake\">epicenter of an earthquake\u003c/a>, collecting seismic data from at least three locations. Every earthquake is recorded on numerous seismographs located in different directions.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Improved building codes and infrastructure\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area has experienced multiple large-scale earthquakes in history. The 1857 earthquake in Central California was an estimated magnitude 7.8, the 1868 Hayward Fault quake was a magnitude 6.8, and the famous 1906 San Francisco earthquake was at a 7.9 magnitude along the San Andreas Fault. In comparison, the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989 was a magnitude 6.9.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Each new earthquake teaches us more about what works and what doesn’t work in constructing buildings and infrastructure,” said Elliott.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area has strong building standards and codes, some of the strictest in the world as far as seismic preparedness, he said. Its built environment is generally well-prepared to withstand the earthquakes seismologists expect in the region. That said, there are still a lot of vulnerable facilities and structures that require seismic retrofitting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It really takes building codes, planning by all the different agencies and communities involved to be more and more ready,” said Bürgmann.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Earthquake prep from a geologist’s perspective\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>To prepare for a big earthquake, Elliott recommends using sites like \u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakecountry.org/bayarea/\">Earthquake Country Alliance\u003c/a>, which has a wealth of preparedness information. Homeowners should make sure their homes are properly braced and bolted to their foundations. California has \u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakebracebolt.com/\">grant programs\u003c/a> to help to improve the structural stability of your home.[aside postID=science_1949019] At home, look around your space and brace things like bookshelves, televisions and furniture that could be toppled by heavy shaking. Have shoes next to your bed so that if it’s dark and there’s glass on the floors, you don’t step on it and hurt yourself. And don’t forget to prepare your \u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakecountry.org/step3/\">emergency kit\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After an earthquake, emergency services will be swamped. So it’s important to try to be self-sufficient by having your emergency supplies in hand and knowing basic first aid. Fire departments, paramedics and hospitals are going to be spread thin. So making sure you have your first aid kit within reach is important.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stay connected with your neighbors and friends during this time. “Your neighbors or your friends may live in more vulnerable buildings than you do or vice versa,” said Elliott. “And you may want to be conscious of that as well in your planning.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "The magnitude 7.8 earthquake that rocked parts of Turkey and Syria on Monday, killing more than 23,000 people, resembles a threat that Californians could potentially face. The same type of fault runs across most of the state. Here's the science behind these huge earthquakes and how to be prepared.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1727135387,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": true,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 18,
"wordCount": 962
},
"headData": {
"title": "Can a 7.8 Earthquake Hit the Bay Area? Here's the Science Behind It | KQED",
"description": "The magnitude 7.8 earthquake that rocked parts of Turkey and Syria on Monday, killing more than 23,000 people, resembles a threat that Californians could potentially face. The same type of fault runs across most of the state. Here's the science behind these huge earthquakes and how to be prepared.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Can a 7.8 Earthquake Hit the Bay Area? Here's the Science Behind It",
"datePublished": "2023-02-10T13:22:50-08:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-23T16:49:47-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"source": "Science Podcast",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/science/category/science-podcast",
"sticky": false,
"audioTrackLength": 183,
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/1981541/earthquake-science",
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The magnitude 7.8 earthquake that rocked parts of Turkey and Syria on Monday, killing more than 23,000 people, resembles a threat that Californians could potentially face. The same type of fault runs across most of the state. Here’s the science behind these huge earthquakes and how to be prepared.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What makes a big earthquake?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Earthquakes result from a slip along a fault line, a geological term for a crack in Earth’s crust. Basically, two slabs of rock suddenly and violently slip past one another, radiating energy in all directions in the form of seismic waves that cause the shaking that people experience. The Turkey earthquake occurred along the East Anatolian fault, a \u003ca href=\"https://www.usgs.gov/media/videos/strike-slip-fault\">strike-slip fault \u003c/a>— where two tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally — that measures hundreds of miles long. The portion that ruptured is at least 100 miles long. Essentially, the longer the length of the fault that ruptures, the larger the magnitude of the earthquake it produces. And the larger the population surrounding the fault lines, the more devastation is caused by the earthquake.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_11940413,science_1933064",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“You’re not necessarily seeing stronger ground motions, but you’re seeing a longer duration of ground motion and a greater area that is exposed to the most extreme shaking just because more of the fault is involved in producing the shaking,” said Austin Elliott, a research geologist at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earthquake Science Center based in Mountain View’s Moffett Field in the South Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We have several long faults in the Bay Area that are capable of producing strong earthquakes similar to what happened in Turkey. A strike-slip quake can occur along the San Andreas Fault, for example. The fault line runs 800 miles long from the Salton Sea in Southern California to Cape Mendocino through the Peninsula and San Francisco and along the North Coast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Tectonically and seismologically, the earthquakes we expect in California are very similar to the earthquakes that have just happened in Turkey,” said Elliott, but, “geographically and demographically, the situation is different.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The San Andreas Fault is largely offshore as it goes north, and is distant from some of the major population centers, Elliott said. Other faults that run through cities, like the Hayward Fault, the Rodgers Creek Fault and the Calaveras Fault, are also capable of large earthquakes, potentially involving more communities in the temblor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Explaining Earthquakes - KQED QUEST\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/wDfIgoXaXis?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists have calculated about a \u003ca href=\"https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2016/3020/fs20163020.pdf\">30% chance that the Hayward Fault will “break big” (PDF)\u003c/a> — with a magnitude 6.7 event or bigger — within 30 years. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.usgs.gov/programs/science-application-for-risk-reduction/science/haywired-scenario?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects\">“HayWired” scenario\u003c/a> from the USGS projects that in the aftermath of a magnitude 7.0 quake in Hayward, 2,500 people would need immediate rescue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We still consider the Hayward Fault to be the one with the highest probability of producing a large event in the Bay Area in years and decades to come,” said Roland Bürgmann, a UC Berkeley seismologist. ”The damages will be tremendous given the continuing exposure, despite all the great efforts made to mitigate the impact.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists use triangulation to find the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/quest/136760/how-to-find-the-epicenter-of-an-earthquake\">epicenter of an earthquake\u003c/a>, collecting seismic data from at least three locations. Every earthquake is recorded on numerous seismographs located in different directions.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Improved building codes and infrastructure\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area has experienced multiple large-scale earthquakes in history. The 1857 earthquake in Central California was an estimated magnitude 7.8, the 1868 Hayward Fault quake was a magnitude 6.8, and the famous 1906 San Francisco earthquake was at a 7.9 magnitude along the San Andreas Fault. In comparison, the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989 was a magnitude 6.9.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Each new earthquake teaches us more about what works and what doesn’t work in constructing buildings and infrastructure,” said Elliott.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area has strong building standards and codes, some of the strictest in the world as far as seismic preparedness, he said. Its built environment is generally well-prepared to withstand the earthquakes seismologists expect in the region. That said, there are still a lot of vulnerable facilities and structures that require seismic retrofitting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It really takes building codes, planning by all the different agencies and communities involved to be more and more ready,” said Bürgmann.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Earthquake prep from a geologist’s perspective\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>To prepare for a big earthquake, Elliott recommends using sites like \u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakecountry.org/bayarea/\">Earthquake Country Alliance\u003c/a>, which has a wealth of preparedness information. Homeowners should make sure their homes are properly braced and bolted to their foundations. California has \u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakebracebolt.com/\">grant programs\u003c/a> to help to improve the structural stability of your home.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "science_1949019",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp> At home, look around your space and brace things like bookshelves, televisions and furniture that could be toppled by heavy shaking. Have shoes next to your bed so that if it’s dark and there’s glass on the floors, you don’t step on it and hurt yourself. And don’t forget to prepare your \u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakecountry.org/step3/\">emergency kit\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After an earthquake, emergency services will be swamped. So it’s important to try to be self-sufficient by having your emergency supplies in hand and knowing basic first aid. Fire departments, paramedics and hospitals are going to be spread thin. So making sure you have your first aid kit within reach is important.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stay connected with your neighbors and friends during this time. “Your neighbors or your friends may live in more vulnerable buildings than you do or vice versa,” said Elliott. “And you may want to be conscious of that as well in your planning.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1981541/earthquake-science",
"authors": [
"11631"
],
"programs": [
"science_5376"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_35",
"science_38",
"science_40",
"science_5141",
"science_4450",
"science_3423"
],
"tags": [
"science_1888",
"science_257",
"science_427",
"science_654",
"science_813"
],
"featImg": "science_1981584",
"label": "source_science_1981541"
},
"science_1949019": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1949019",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1949019",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1675723511000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "its-about-time-how-to-get-ready-for-the-next-emergency",
"title": "Prepping for the Next Big Quake: One Hour a Day, Four Days",
"publishDate": 1675723511,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Prepping for the Next Big Quake: One Hour a Day, Four Days | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003ci>Are you feeling less than secure about how ready you are for a major earthquake emergency? That’s how many of us at KQED were feeling in the wake of \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/02/06/1154818692/turkey-earthquake-syria-rescue-disaster\">the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck southeastern Turkey and northern Syria early Monday\u003c/a>. The quake — which has so far killed more than 3,400 people — was followed by at least 55 aftershocks of magnitude 4.3 or greater, \u003ca href=\"https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/?extent=-30.14513,-76.28906&extent=73.92247,151.34766&sort=smallest&listOnlyShown=true&baseLayer=terrain\">according to the U.S. Geological Survey\u003c/a>.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Back in 2019, we asked science reporter Peter Arcuni to lead us through a four-day prep, spending one hour a day. Here’s how to get ready for the next big Bay Area temblor — the one scientists say is inevitable.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Day One was all about making an emergency plan; Days Two and Three he devoted to assembling earthquake kits. For the final day, Peter took steps to make his home more earthquake safe.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published on Oct. 16, 2019. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Let’s get started\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, I awoke to a sound like thunder. Was it a low-flying jet? A truck zooming past? In one, raucous jolt, the mattress, with me atop it, bobbled on its frame.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By the time I realized what was going on, the shake, rattle and roll were over.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Did you feel that?” I shouted to my wife and daughter in the other room.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No answer. Of course, they were fine, just too caught up in playing fairies, or trolls, or maybe fairy trolls, to notice a mere 3.6 magnitude quake. But the shock was enough for me to read the writing clear across the bedroom wall: \u003cem>It was time to make an earthquake plan\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yeah, right.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’ve lived in the Bay Area for 16 years, and just about annually I get a brief moment of religion when it comes to quake preparedness. But even though seismic experts offer ample evidence to remind us a big earthquake is not a matter of if, but when, I \u003cem>still\u003c/em> haven’t followed through.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote]Resources\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakecountry.org/library/Margin_Step_3_Infographics_Flyer.pdf\">Earthquake Country Alliance pamphlet (PDF)\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ready.gov/plan\">FEMA Ready.gov site\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/survival-kit-supplies.html\">American Red Cross survival kit supply list\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/atg/PDF_s/Preparedness___Disaster_Recovery/Disaster_Preparedness/Earthquake/Earthquake.pdf\">earthquake safety checklist\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>[/pullquote]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>True, I’ve got plenty of excuses. In the early days, common sense collided with a misguided feeling of invincibility. Later, it was work, marriage, grad school, fatherhood. Frankly, now in my spare time, I’d simply rather be playing Candyland with my four-year-old daughter than shopping for emergency supplies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In short, it’s the same old story: Life is full and busy, and preparing for disaster feels overwhelming.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But guess what? Now I’ve actually been \u003cem>assigned\u003c/em> earthquake preparation by my editors, in the hope we can show that it’s possible to get ready for a disaster in a reasonable amount of time, even amidst the usual perpetual commitments of work, family and daily living.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So here are the ground rules for this challenge. For each of four days, I’m allowed to commit just one hour to earthquake preparation, using only the free time I would normally have outside work and family life.[pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\"]Yesterday, we had only a vague notion of what to do if a big earthquake hit. Today we have a solid plan we feel pretty good about.[/pullquote] Join me in finding out how ready we can be in just one hour a day, over four days. I’ll chronicle my success — or not — right here. We may not get to everything, but as I learned from the experts, doing any amount of preparation matters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One thing I realized while embarking on this project: The difference between preparedness and perpetual optimism could be the difference between life and death. In 2018, KQED’s Craig Miller \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1933064/map-are-you-in-the-severe-damage-zone-for-the-bay-areas-next-big-earthquake\">wrote a story about the Hayward Fault\u003c/a>, which runs 40 miles through the East Bay’s most densely populated areas and could produce the proverbial Big One at any time:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>The U.S. Geological Survey projects that in the aftermath of a magnitude 7.0 quake on the Hayward, 2,500 people would need immediate rescue. Serious questions remain about whether emergency responders could get to everyone’s aid, given that roads are likely to be blocked and water for fighting fires cut off in many areas — possibly for weeks or months.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>“In terms of exposure of hospitals, schools, lifelines, it’s really unequaled,” said UC Berkeley seismologist Roland Burgmann.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So … this is a not just an assignment for a journalist, it’s an assignment for \u003cem>everybody\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[audio src=\"https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/science/2019/10/ArcuniEarthquakePrep.mp3\" title=\"Day One: Make a Plan\" program=\"KQED Science\" image=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_007.jpg\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Day One: Make a plan\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Generally speaking, earthquake preparedness is broken into three categories:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Having survival supplies ready to go\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Safety-proofing your home\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Making an emergency plan for the earthquake and its aftermath\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>I decided to begin my four days of preparation by making an emergency plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brian Ferguson, with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), says it’s one of the most important steps you can take.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think it’s a great dinner table conversation that all families should have, if there’s an emergency, here’s what we would do,” he said. “‘We would meet you at this place, we would go this way.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He told me there’s no one-size-fits-all blueprint, so you’ll need to tailor your plan to your own circumstances. But some guidelines apply to everybody, such as …\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Doorways are out\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1949266\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1949266\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-800x593.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"593\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-800x593.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-160x119.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-768x569.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-1020x755.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-1200x889.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Peter Arcuni, his wife, Maureen, and their daughter, Izzy, read a book after collecting all the materials for their earthquake preparedness kit. \u003ccite>(Lindsey Moore/ KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>My first conversation today was with my preschooler, Izzy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Izzy, do you know what an earthquake is?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s when the ground shakes and you have to go hide under a table.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Hide under the table. That’s a great idea — you know more than I do!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s a widespread \u003ca href=\"https://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/climate-weather/storms/10-pieces-of-disaster-safety-advice-you-should-ignore4.htm\">myth\u003c/a> that standing in the doorway is the most protective place to be during a major quake. But most experts say, forget it. Here’s what the U.S. Geological Survey recommends:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON. If you are indoors, when you feel strong earthquake shaking, drop to the floor, take cover under a sturdy desk or table, and hold on to it firmly until the shaking stops. If you are not near a desk or table, drop to the floor against an interior wall and protect your head and neck with your arms.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Got it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After we tucked the little one in, my wife Maureen and I went to the couch to write out our emergency plan. For this we decided to focus on a handful of essential items from the USGS handbook:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Locate a safe place outside of your home for your family to meet after the shaking stops.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Establish an out-of-area contact person everyone in the household can call to relay information.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Provide all family members with a list of important contact phone numbers.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Determine where you can live if you can’t stay in your home after an earthquake or other disaster. In other words: Ask friends or relatives in advance if they might be willing to put you up when the Big One hits.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Sounds like a lot. But it took us just under an hour — 56 minutes — to hash most of this out. We even called my cousin in Menlo Park, who agreed to shelter us in case we need to evacuate San Francisco. Because we appeared to have woken her from a deep slumber, I’ll need to confirm she actually \u003cem>remembers\u003c/em> what she’s gotten herself into next time I see her. \u003cem>Sorry to wake you up Carin. And, thanks!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Final thoughts: Day One\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I admit I was feeling a bit daunted by the thought of starting this challenge. But I agreed with my wife when she said, “It was not \u003cem>so\u003c/em> bad.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yesterday, we had only a vague notion of what to do if a big earthquake hit. Today we have a solid plan we feel pretty good about. We have more to do, for sure, but this is a good start.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Brian Ferguson from Cal OES put it: “People feel intimidated by it, but any amount of preparation will make you safer than no preparation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tomorrow for our earthquake prep challenge, I’ll go shopping — fun! — for survival supplies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[audio src=\"https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/science/2019/10/ArcuniPreparingBigOne.mp3\" title=\"Day Two: Earthquake Kits, or Shopping for Survival\" program=\"KQED Science\" image=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1.jpg\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Day Two: Earthquake kits, or shopping for survival\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Yesterday, while my wife, Maureen, and I were mapping out our emergency plan, we took a quick inventory of our emergency supplies. That is, we rifled through the briar patch that is our hallway closet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our key takeaways: The first aid kit was pretty depleted. Why? Because we’ve been dipping into it for everyday scrapes and burns, rendering the “emergency” in “emergency supplies” meaningless. But there were a few good items, including a hand crank AM/FM radio that triples as both a flashlight and phone charger. We also located the student survival kit purchased from my daughter’s day care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All in all, while we had the \u003cem>beginnings\u003c/em> of an earthquake kit, we did not have an \u003cem>actual\u003c/em> earthquake kit. There were some glaring omissions, like food and water, for instance, and our organization was lacking. Considering that the USGS \u003ca href=\"https://www.usgs.gov/natural-hazards/science-application-risk-reduction/science/haywired-scenario?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects\">forecasts\u003c/a> the displacement of 77,000 to 152,000 households from a 7.0 earthquake on the Hayward Fault, this was not good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I decided to break my kit preparation into two sessions. First day, shopping; second day, assembling. I used the American Red Cross \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/survival-kit-supplies.html\">list of 15 essential items\u003c/a> as a blueprint for the minimum inventory of what we needed.\u003c/p>\n\u003col>\n\u003cli>Water: one gallon per person, per day; three-day supply for evacuation, two-week supply for home\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Food: nonperishable, easy-to-prepare items; three-day supply for evacuation, two-week supply for home\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Flashlight\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Battery-powered or hand-crank radio, a NOAA Weather Radio, if possible\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Extra batteries\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Deluxe family first aid kit\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Medications, seven-day supply, and other necessary medical items\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Multipurpose tool\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Sanitation and personal hygiene items\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Copies of personal documents: medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Cellphone with chargers\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Family and emergency contact information\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Extra cash\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Emergency blanket\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Map(s) of the area\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp>Keep in mind the American Red Cross \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/survival-kit-supplies.html\">recommends additional items\u003c/a> you should consider, like sleeping bags, work gloves and N95 masks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1949519\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1949519\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-800x598.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"598\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-800x598.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-768x574.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-1020x763.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-1200x898.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Reporter Peter Arcuni shops for survival supplies to put into his earthquake kit. \u003ccite>(Lindsey Moore/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>We already had some of the essentials, so we just needed to track down the remaining items, plus a few more we thought were important. Our shopping list included water, food, cash, first aid kit, flashlights, batteries, cell phone charging pack, local maps, hygienic items and the ever-popular all-purpose emergency standby, duct tape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For this challenge, I headed to nearby 24th Street in Noe Valley to hit the Whole Foods, Walgreens and bank, all within a two-block radius. As on the first day, I limited myself to one hour.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Timer set.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Go.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Canned goods and venison sea salt pepper bars\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The American Red Cross recommends you keep on hand at least one gallon of water per person per day, for three days. For me, my wife and daughter, that’s nine gallons. At $0.89 a gallon, I was able to cross that off the list for under 10 bucks. Felt like a pretty good deal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For nonperishable food, I started with the canned goods aisle. I homed in on soups, refried beans and tuna fish, choosing in particular the brands that had pull-off tops so I wouldn’t need a can opener. True, I had a multi-use tool, which included a can opener (of sorts), but do I want to be attempting to poke holes through cans of refried beans during an earthquake emergency? No.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Next up: granola bars. Lots of options, of course, so I went for variety, making sure to accommodate my wife’s request for those that are peanut-butter flavored. The venison sea salt pepper bars looked classy, if somewhat pricey, so I decided to indulge.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Small bills, please\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Next up was the bank for some cold, hard cash. With power and network outages likely in the event of a big earthquake or other emergency, the places where they still keep the actual money may prove to be inaccessible, and ATMs could very well go down, too. Not to mention credit card machines. So if you end up needing to pay for something, from a bottle of water to a hotel room, you are going to have to use existing cash on hand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How much? That depends on the number of people in your family and where you live, according to Brian Ferguson, from the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Emergency experts recommend small denominations, so you won’t have to worry about getting change from stores that may not be able to give it. So I went for a mix of 20s, 10s, fives and ones. And one two-dollar bill for good luck.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Drugstore\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>I found most of my other items at the pharmacy. Medications aren’t a major issue for my family, but I picked up some extra pain reliever, antihistamine and children’s Tylenol, just in case.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you do take medications, the American Red Cross recommends having a seven-day supply, as well as a list of what they are.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Final thoughts: Day Two\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The shopping trip, when factoring in the ride to and from my house, took just about an hour and change. I was able to get most of the items on my list. Here’s where I came up short:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Local maps\u003c/strong>: These are good to keep on hand if you need to evacuate while cell networks are down. Neither Whole Foods nor Walgreens carried them, but you can find maps at \u003ca href=\"https://www.aaa.com/mapgallery/\">AAA\u003c/a> or order online.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cellphone battery charging pack\u003c/strong>: Walgreens had one, but I wasn’t sure it was right for me. So I’m planning to do some research before buying. There are \u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/s?k=emergency+phone+charger&crid=2CXQDD1XT85YG&sprefix=emergency+phone+c%2Caps%2C205&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_17\">several options\u003c/a> available online.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Forgetting to check expiration on food\u003c/strong>: One could assume — and by one, I mean me — that if food is wrapped in plastic, it is nonperishable. This is not true.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While evaluating my haul my wife asked if I checked the “best by” dates on the food. I had not. We found that while the canned goods would remain edible for a number of years, about half the granola bars I picked out listed dates about six months from now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Me: But what does date that mean?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maureen: Could we get sick?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Me: Maybe. I don’t think so. But …\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the end we removed these from the kit. Further research showed we probably would’ve been fine, even if our bars lost their flavor over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s a breakdown from \u003ca href=\"https://www.consumerreports.org/food-safety/how-to-tell-whether-expired-food-is-safe-to-eat/\">Consumer Reports\u003c/a> on good rules of thumb for nonperishables.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But you should always check the expiration dates on your food items, and you’ll also want check your kit periodically to refresh any expired items.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In sum, it appears you can grab many of the basic necessities for a survival kit over the course of an hour or a little longer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, if convenience is a priority, both the \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/store/preparedness\">American Red Cross\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/s?k=earthquake+survival+kit&crid=3GMZ4T10S4KQ3&sprefix=earthquak%2Caps%2C247&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_2_9\">Amazon\u003c/a> have a variety of survival kits available for a range of prices. Consider your time and needs — this may be a good way to go.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Up next, I’ll organize my supplies into a proper earthquake kit!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[audio src=\"https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/2019/10/ArcuniPreparingfortheBigOne.mp3\" title=\"Day Three: Putting Together My Earthquake Kits\" program=\"KQED Science\" image=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001.jpg\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Day Three: Putting together my earthquake kit\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A quick note about fatigue: After the first few days of this challenge, I was riding high. Emergency plan, check. Trunkload of survival supplies, yup. Then … the inevitable crash. After a full day of work, making dinner, cleaning the kitchen, bathing my kid, and putting her to bed, I was spent. So I psyched myself up, mustered all the energy I could, and … watched “The Great British Bake Off” on Netflix.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was delightful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’re only human. Carving out an hour on a given day may not be possible, emotionally or otherwise. So I decided to give myself credit for what I’d already accomplished and go back at it the next morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Which I did. I started by laying out my earthquake supplies on the living room floor. Satisfying as it was to look at, I still needed to put them somewhere I could find them in a true emergency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>“Organize disaster supplies in convenient locations…Keep them where you spend most of your time, so they can be reached even if your building is badly damaged.” — Earthquake Country Alliance\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/2005/15/gip-15.pdf\">U.S. Geological Survey (PDF)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakecountry.org/step3/\">EarthquakeCountry.org\u003c/a> provide an assortment of tips on preparing and storing your kits. Here are a few:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Use backpacks for personal survival kits because they’re easy to grab if you need to evacuate. You want one for each person in your household.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>You can keep a larger disaster kit in a plastic bin or other waterproof container. This should contain additional food and water, first aid items and other supplies, like an emergency radio, for instance, that you would need if you have to stay put for a while. This kit should also be easy to move around the house or load into a car if necessary.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Sifting through the bedroom closet, I found what I needed: a green plastic tub with a lid and handles for my household kit, and a black backpack with compartments for my to-go bag.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After packing my supplies into them, I scouted for storage locations. The bin slid nicely under the bench beside our bed, and I cleared out the bottom shelf of the hallway closet for the backpack, since it’s centrally located in the house. I then stashed some extra gallon jugs of water alongside the bag.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1949522\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1949522\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-800x545.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"545\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-800x545.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-768x523.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-1020x694.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-1200x817.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Organizing survival supplies is an important step in readiness planning, according to emergency experts. \u003ccite>(Lindsey Moore/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Emergency experts recommend that you also have survival kits for your car and workplace. For today, I focused mainly on the home, though I did throw water, towels and a blanket in the car. I’m considering ordering online additional prepacked kits for the car and work.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Bags for shoes and stuffed animals\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Here’s something I hadn’t thought about: Say a big earthquake hits at two in the morning. Suddenly, I’d be in the dark with broken glass and debris all over the floor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The aftermath of an earthquake is no time to wander around the house barefoot. That’s why experts recommend putting a pair of shoes or boots, plus a flashlight, in a plastic bag tied to the foot of your bed or nightstand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That ensures that you have quick access to getting something on your feet and allows you to safely get up, survey what’s happened to your home and check on your loved ones,” said Cynthia Shaw from \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/local/california/northern-california-coastal.html\">Red Cross Northern California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For this, I used kitchen twine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For my 4-year-old daughter, I made up a special bag to add to my to-go backpack. Emergencies can be scary, and they can also involve waiting around for long stretches of time without much to do. So USGS recommends including “comfort items, such as games, crayons, writing materials, and teddy bears” for the little ones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With my daughter’s help, we picked out a soft blanket with purple butterflies on it, coloring pad, storybook and one of her favorite stuffed foxes.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Not just supplies — documents, too\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>After I took inventory and shopped for supplies, I had tracked down most of the 15 essential survival items recommended by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/survival-kit-supplies.html\">American Red Cross\u003c/a>, along with some additions, to populate my kit. I even found the Bay Area and California maps I was looking for in the glove box of my car.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So I’m done, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When putting together survival supplies, it’s easy to obsess over gear and rations. But in emergencies, information matters too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Remember these checklist items from Day Two?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px\">\u003ci>Item 10: Copies of personal documents: medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px\">\u003ci>Item 12: Family and emergency contact information \u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Well, my wife and I had written out a list of our contacts and made sure we had them in our phones. But we didn’t make a paper copy with the actual numbers, which is important in case cell service isn’t available or you can’t charge your phone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>FEMA has a pre-made \u003ca href=\"https://www.ready.gov/kids/make-a-plan\">emergency contact form\u003c/a> you can fill out on your computer and print for your wallet, survival kits and car.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As for the documents, we got as far as sorting through the file cabinet where we keep these types of things.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today I decided to fire up the old all-in-one printer-scanner-copier and take care of business. But if you’re like me, nine times out of 10 your ink cartridge is empty. Today was no exception.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So I’ve got to get that ink, find a local copy shop or ask the kind people at KQED if it’s okay to print out a few documents for a good cause.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s was my hour for today. Tomorrow, I’ll be getting out the tool box to make a few home improvements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[audio src=\"https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/2019/10/ArcuniPreparingBigOne4c.mp3\" title=\"Day Four: Securing the Home\" program=\"KQED Science\" image=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_008.jpg\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Day Four: Securing the home\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>One thing I learned while researching this challenge was that most people who got hurt during earthquakes like Loma Prieta in the Bay Area and Northridge in the Los Angeles area didn’t have buildings or structures collapse on them. Many of the injuries were caused by falling objects or furniture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So for my final hour of this week’s earthquake prep, I surveyed my apartment to see what home improvements I could tackle to make it safer in the event of a big quake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earthquake Country Alliance has a \u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakecountry.org/step1/\">thorough guide\u003c/a> to securing your space. Here’s what to look out for:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Heavy objects hung on the wall, like mirrors or art in glass picture frames\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Loose objects stored on open shelves or bookcases which can fly through the air during a quake\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Top-heavy furniture, like dressers, bookcases or TVs that could tip over\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>In particular, experts say to look out for these potential hazards near places where you spend a lot of time: beds, couches, desks, the kids’ favorite play spaces.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a quick perusal for hazards, I detected a big problem: the large print hanging over our couch in a glass-paned metal frame. My brother got it for us in Nashville, and it really ties the room together. But, it was either gonna have to go or be moved to a safer spot away from the sofa.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another danger zone: the dresser next to my bed, with a digital camera, ceramic mason jar and mementos, including a hefty amethyst stone, lying on top.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So I took a quick trip to San Francisco’s Glen Park Hardware, where a few helpful employees showed me some stuff I could use to lock things down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One big find was a product called Museum Wax, which is putty you stick underneath an object so it’ll stay attached to a surface. This was just the ticket for objects like my amethyst.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The store also sold furniture safety straps, which let you attach freestanding shelves and armoires to the wall. These use hook-and-eye fixtures and industrial-strength Velcro.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I left with the museum wax and a heavy-duty frame hanger that had three nail anchor points for remounting the print.\u003cbr>\n[pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation='Brian Ferguson, Cal OES']‘Any amount of preparation will make you safer than no preparation.’[/pullquote]At home, I lifted the frame off the wall. Its weight confirmed that I’d rather not have it crash on my head under any circumstances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I picked a spot on the opposite wall, across from the sofa, and hammered away. Once the frame was up, I took a breather on the sofa … with a renewed sense of calm.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Final thoughts\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>That’s it for my hour-a-day earthquake readiness prep. These four days have taught me that spending just an hour here and there can make a world of difference when it comes to getting ready for the next emergency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sometimes it wore me out. But the 4.5 magnitude quake that rumbled my sofa as I wrote Monday night, and another on Tuesday, offered the jolts of motivation I needed to persevere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s more to do, for sure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In four hours, though, I mapped out an emergency plan, prepped survival kits and made my home a safer, or at least less hazardous, place. I’ll repeat here what Brian Ferguson with Cal OES told me on the first day of this challenge:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Any amount of preparation will make you safer than no preparation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While I have your ear, let’s cram in a few final bits of advice I picked up from experts along the way:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Your emergency readiness will depend on your own circumstances. So prepare accordingly. For example, living on landfill in the Bay Area means you may want to take extra steps to secure your home; whereas living in wildfire prone areas may require different preparations. Perhaps you have a large family or pets to consider. We have just one pet, a betta fish named Emily. What would we do with her if the Big One hits? I’ll have to think on that one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No matter your priorities, readiness experts recommend signing up for emergency alerts. California has an early warning \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1949333/download-californias-new-earthquake-early-warning-app\">ShakeAlert app\u003c/a>. Any amount of extra time you have could save your life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And finally, make a conscious effort to put gas in your car \u003ci>before\u003c/i> the low fuel light comes on. It’ll help if you ever have to evacuate. From now on, I’m gonna try. If nothing else, it’ll make my mom happy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Science reporter Peter Arcuni prepares for an earthquake over four days, spending just an hour each day. Here's how to get ready for the next big Bay Area temblor — the one scientists say is inevitable.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1727135389,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": true,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 118,
"wordCount": 4653
},
"headData": {
"title": "Prepping for the Next Big Quake: One Hour a Day, Four Days | KQED",
"description": "Science reporter Peter Arcuni prepares for an earthquake over four days, spending just an hour each day. Here's how to get ready for the next big Bay Area temblor — the one scientists say is inevitable.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Prepping for the Next Big Quake: One Hour a Day, Four Days",
"datePublished": "2023-02-06T14:45:11-08:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-23T16:49:49-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"source": "Earthquakes",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/science/2019/10/ArcuniEarthquakePrep.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"audioTrackLength": 183,
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/1949019/its-about-time-how-to-get-ready-for-the-next-emergency",
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ci>Are you feeling less than secure about how ready you are for a major earthquake emergency? That’s how many of us at KQED were feeling in the wake of \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/02/06/1154818692/turkey-earthquake-syria-rescue-disaster\">the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck southeastern Turkey and northern Syria early Monday\u003c/a>. The quake — which has so far killed more than 3,400 people — was followed by at least 55 aftershocks of magnitude 4.3 or greater, \u003ca href=\"https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/?extent=-30.14513,-76.28906&extent=73.92247,151.34766&sort=smallest&listOnlyShown=true&baseLayer=terrain\">according to the U.S. Geological Survey\u003c/a>.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Back in 2019, we asked science reporter Peter Arcuni to lead us through a four-day prep, spending one hour a day. Here’s how to get ready for the next big Bay Area temblor — the one scientists say is inevitable.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Day One was all about making an emergency plan; Days Two and Three he devoted to assembling earthquake kits. For the final day, Peter took steps to make his home more earthquake safe.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published on Oct. 16, 2019. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Let’s get started\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, I awoke to a sound like thunder. Was it a low-flying jet? A truck zooming past? In one, raucous jolt, the mattress, with me atop it, bobbled on its frame.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By the time I realized what was going on, the shake, rattle and roll were over.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Did you feel that?” I shouted to my wife and daughter in the other room.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No answer. Of course, they were fine, just too caught up in playing fairies, or trolls, or maybe fairy trolls, to notice a mere 3.6 magnitude quake. But the shock was enough for me to read the writing clear across the bedroom wall: \u003cem>It was time to make an earthquake plan\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yeah, right.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’ve lived in the Bay Area for 16 years, and just about annually I get a brief moment of religion when it comes to quake preparedness. But even though seismic experts offer ample evidence to remind us a big earthquake is not a matter of if, but when, I \u003cem>still\u003c/em> haven’t followed through.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "Resources\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakecountry.org/library/Margin_Step_3_Infographics_Flyer.pdf\">Earthquake Country Alliance pamphlet (PDF)\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ready.gov/plan\">FEMA Ready.gov site\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/survival-kit-supplies.html\">American Red Cross survival kit supply list\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/atg/PDF_s/Preparedness___Disaster_Recovery/Disaster_Preparedness/Earthquake/Earthquake.pdf\">earthquake safety checklist\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>True, I’ve got plenty of excuses. In the early days, common sense collided with a misguided feeling of invincibility. Later, it was work, marriage, grad school, fatherhood. Frankly, now in my spare time, I’d simply rather be playing Candyland with my four-year-old daughter than shopping for emergency supplies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In short, it’s the same old story: Life is full and busy, and preparing for disaster feels overwhelming.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But guess what? Now I’ve actually been \u003cem>assigned\u003c/em> earthquake preparation by my editors, in the hope we can show that it’s possible to get ready for a disaster in a reasonable amount of time, even amidst the usual perpetual commitments of work, family and daily living.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So here are the ground rules for this challenge. For each of four days, I’m allowed to commit just one hour to earthquake preparation, using only the free time I would normally have outside work and family life.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "Yesterday, we had only a vague notion of what to do if a big earthquake hit. Today we have a solid plan we feel pretty good about.",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "right",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp> Join me in finding out how ready we can be in just one hour a day, over four days. I’ll chronicle my success — or not — right here. We may not get to everything, but as I learned from the experts, doing any amount of preparation matters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One thing I realized while embarking on this project: The difference between preparedness and perpetual optimism could be the difference between life and death. In 2018, KQED’s Craig Miller \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1933064/map-are-you-in-the-severe-damage-zone-for-the-bay-areas-next-big-earthquake\">wrote a story about the Hayward Fault\u003c/a>, which runs 40 miles through the East Bay’s most densely populated areas and could produce the proverbial Big One at any time:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>The U.S. Geological Survey projects that in the aftermath of a magnitude 7.0 quake on the Hayward, 2,500 people would need immediate rescue. Serious questions remain about whether emergency responders could get to everyone’s aid, given that roads are likely to be blocked and water for fighting fires cut off in many areas — possibly for weeks or months.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>“In terms of exposure of hospitals, schools, lifelines, it’s really unequaled,” said UC Berkeley seismologist Roland Burgmann.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So … this is a not just an assignment for a journalist, it’s an assignment for \u003cem>everybody\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "audio",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"src": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/science/2019/10/ArcuniEarthquakePrep.mp3",
"title": "Day One: Make a Plan",
"program": "KQED Science",
"image": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_007.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Day One: Make a plan\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Generally speaking, earthquake preparedness is broken into three categories:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Having survival supplies ready to go\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Safety-proofing your home\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Making an emergency plan for the earthquake and its aftermath\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>I decided to begin my four days of preparation by making an emergency plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brian Ferguson, with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), says it’s one of the most important steps you can take.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think it’s a great dinner table conversation that all families should have, if there’s an emergency, here’s what we would do,” he said. “‘We would meet you at this place, we would go this way.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He told me there’s no one-size-fits-all blueprint, so you’ll need to tailor your plan to your own circumstances. But some guidelines apply to everybody, such as …\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Doorways are out\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1949266\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1949266\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-800x593.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"593\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-800x593.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-160x119.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-768x569.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-1020x755.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004-1200x889.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_004.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Peter Arcuni, his wife, Maureen, and their daughter, Izzy, read a book after collecting all the materials for their earthquake preparedness kit. \u003ccite>(Lindsey Moore/ KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>My first conversation today was with my preschooler, Izzy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Izzy, do you know what an earthquake is?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s when the ground shakes and you have to go hide under a table.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Hide under the table. That’s a great idea — you know more than I do!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s a widespread \u003ca href=\"https://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/climate-weather/storms/10-pieces-of-disaster-safety-advice-you-should-ignore4.htm\">myth\u003c/a> that standing in the doorway is the most protective place to be during a major quake. But most experts say, forget it. Here’s what the U.S. Geological Survey recommends:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>“DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON. If you are indoors, when you feel strong earthquake shaking, drop to the floor, take cover under a sturdy desk or table, and hold on to it firmly until the shaking stops. If you are not near a desk or table, drop to the floor against an interior wall and protect your head and neck with your arms.”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Got it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After we tucked the little one in, my wife Maureen and I went to the couch to write out our emergency plan. For this we decided to focus on a handful of essential items from the USGS handbook:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Locate a safe place outside of your home for your family to meet after the shaking stops.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Establish an out-of-area contact person everyone in the household can call to relay information.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Provide all family members with a list of important contact phone numbers.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Determine where you can live if you can’t stay in your home after an earthquake or other disaster. In other words: Ask friends or relatives in advance if they might be willing to put you up when the Big One hits.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Sounds like a lot. But it took us just under an hour — 56 minutes — to hash most of this out. We even called my cousin in Menlo Park, who agreed to shelter us in case we need to evacuate San Francisco. Because we appeared to have woken her from a deep slumber, I’ll need to confirm she actually \u003cem>remembers\u003c/em> what she’s gotten herself into next time I see her. \u003cem>Sorry to wake you up Carin. And, thanks!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Final thoughts: Day One\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I admit I was feeling a bit daunted by the thought of starting this challenge. But I agreed with my wife when she said, “It was not \u003cem>so\u003c/em> bad.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yesterday, we had only a vague notion of what to do if a big earthquake hit. Today we have a solid plan we feel pretty good about. We have more to do, for sure, but this is a good start.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Brian Ferguson from Cal OES put it: “People feel intimidated by it, but any amount of preparation will make you safer than no preparation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tomorrow for our earthquake prep challenge, I’ll go shopping — fun! — for survival supplies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "audio",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"src": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/science/2019/10/ArcuniPreparingBigOne.mp3",
"title": "Day Two: Earthquake Kits, or Shopping for Survival",
"program": "KQED Science",
"image": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Day Two: Earthquake kits, or shopping for survival\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Yesterday, while my wife, Maureen, and I were mapping out our emergency plan, we took a quick inventory of our emergency supplies. That is, we rifled through the briar patch that is our hallway closet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our key takeaways: The first aid kit was pretty depleted. Why? Because we’ve been dipping into it for everyday scrapes and burns, rendering the “emergency” in “emergency supplies” meaningless. But there were a few good items, including a hand crank AM/FM radio that triples as both a flashlight and phone charger. We also located the student survival kit purchased from my daughter’s day care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All in all, while we had the \u003cem>beginnings\u003c/em> of an earthquake kit, we did not have an \u003cem>actual\u003c/em> earthquake kit. There were some glaring omissions, like food and water, for instance, and our organization was lacking. Considering that the USGS \u003ca href=\"https://www.usgs.gov/natural-hazards/science-application-risk-reduction/science/haywired-scenario?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects\">forecasts\u003c/a> the displacement of 77,000 to 152,000 households from a 7.0 earthquake on the Hayward Fault, this was not good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I decided to break my kit preparation into two sessions. First day, shopping; second day, assembling. I used the American Red Cross \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/survival-kit-supplies.html\">list of 15 essential items\u003c/a> as a blueprint for the minimum inventory of what we needed.\u003c/p>\n\u003col>\n\u003cli>Water: one gallon per person, per day; three-day supply for evacuation, two-week supply for home\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Food: nonperishable, easy-to-prepare items; three-day supply for evacuation, two-week supply for home\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Flashlight\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Battery-powered or hand-crank radio, a NOAA Weather Radio, if possible\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Extra batteries\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Deluxe family first aid kit\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Medications, seven-day supply, and other necessary medical items\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Multipurpose tool\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Sanitation and personal hygiene items\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Copies of personal documents: medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Cellphone with chargers\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Family and emergency contact information\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Extra cash\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Emergency blanket\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Map(s) of the area\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp>Keep in mind the American Red Cross \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/survival-kit-supplies.html\">recommends additional items\u003c/a> you should consider, like sleeping bags, work gloves and N95 masks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1949519\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1949519\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-800x598.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"598\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-800x598.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-768x574.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-1020x763.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1-1200x898.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/EarthquakePrep_001-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Reporter Peter Arcuni shops for survival supplies to put into his earthquake kit. \u003ccite>(Lindsey Moore/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>We already had some of the essentials, so we just needed to track down the remaining items, plus a few more we thought were important. Our shopping list included water, food, cash, first aid kit, flashlights, batteries, cell phone charging pack, local maps, hygienic items and the ever-popular all-purpose emergency standby, duct tape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For this challenge, I headed to nearby 24th Street in Noe Valley to hit the Whole Foods, Walgreens and bank, all within a two-block radius. As on the first day, I limited myself to one hour.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Timer set.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Go.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Canned goods and venison sea salt pepper bars\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The American Red Cross recommends you keep on hand at least one gallon of water per person per day, for three days. For me, my wife and daughter, that’s nine gallons. At $0.89 a gallon, I was able to cross that off the list for under 10 bucks. Felt like a pretty good deal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For nonperishable food, I started with the canned goods aisle. I homed in on soups, refried beans and tuna fish, choosing in particular the brands that had pull-off tops so I wouldn’t need a can opener. True, I had a multi-use tool, which included a can opener (of sorts), but do I want to be attempting to poke holes through cans of refried beans during an earthquake emergency? No.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Next up: granola bars. Lots of options, of course, so I went for variety, making sure to accommodate my wife’s request for those that are peanut-butter flavored. The venison sea salt pepper bars looked classy, if somewhat pricey, so I decided to indulge.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Small bills, please\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Next up was the bank for some cold, hard cash. With power and network outages likely in the event of a big earthquake or other emergency, the places where they still keep the actual money may prove to be inaccessible, and ATMs could very well go down, too. Not to mention credit card machines. So if you end up needing to pay for something, from a bottle of water to a hotel room, you are going to have to use existing cash on hand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How much? That depends on the number of people in your family and where you live, according to Brian Ferguson, from the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Emergency experts recommend small denominations, so you won’t have to worry about getting change from stores that may not be able to give it. So I went for a mix of 20s, 10s, fives and ones. And one two-dollar bill for good luck.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Drugstore\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>I found most of my other items at the pharmacy. Medications aren’t a major issue for my family, but I picked up some extra pain reliever, antihistamine and children’s Tylenol, just in case.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you do take medications, the American Red Cross recommends having a seven-day supply, as well as a list of what they are.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Final thoughts: Day Two\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The shopping trip, when factoring in the ride to and from my house, took just about an hour and change. I was able to get most of the items on my list. Here’s where I came up short:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Local maps\u003c/strong>: These are good to keep on hand if you need to evacuate while cell networks are down. Neither Whole Foods nor Walgreens carried them, but you can find maps at \u003ca href=\"https://www.aaa.com/mapgallery/\">AAA\u003c/a> or order online.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cellphone battery charging pack\u003c/strong>: Walgreens had one, but I wasn’t sure it was right for me. So I’m planning to do some research before buying. There are \u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/s?k=emergency+phone+charger&crid=2CXQDD1XT85YG&sprefix=emergency+phone+c%2Caps%2C205&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_17\">several options\u003c/a> available online.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Forgetting to check expiration on food\u003c/strong>: One could assume — and by one, I mean me — that if food is wrapped in plastic, it is nonperishable. This is not true.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While evaluating my haul my wife asked if I checked the “best by” dates on the food. I had not. We found that while the canned goods would remain edible for a number of years, about half the granola bars I picked out listed dates about six months from now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Me: But what does date that mean?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maureen: Could we get sick?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Me: Maybe. I don’t think so. But …\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the end we removed these from the kit. Further research showed we probably would’ve been fine, even if our bars lost their flavor over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s a breakdown from \u003ca href=\"https://www.consumerreports.org/food-safety/how-to-tell-whether-expired-food-is-safe-to-eat/\">Consumer Reports\u003c/a> on good rules of thumb for nonperishables.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But you should always check the expiration dates on your food items, and you’ll also want check your kit periodically to refresh any expired items.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In sum, it appears you can grab many of the basic necessities for a survival kit over the course of an hour or a little longer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, if convenience is a priority, both the \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/store/preparedness\">American Red Cross\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/s?k=earthquake+survival+kit&crid=3GMZ4T10S4KQ3&sprefix=earthquak%2Caps%2C247&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_2_9\">Amazon\u003c/a> have a variety of survival kits available for a range of prices. Consider your time and needs — this may be a good way to go.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Up next, I’ll organize my supplies into a proper earthquake kit!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "audio",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"src": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/2019/10/ArcuniPreparingfortheBigOne.mp3",
"title": "Day Three: Putting Together My Earthquake Kits",
"program": "KQED Science",
"image": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Day Three: Putting together my earthquake kit\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A quick note about fatigue: After the first few days of this challenge, I was riding high. Emergency plan, check. Trunkload of survival supplies, yup. Then … the inevitable crash. After a full day of work, making dinner, cleaning the kitchen, bathing my kid, and putting her to bed, I was spent. So I psyched myself up, mustered all the energy I could, and … watched “The Great British Bake Off” on Netflix.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was delightful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’re only human. Carving out an hour on a given day may not be possible, emotionally or otherwise. So I decided to give myself credit for what I’d already accomplished and go back at it the next morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Which I did. I started by laying out my earthquake supplies on the living room floor. Satisfying as it was to look at, I still needed to put them somewhere I could find them in a true emergency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>“Organize disaster supplies in convenient locations…Keep them where you spend most of your time, so they can be reached even if your building is badly damaged.” — Earthquake Country Alliance\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/2005/15/gip-15.pdf\">U.S. Geological Survey (PDF)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakecountry.org/step3/\">EarthquakeCountry.org\u003c/a> provide an assortment of tips on preparing and storing your kits. Here are a few:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Use backpacks for personal survival kits because they’re easy to grab if you need to evacuate. You want one for each person in your household.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>You can keep a larger disaster kit in a plastic bin or other waterproof container. This should contain additional food and water, first aid items and other supplies, like an emergency radio, for instance, that you would need if you have to stay put for a while. This kit should also be easy to move around the house or load into a car if necessary.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Sifting through the bedroom closet, I found what I needed: a green plastic tub with a lid and handles for my household kit, and a black backpack with compartments for my to-go bag.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After packing my supplies into them, I scouted for storage locations. The bin slid nicely under the bench beside our bed, and I cleared out the bottom shelf of the hallway closet for the backpack, since it’s centrally located in the house. I then stashed some extra gallon jugs of water alongside the bag.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1949522\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1949522\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-800x545.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"545\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-800x545.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-768x523.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-1020x694.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001-1200x817.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_001.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Organizing survival supplies is an important step in readiness planning, according to emergency experts. \u003ccite>(Lindsey Moore/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Emergency experts recommend that you also have survival kits for your car and workplace. For today, I focused mainly on the home, though I did throw water, towels and a blanket in the car. I’m considering ordering online additional prepacked kits for the car and work.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Bags for shoes and stuffed animals\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Here’s something I hadn’t thought about: Say a big earthquake hits at two in the morning. Suddenly, I’d be in the dark with broken glass and debris all over the floor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The aftermath of an earthquake is no time to wander around the house barefoot. That’s why experts recommend putting a pair of shoes or boots, plus a flashlight, in a plastic bag tied to the foot of your bed or nightstand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That ensures that you have quick access to getting something on your feet and allows you to safely get up, survey what’s happened to your home and check on your loved ones,” said Cynthia Shaw from \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/local/california/northern-california-coastal.html\">Red Cross Northern California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For this, I used kitchen twine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For my 4-year-old daughter, I made up a special bag to add to my to-go backpack. Emergencies can be scary, and they can also involve waiting around for long stretches of time without much to do. So USGS recommends including “comfort items, such as games, crayons, writing materials, and teddy bears” for the little ones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With my daughter’s help, we picked out a soft blanket with purple butterflies on it, coloring pad, storybook and one of her favorite stuffed foxes.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Not just supplies — documents, too\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>After I took inventory and shopped for supplies, I had tracked down most of the 15 essential survival items recommended by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/survival-kit-supplies.html\">American Red Cross\u003c/a>, along with some additions, to populate my kit. I even found the Bay Area and California maps I was looking for in the glove box of my car.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So I’m done, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When putting together survival supplies, it’s easy to obsess over gear and rations. But in emergencies, information matters too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Remember these checklist items from Day Two?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px\">\u003ci>Item 10: Copies of personal documents: medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px\">\u003ci>Item 12: Family and emergency contact information \u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Well, my wife and I had written out a list of our contacts and made sure we had them in our phones. But we didn’t make a paper copy with the actual numbers, which is important in case cell service isn’t available or you can’t charge your phone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>FEMA has a pre-made \u003ca href=\"https://www.ready.gov/kids/make-a-plan\">emergency contact form\u003c/a> you can fill out on your computer and print for your wallet, survival kits and car.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As for the documents, we got as far as sorting through the file cabinet where we keep these types of things.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today I decided to fire up the old all-in-one printer-scanner-copier and take care of business. But if you’re like me, nine times out of 10 your ink cartridge is empty. Today was no exception.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So I’ve got to get that ink, find a local copy shop or ask the kind people at KQED if it’s okay to print out a few documents for a good cause.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s was my hour for today. Tomorrow, I’ll be getting out the tool box to make a few home improvements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "audio",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"src": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/2019/10/ArcuniPreparingBigOne4c.mp3",
"title": "Day Four: Securing the Home",
"program": "KQED Science",
"image": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/10/Earthquakekit_008.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Day Four: Securing the home\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>One thing I learned while researching this challenge was that most people who got hurt during earthquakes like Loma Prieta in the Bay Area and Northridge in the Los Angeles area didn’t have buildings or structures collapse on them. Many of the injuries were caused by falling objects or furniture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So for my final hour of this week’s earthquake prep, I surveyed my apartment to see what home improvements I could tackle to make it safer in the event of a big quake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earthquake Country Alliance has a \u003ca href=\"https://www.earthquakecountry.org/step1/\">thorough guide\u003c/a> to securing your space. Here’s what to look out for:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Heavy objects hung on the wall, like mirrors or art in glass picture frames\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Loose objects stored on open shelves or bookcases which can fly through the air during a quake\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Top-heavy furniture, like dressers, bookcases or TVs that could tip over\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>In particular, experts say to look out for these potential hazards near places where you spend a lot of time: beds, couches, desks, the kids’ favorite play spaces.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a quick perusal for hazards, I detected a big problem: the large print hanging over our couch in a glass-paned metal frame. My brother got it for us in Nashville, and it really ties the room together. But, it was either gonna have to go or be moved to a safer spot away from the sofa.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another danger zone: the dresser next to my bed, with a digital camera, ceramic mason jar and mementos, including a hefty amethyst stone, lying on top.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So I took a quick trip to San Francisco’s Glen Park Hardware, where a few helpful employees showed me some stuff I could use to lock things down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One big find was a product called Museum Wax, which is putty you stick underneath an object so it’ll stay attached to a surface. This was just the ticket for objects like my amethyst.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The store also sold furniture safety straps, which let you attach freestanding shelves and armoires to the wall. These use hook-and-eye fixtures and industrial-strength Velcro.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I left with the museum wax and a heavy-duty frame hanger that had three nail anchor points for remounting the print.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘Any amount of preparation will make you safer than no preparation.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "right",
"citation": "Brian Ferguson, Cal OES",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>At home, I lifted the frame off the wall. Its weight confirmed that I’d rather not have it crash on my head under any circumstances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I picked a spot on the opposite wall, across from the sofa, and hammered away. Once the frame was up, I took a breather on the sofa … with a renewed sense of calm.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Final thoughts\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>That’s it for my hour-a-day earthquake readiness prep. These four days have taught me that spending just an hour here and there can make a world of difference when it comes to getting ready for the next emergency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sometimes it wore me out. But the 4.5 magnitude quake that rumbled my sofa as I wrote Monday night, and another on Tuesday, offered the jolts of motivation I needed to persevere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s more to do, for sure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In four hours, though, I mapped out an emergency plan, prepped survival kits and made my home a safer, or at least less hazardous, place. I’ll repeat here what Brian Ferguson with Cal OES told me on the first day of this challenge:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Any amount of preparation will make you safer than no preparation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While I have your ear, let’s cram in a few final bits of advice I picked up from experts along the way:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Your emergency readiness will depend on your own circumstances. So prepare accordingly. For example, living on landfill in the Bay Area means you may want to take extra steps to secure your home; whereas living in wildfire prone areas may require different preparations. Perhaps you have a large family or pets to consider. We have just one pet, a betta fish named Emily. What would we do with her if the Big One hits? I’ll have to think on that one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No matter your priorities, readiness experts recommend signing up for emergency alerts. California has an early warning \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1949333/download-californias-new-earthquake-early-warning-app\">ShakeAlert app\u003c/a>. Any amount of extra time you have could save your life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And finally, make a conscious effort to put gas in your car \u003ci>before\u003c/i> the low fuel light comes on. It’ll help if you ever have to evacuate. From now on, I’m gonna try. If nothing else, it’ll make my mom happy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1949019/its-about-time-how-to-get-ready-for-the-next-emergency",
"authors": [
"11368"
],
"programs": [
"science_5376"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_35",
"science_38",
"science_39",
"science_40",
"science_5141",
"science_4450",
"science_3423"
],
"tags": [
"science_1888",
"science_257",
"science_427",
"science_654",
"science_5181",
"science_813"
],
"featImg": "science_1952361",
"label": "source_science_1949019"
},
"science_1975665": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1975665",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1975665",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1625662807000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "camping-this-fire-season-heres-how-to-prepare-and-stay-safe",
"title": "Camping This Fire Season? Here's How to Prepare and Stay Safe",
"publishDate": 1625662807,
"format": "image",
"headTitle": "Camping This Fire Season? Here’s How to Prepare and Stay Safe | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>Summertime in California is synonymous with getting outdoors. Campers, hikers and backpackers flock to wilderness areas to disconnect from devices, connect with family and friends, take on new physical challenges, and push beyond mental limits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For people like Brad Branan from Sacramento, this connection with the outdoors is inseparable from their love for the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I started backpacking 20 years ago in California,” Branan said, “My love of California, the biggest thing is the outdoors.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But for many, the growing intensity and unpredictability of fires is changing their relationship to California’s vast forests and wilderness. Wildfire season, which doesn’t typically peak in Northern California until the fall, increasingly overlaps with prime months for camping and backpacking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Branan, a former Sacramento Bee reporter who currently works as a data analyst for the state, says he now makes backcountry reservations for three different spots at the same time in case wildfires or smokey air make his plans untenable. Sometimes, Branan says, he’s “been shut out of all of them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last August, Branan was backpacking in the Ansel Adams Wilderness, south of Yosemite Valley in the Sierra Nevada, when heavy smoke from fire complexes burning across Northern California rolled in. Not wanting to hike through noxious and potentially dangerous smoke, he bailed on the trip two days early, hurrying back to his car.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Roughly a month later, rescue helicopters \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/Dra\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">evacuated hundreds of campers\u003c/a> stranded at nearby Mammoth Pool Reservoir at the start of the Creek Fire. The blaze eventually burned more than 350,000 acres, covering the region in ash.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Already this summer, fires have \u003ca href=\"https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/06/22/map-inyo-creek-fire-shuts-mount-whitney-trailhead-hikers-forced-to-abandon-cars/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">led to evacuations\u003c/a> in Inyo National Forest near Mount Whitney and forests around Big Sur, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news/2021/06/09/gold-fire-burns-35-acres-near-millerton-lake-hikers-rescued/7627339002/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pilots airlifted two hikers\u003c/a> away from the Gold Fire near Fresno.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If I leave California,” Branan said, “it will be because of the wildfire smoke.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://twitter.com/BradB_Outdoors/status/1407132173828714498\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Branan says, for now, he’ll continue to get out to the backcountry, even if the danger for wildfires is high. This summer he’s planned trips to California’s Desolation Wilderness near Lake Tahoe, Yosemite and Lassen National Park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Park rangers say there are things you can do to make hiking and camping trips safer during the wildfire season — and that preparation should start before you hit the trail.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In a period of time where we’re clearly seeing more dangerous wildfires,” said Scott Elliott\u003cb>, \u003c/b>an emergency services chief for California State Parks, “Without getting paranoid about it, be mindful of the scenarios and mindful of escape routes and mindful of proper planning and communication.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Check Fire Danger Before Your Trip and ‘Become a Weather Nerd’\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Elliott says hikers should be aware of where fires are burning and check park websites for advisories and trail closures before leaving for a trip.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think anybody who visits a park now, any time anybody goes out camping, really should become a weather nerd,” he added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The old practice of checking the \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/nm-state-wire-bears-us-news-ap-top-news-wa-state-wire-7c5b8473d3f246ef94c1e5cd1d6ef333\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Smokey Bear\u003c/a> signs, Elliott says, is no longer sufficient. He suggests people visiting parks keep tabs on heat indexes, wind, and red flag warnings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Richard Popchak, communications director for the nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://www.ventanawild.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ventana Wilderness Alliance\u003c/a>, advises that when conditions are prime for wildfire, campers should consider postponing or relocating to a less risky area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve reached that point where when people see red flag warnings and are aware that it’s extreme fire danger, it’s not the time to go camping or backpacking,” Popchak said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When planning a big trip, rangers say people should identify a backup destination or plan to recreate closer to home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Bring an Old Fashioned Paper Map and Have an Escape Route\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many hikers rely on online maps and their cellphones. But paper maps don’t require battery power or reception.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1975692\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1975692\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/GettyImages-151210725-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/GettyImages-151210725-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/GettyImages-151210725-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/GettyImages-151210725-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/GettyImages-151210725-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/GettyImages-151210725-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/GettyImages-151210725-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/GettyImages-151210725-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Williams fire spreads in the Angeles National Forest on September 3, 2012. The fire put an early end to Labor Day weekend camping and hiking for vacationers who were evacuated from the area. \u003ccite>(David McNew/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Always bring a paper map in addition to whatever tech you have, just as a backup.” Elliott said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you are using digital maps, it’s a good idea to download them onto your device so you’re not reliant on a signal, as remote areas can have spotty reception. (The signal can be even worse during a wildfire.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before heading out on a trail, study your map to identify possible escape routes in case you need to evacuate. Having options is important for times when your intended route is in the path of flames or heavy smoke.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Popchak advises hikers “know which trails go where, even if they’re away from your base camp or your vehicle.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Know that during evacuations, park rangers are often dispatched to help people get out and will post signs around with safe evacuation routes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Consider a GPS Tracker\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When heading into the backcountry or other remote areas, consider a GPS tracker, sometimes called an emergency transponder or locator beacon. These satellite devices send out a ping with your location, which rescue crews can use to help find you in an emergency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On his backpacking trips, Branan carries a locator that’s registered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. GPS transponders are easily found at REI and other outdoor retailers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I highly recommend them,” he said. “They’re really easy to use, they last a long time and you don’t have to buy a service for them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>More For the Packing List\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are a few other items rangers say hikers and campers should consider for wildfire season.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Plenty of water or a way to filter from streams or lakes.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>An emergency blanket (made of thin, heat-reflective material and sometimes called “space blankets” or “heat sheets”) in case you have to spend the night somewhere unexpected.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A whistle. The universal distress signal is to whistle three times, pause for a few seconds, then repeat.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A battery-operated or hand crank emergency radio.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What To Do If You Smell Smoke or See Flames\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you see flames, dense smoke, or hear about a fire in your area, Tina Boehle, a former ranger and current National Park Service spokesperson, says to find a safe escape route and get out of the park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Don’t lollygag,” she said, “This is not the time for further sightseeing. It’s time to get on the trail. Get out of there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Boehle notes that fire moves faster uphill than downhill, and recommends finding escape routes that move down away from hillsides. “You’ll also have access to more waterways,” she added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While a fire is spreading, Boehle says less forested areas are generally safer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Look for clear meadows,” she said, “And areas where it is clear of any dry vegetation where you could wait out a fire if needed.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Let Someone Know Where You’re Going and Sign Up For Alerts\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Boehle says when heading into the wilderness it’s important to let someone know where you’re going. It’s always a good idea, she says, to check in with a ranger when you arrive at a park. Registering for a permit and checking in helps park officials know where you’ll be in case of an emergency. Rangers can also help you assess the fire danger and identify evacuation routes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just like you should register for emergency alerts in your local county, signing up for alerts for the region you’re camping in can help you keep up-to-date with wildfires as you gear up for your trip.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Don’t Be the Cause of a Wildfire\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lightning strikes have ignited some catastrophic wildfires in California, but many fires are caused by humans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parks have restrictions on campfires and stoves during periods of high fire danger. Boehle says to also be aware of cigarette embers or chains dragging from your vehicle, which could spark and potentially touch off a grass fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You don’t want to be the cause of that fire,” she said. “Be responsible when you recreate in the outdoors and the wilderness, and keep that frame of mind that fires could happen anywhere if the conditions are right.\u003ci>”\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For more information on how to prepare for spending time outdoors during wildfire season, Boehle recommends people visit the \u003ca href=\"https://www.recreateresponsibly.org/wildfire-resources\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">recreateresponsibly.org\u003c/a> website.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Fire unpredictability is changing the relationship that many Californians have with the wilderness. Here are some tips before heading out on trail. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1727135397,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 48,
"wordCount": 1464
},
"headData": {
"title": "Camping This Fire Season? Here's How to Prepare and Stay Safe | KQED",
"description": "Fire unpredictability is changing the relationship that many Californians have with the wilderness. Here are some tips before heading out on trail. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Camping This Fire Season? Here's How to Prepare and Stay Safe",
"datePublished": "2021-07-07T06:00:07-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-23T16:49:57-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"source": "Wildfire",
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-4[…]f-aaef00f5a073/d81f19dc-dab7-449d-bfcb-ad5901257944/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"path": "/science/1975665/camping-this-fire-season-heres-how-to-prepare-and-stay-safe",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Summertime in California is synonymous with getting outdoors. Campers, hikers and backpackers flock to wilderness areas to disconnect from devices, connect with family and friends, take on new physical challenges, and push beyond mental limits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For people like Brad Branan from Sacramento, this connection with the outdoors is inseparable from their love for the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I started backpacking 20 years ago in California,” Branan said, “My love of California, the biggest thing is the outdoors.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But for many, the growing intensity and unpredictability of fires is changing their relationship to California’s vast forests and wilderness. Wildfire season, which doesn’t typically peak in Northern California until the fall, increasingly overlaps with prime months for camping and backpacking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Branan, a former Sacramento Bee reporter who currently works as a data analyst for the state, says he now makes backcountry reservations for three different spots at the same time in case wildfires or smokey air make his plans untenable. Sometimes, Branan says, he’s “been shut out of all of them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last August, Branan was backpacking in the Ansel Adams Wilderness, south of Yosemite Valley in the Sierra Nevada, when heavy smoke from fire complexes burning across Northern California rolled in. Not wanting to hike through noxious and potentially dangerous smoke, he bailed on the trip two days early, hurrying back to his car.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Roughly a month later, rescue helicopters \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/Dra\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">evacuated hundreds of campers\u003c/a> stranded at nearby Mammoth Pool Reservoir at the start of the Creek Fire. The blaze eventually burned more than 350,000 acres, covering the region in ash.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Already this summer, fires have \u003ca href=\"https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/06/22/map-inyo-creek-fire-shuts-mount-whitney-trailhead-hikers-forced-to-abandon-cars/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">led to evacuations\u003c/a> in Inyo National Forest near Mount Whitney and forests around Big Sur, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news/2021/06/09/gold-fire-burns-35-acres-near-millerton-lake-hikers-rescued/7627339002/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pilots airlifted two hikers\u003c/a> away from the Gold Fire near Fresno.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If I leave California,” Branan said, “it will be because of the wildfire smoke.”\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "singleTwitterStatus",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"id": "1407132173828714498"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Branan says, for now, he’ll continue to get out to the backcountry, even if the danger for wildfires is high. This summer he’s planned trips to California’s Desolation Wilderness near Lake Tahoe, Yosemite and Lassen National Park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Park rangers say there are things you can do to make hiking and camping trips safer during the wildfire season — and that preparation should start before you hit the trail.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In a period of time where we’re clearly seeing more dangerous wildfires,” said Scott Elliott\u003cb>, \u003c/b>an emergency services chief for California State Parks, “Without getting paranoid about it, be mindful of the scenarios and mindful of escape routes and mindful of proper planning and communication.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Check Fire Danger Before Your Trip and ‘Become a Weather Nerd’\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Elliott says hikers should be aware of where fires are burning and check park websites for advisories and trail closures before leaving for a trip.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think anybody who visits a park now, any time anybody goes out camping, really should become a weather nerd,” he added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The old practice of checking the \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/nm-state-wire-bears-us-news-ap-top-news-wa-state-wire-7c5b8473d3f246ef94c1e5cd1d6ef333\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Smokey Bear\u003c/a> signs, Elliott says, is no longer sufficient. He suggests people visiting parks keep tabs on heat indexes, wind, and red flag warnings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Richard Popchak, communications director for the nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://www.ventanawild.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ventana Wilderness Alliance\u003c/a>, advises that when conditions are prime for wildfire, campers should consider postponing or relocating to a less risky area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve reached that point where when people see red flag warnings and are aware that it’s extreme fire danger, it’s not the time to go camping or backpacking,” Popchak said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When planning a big trip, rangers say people should identify a backup destination or plan to recreate closer to home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Bring an Old Fashioned Paper Map and Have an Escape Route\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many hikers rely on online maps and their cellphones. But paper maps don’t require battery power or reception.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1975692\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1975692\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/GettyImages-151210725-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/GettyImages-151210725-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/GettyImages-151210725-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/GettyImages-151210725-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/GettyImages-151210725-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/GettyImages-151210725-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/GettyImages-151210725-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/07/GettyImages-151210725-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Williams fire spreads in the Angeles National Forest on September 3, 2012. The fire put an early end to Labor Day weekend camping and hiking for vacationers who were evacuated from the area. \u003ccite>(David McNew/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Always bring a paper map in addition to whatever tech you have, just as a backup.” Elliott said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you are using digital maps, it’s a good idea to download them onto your device so you’re not reliant on a signal, as remote areas can have spotty reception. (The signal can be even worse during a wildfire.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before heading out on a trail, study your map to identify possible escape routes in case you need to evacuate. Having options is important for times when your intended route is in the path of flames or heavy smoke.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Popchak advises hikers “know which trails go where, even if they’re away from your base camp or your vehicle.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Know that during evacuations, park rangers are often dispatched to help people get out and will post signs around with safe evacuation routes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Consider a GPS Tracker\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When heading into the backcountry or other remote areas, consider a GPS tracker, sometimes called an emergency transponder or locator beacon. These satellite devices send out a ping with your location, which rescue crews can use to help find you in an emergency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On his backpacking trips, Branan carries a locator that’s registered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. GPS transponders are easily found at REI and other outdoor retailers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I highly recommend them,” he said. “They’re really easy to use, they last a long time and you don’t have to buy a service for them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>More For the Packing List\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are a few other items rangers say hikers and campers should consider for wildfire season.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Plenty of water or a way to filter from streams or lakes.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>An emergency blanket (made of thin, heat-reflective material and sometimes called “space blankets” or “heat sheets”) in case you have to spend the night somewhere unexpected.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A whistle. The universal distress signal is to whistle three times, pause for a few seconds, then repeat.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A battery-operated or hand crank emergency radio.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What To Do If You Smell Smoke or See Flames\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you see flames, dense smoke, or hear about a fire in your area, Tina Boehle, a former ranger and current National Park Service spokesperson, says to find a safe escape route and get out of the park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Don’t lollygag,” she said, “This is not the time for further sightseeing. It’s time to get on the trail. Get out of there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Boehle notes that fire moves faster uphill than downhill, and recommends finding escape routes that move down away from hillsides. “You’ll also have access to more waterways,” she added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While a fire is spreading, Boehle says less forested areas are generally safer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Look for clear meadows,” she said, “And areas where it is clear of any dry vegetation where you could wait out a fire if needed.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Let Someone Know Where You’re Going and Sign Up For Alerts\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Boehle says when heading into the wilderness it’s important to let someone know where you’re going. It’s always a good idea, she says, to check in with a ranger when you arrive at a park. Registering for a permit and checking in helps park officials know where you’ll be in case of an emergency. Rangers can also help you assess the fire danger and identify evacuation routes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just like you should register for emergency alerts in your local county, signing up for alerts for the region you’re camping in can help you keep up-to-date with wildfires as you gear up for your trip.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Don’t Be the Cause of a Wildfire\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lightning strikes have ignited some catastrophic wildfires in California, but many fires are caused by humans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parks have restrictions on campfires and stoves during periods of high fire danger. Boehle says to also be aware of cigarette embers or chains dragging from your vehicle, which could spark and potentially touch off a grass fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You don’t want to be the cause of that fire,” she said. “Be responsible when you recreate in the outdoors and the wilderness, and keep that frame of mind that fires could happen anywhere if the conditions are right.\u003ci>”\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For more information on how to prepare for spending time outdoors during wildfire season, Boehle recommends people visit the \u003ca href=\"https://www.recreateresponsibly.org/wildfire-resources\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">recreateresponsibly.org\u003c/a> website.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1975665/camping-this-fire-season-heres-how-to-prepare-and-stay-safe",
"authors": [
"11368"
],
"programs": [
"science_5376"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_35",
"science_40",
"science_5141",
"science_43",
"science_4450",
"science_3423",
"science_3730"
],
"tags": [
"science_1942",
"science_182",
"science_4417",
"science_254",
"science_4729",
"science_113"
],
"featImg": "science_1975691",
"label": "source_science_1975665"
},
"science_1973196": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1973196",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1973196",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1622253825000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "the-karuk-used-fire-to-manage-the-forest-for-centuries-now-they-want-to-do-that-again",
"title": "The Karuk Used Fire to Manage the Forest for Centuries. Now They Want To Do That Again",
"publishDate": 1622253825,
"format": "image",
"headTitle": "The Karuk Used Fire to Manage the Forest for Centuries. Now They Want To Do That Again | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>For thousands of years before contact with Europeans, the Karuk people, like many Native American tribes, tended their land with fire, keeping an ecological balance among plants, animals, river, and forest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Situated along the Klamath River, in Humboldt and Siskyou counties, the Karuk are now struggling \u003ca href=\"https://karuktribeclimatechangeprojects.com/good-fire/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">to renew\u003c/a> their way of life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, nearly 98% of the tribe’s ancestral land is controlled by the U.S. Forest Service. The landscape is overgrown with timber and undermanaged. Out-of-control wildfires have repeatedly decimated the area, a consequence of disallowing native people to wield the tool of intentional burning, say advocates of the practice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scot Steinbring has seen first-hand the results of what happens when wildfire meets an overgrown forest in the area inhabited by the Karuk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In September 2020, as the Slater Fire torched hillsides, Steinbring, the fire management officer for the tribe, was decidedly overmatched.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1974625\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1655-scaled.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1974625\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1655-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1655-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1655-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1655-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1655-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1655-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1655-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1655-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" />\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Scot Steinbring, fire management officer for the Karuk. \u003ccite>(Danielle Venton/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“In 35 years of being in the fire service,” he said, “I had never witnessed anything like that here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Driven by fierce winds, the fire tore through forests and houses. But because lots of other fires in the state were doing the same, other fire jurisdictions had precious little backup to spare.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I remember getting on the radio and going, does everybody know outside what’s going on here?” Steinbring said. “I mean, we’re losing houses and they’re like, ‘We’re sorry, there’s not enough resources. It’s not a priority.'”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Near a road in the town of Happy Camp, where the fire roared down a hillside and destroyed homes on land belonging to the tribal trust, Will Harling was also firefighting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His assessment of the situation: “There was just no chance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label=\"Saved by Fire\" postID=\"science_1973138,science_1973159\"]He indicated a spot across the street where the home of another local firefighter once stood. As the Slater Fire approached, the man frantically tried to pump his pool to wet down the house in a last-ditch effort to save it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I remember we were down there,” Harling said, pointing down the hill, “engaged at the fire’s edge, and he drove back up here through the flames and came back out five minutes later, just tears streaming down his face. ‘It’s all gone, it’s all gone.'”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The rural community of Happy Camp, population about 850, lost a staggering 200 homes and two lives during the Slater Fire. About half of the families in the community, many of them Karuk, lost their homes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The sad thing is we had started 20 years ago preparing for this fire,” Harling said. “We knew it was going to come.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1974627\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1656-scaled.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1974627\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1656-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1656-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1656-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1656-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1656-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1656-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1656-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1656-1920x2880.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1656-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" />\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Will Harling, director of the Mid Klamath Watershed Council. \u003ccite>(Danielle Venton/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Harling directs the \u003ca href=\"http://www.mkwc.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mid Klamath Watershed Council\u003c/a>, a nonprofit dedicated to ecologically restoring the area. He says it wasn’t just the wind working against the small band of firefighters that day. Decades of suppressing fires had left the forests overgrown and primed to burn.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The time to do this work is five, ten years before that fire comes,” he said. “Do the fuels-work, follow it up with prescribed fire, get the fuels in a condition where we can actually save homes and not be in the state where we have to just fall back and watch everything burn.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>How to Fix the Problem\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Local nonprofits and federal and tribal governments know what would make the situation better, because the Karuk \u003ca href=\"https://karuktribeclimatechangeprojects.com/chapter-1-traditional-knowledge-knowledge-sovereignty-and-climate-change-as-strategic-opportunity/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">kept these forests healthy\u003c/a> for thousands of years with prescribed burns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Tribal knowledge carried on in this place and it teaches us how us humans are meant to be in a place,” Harling says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But native burning, used primarily to increase food supply but also to deprive the land of fuel in anticipation of a wildfire, has been outlawed or suppressed since at least the middle of the 1800s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In its first couple of years of statehood, California spent at least two million dollars in state funds to exterminate native people. Miners and white settlers didn’t understand the role fire played in the ecosystem. They stopped, and even shot, Karuk people who lit fires. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Also in the 1850s, the Karuk negotiated a treaty with the federal government. Under pressure from the California governor, Congress refused to ratify it, leaving the tribe without the treaty’s protections, lands and rights. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That legacy is still with the tribe.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Karuk people being stripped from their relationship with fire has had profound effects,” said Bill Tripp, director of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.karuk.us/index.php/departments/natural-resources\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Department of Natural Resources\u003c/a> for the Karuk. “It’s effectively still pushing us out of our ability to live in our aboriginal homelands. And it continues to function in a manner of systematic colonization.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Re-establishing this \u003ca href=\"https://karuktribeclimatechangeprojects.com/good-fire/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">traditional relationship\u003c/a> with fire, the Karuk say, is the key to revitalizing the area. That’s true economically, they say, with good jobs to be had in fire and forest management in an area that’s otherwise struggling. It’s also true ecologically: Controlled fire supports salmon, elk, forage plants and the systems they are enmeshed with. And it’s true culturally and spiritually, says Tripp.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We had a \u003ca href=\"https://karuktribeclimatechangeprojects.com/introduction-karuk-traditional-ecological-knowledge-climate-change-and-knowledge-sovereignty/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">culturally founded\u003c/a> fire regime in place on our landscape at one time, and we have an opportunity to put that back into place.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tripp is part of a community along the Klamath working to increase traditional burning practices on the Six Rivers and Klamath national forests. Effectively, everyone interested in the health of forests in the area agrees the land needs more management. Yet prescribed fire advocates describe frustration at the slow pace of progress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Steinbring, who has state and federal burn boss qualifications, says the tribe has identified priority projects and received grants to carry them out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m thinking to myself, well, NGOs, the tribes, we all have the funding to do this kind of implementation work. We’re coming to the table asking, can we do it? And we’re getting shunned. And that’s the frustrating part.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The problem lies in how the collaboration has gone — so far — between the partners: the tribe, the non-profits and the U.S. government. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We wanted a level of collaboration where we were all in it together,” Harling said. “And you know, the people who control fire in California aren’t ready to share that power and that decision-making.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tripp spells it out: “When it comes to burning, itself, we can’t get past this idea that the agency is the only one that can light a fire out there in the forest.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The agency” is the one that controls most aboriginal Karuk land — the U.S. Forest Service.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mike Appling, who as a fire management officer for the Klamath National Forest, agrees: Working together hasn’t been simple.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You know, it’s a challenge,” Appling says. “I think it’s just a matter of putting our heads together and sitting down and figuring out how to be effective together. Because we do need to do more.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Barriers Maintaining the Status Quo\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The barriers here are deeply systemic, even with shared values of wanting to protect the forest and the people around it. Appling agrees the land does need more prescribed burns, but says the National Forest’s ability to act is constrained by the responsibilities of the agency overall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1974630\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0088-scaled.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1974630 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0088-800x533.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0088-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0088-1020x680.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0088-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0088-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0088-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0088-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0088-1920x1280.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" />\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Prescribed fire burn training, from 2019.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s a tough blend,” he says, “when you’ve got 42 million people in the state of California today and a bunch of mixed ownerships and such and a number of different contributing factors.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of those factors is that the Forest Service is fundamentally not in the business of lighting prescribed fires to prevent destructive blazes in the future. Core to its mission is putting fires out, as well as managing timber sales.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These resources that we have are all funded to be available to suppress fires,” says Appling. “Oftentimes, 11 months out of the year, there are suppression needs in other parts of the state.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the last few years in late fall — normally a good time for burning — Appling has seen Forest Service management put holds on intentional burns because the necessary equipment is on standby for emergency response.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They put us at our drawdown, and we have to have our engines available,” he said, “and by available that means not committed to a prescribed burn.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A second contributing factor: liability. The Forest Service doesn’t bear legal responsibility if a wildfire takes out vast swaths of forest. But if a controlled burn gets out of hand — which is very rare, but still a risk — the agency can take the blame.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harling says that’s the wrong way to look at it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Not managing fuels correctly is the criminal act,” he says. “And really, it’s what came down to all these homes burning down.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He says the incentives all work against the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1927354/controlled-burns-can-help-solve-californias-fire-problem-so-why-arent-there-more-of-them\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">proven concept\u003c/a> of prescribed fires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Start a fire to protect the land and people often complain about smoke in the air. Put out a fire and people celebrate you as a hero.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That’s where the money is, that’s where the promotions are, and that’s where the liability isn’t,” Harling said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until very recently, fire managers at the Six Rivers and Klamath National Forests have interpreted existing agreements between the Karuk and the U.S. Forest Service to say that a tribal burn boss must be overseen by a Forest Service burn boss. There isn’t always someone available, so this policy has repeatedly stalled approved burn projects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Appling knows this has been a point of frustration for members of the tribe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">After some meetings in recent months, the Forest Service changed its position. Officials now agree it \u003cem>is\u003c/em> \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">legal \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">for a federally-qualified tribal burn boss to supervise planned fires in the Klamath and Six Rivers \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">— without the presence of a Forest Service burn boss.\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Appling says the agency hopes to work with the tribe to increase opportunities for planned burns. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">He agrees there are still issues: Forest Service approval, liability, and resources that have to be on standby for emergencies. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And a past that stymied collaboration weighs heavily. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Steinbring says it’s been frustrating that his credentials weren’t recognized as equal to someone with the same credentials who works for the Forest Service. In other areas of the state, as well as the U.S., fire management agreements allow qualified burn bosses from one agency to share responsibility and burn on land managed by a different federal agency.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Okay,” Steinbring says, “so is the tribe not being recognized as a federal agency? Because according to my readings, they are.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jeremy Bailey with The Nature Conservancy has helped forge these fire management agreements under a program known as Prescribed Fire Training Exchanges or TREX.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We use these agreements all over the country and in many instances we are able to support each other, getting lots of additional good fire on the ground,” Bailey said. “For some reason along the Klamath river, that is not the dynamic we are experiencing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Bringing Fire to Private Land\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Forest Service says it wants to increase collaboration with the Karuk. If that does happen, it could look like a fire management project at Somes Bar, near the town of Orleans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The project, stretching over 5,600 acres, is on a mix of private inholdings and National Forest land.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It is designed to protect homes that are embedded in forested lands near the Klamath river. This is one of several projects by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.wkrp.network/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Western Klamath Restoration Partnership\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is our promise to the community — we’re going to get it right here,” Harling says of the Somes Bar initiative.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a shady mountain road where sparse sunlight slants through to settle in patches on the forest floor, Harling points out a huge tan oak, the bulging base of its trunk a sign of living through a multitude of fires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s here because it was managed for five generations, of Karuk women lighting fires in this very spot. And if you think about all the food that that one tree could produce, it’s enough to feed a family for the wintertime with acorns.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More elk are using the area, as seasonal grasses have returned. This project replicates the traditional fire regime, one that has continually rejuvenated the land. The project is also providing jobs to tribal workers instead of out-of-town contractors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harling hears the sound of chainsaws in the distance. He says it’s a tribal brushing crew funded by grants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bailey, from the Nature Conservancy, says the Western Klamath Restoration Partnership is accomplishing technically challenging burns in steep and overgrown territory.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s really a leader in the country, and a leader in the world of prescribed fire,” he said. “These are burns that you would only want the most professional, highest quality fire practitioners to accomplish, and they’re doing it. They’re doing it year in and year out.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But until there’s real change, these Klamath River communities are living with high risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What we’re actually able to accomplish on the ground is just a minute fraction of what we need to be doing,” says Tripp.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s why people like Tripp, Harling and Steinbring continue to push for change at the Forest Service.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Being as Steinbring put it, “basically a thorn in their consistent daily lives to push them to get there.”\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Wildfires have decimated Karuk cultural lands in recent years, tearing through overgrown and undermanaged forests in far northern California. The solution isn't complicated. Getting it done is another story.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1727135402,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 72,
"wordCount": 2352
},
"headData": {
"title": "The Karuk Used Fire to Manage the Forest for Centuries. Now They Want To Do That Again | KQED",
"description": "Wildfires have decimated Karuk cultural lands in recent years, tearing through overgrown and undermanaged forests in far northern California. The solution isn't complicated. Getting it done is another story.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "The Karuk Used Fire to Manage the Forest for Centuries. Now They Want To Do That Again",
"datePublished": "2021-05-28T19:03:45-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-23T16:50:02-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"source": "Wildfire",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/science/2021/05/KarukCulturalFireVentonFeature.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"path": "/science/1973196/the-karuk-used-fire-to-manage-the-forest-for-centuries-now-they-want-to-do-that-again",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>For thousands of years before contact with Europeans, the Karuk people, like many Native American tribes, tended their land with fire, keeping an ecological balance among plants, animals, river, and forest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Situated along the Klamath River, in Humboldt and Siskyou counties, the Karuk are now struggling \u003ca href=\"https://karuktribeclimatechangeprojects.com/good-fire/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">to renew\u003c/a> their way of life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, nearly 98% of the tribe’s ancestral land is controlled by the U.S. Forest Service. The landscape is overgrown with timber and undermanaged. Out-of-control wildfires have repeatedly decimated the area, a consequence of disallowing native people to wield the tool of intentional burning, say advocates of the practice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scot Steinbring has seen first-hand the results of what happens when wildfire meets an overgrown forest in the area inhabited by the Karuk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In September 2020, as the Slater Fire torched hillsides, Steinbring, the fire management officer for the tribe, was decidedly overmatched.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1974625\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1655-scaled.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1974625\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1655-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1655-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1655-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1655-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1655-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1655-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1655-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1655-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" />\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Scot Steinbring, fire management officer for the Karuk. \u003ccite>(Danielle Venton/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“In 35 years of being in the fire service,” he said, “I had never witnessed anything like that here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Driven by fierce winds, the fire tore through forests and houses. But because lots of other fires in the state were doing the same, other fire jurisdictions had precious little backup to spare.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I remember getting on the radio and going, does everybody know outside what’s going on here?” Steinbring said. “I mean, we’re losing houses and they’re like, ‘We’re sorry, there’s not enough resources. It’s not a priority.'”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Near a road in the town of Happy Camp, where the fire roared down a hillside and destroyed homes on land belonging to the tribal trust, Will Harling was also firefighting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His assessment of the situation: “There was just no chance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "Saved by Fire ",
"postid": "science_1973138,science_1973159"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>He indicated a spot across the street where the home of another local firefighter once stood. As the Slater Fire approached, the man frantically tried to pump his pool to wet down the house in a last-ditch effort to save it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I remember we were down there,” Harling said, pointing down the hill, “engaged at the fire’s edge, and he drove back up here through the flames and came back out five minutes later, just tears streaming down his face. ‘It’s all gone, it’s all gone.'”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The rural community of Happy Camp, population about 850, lost a staggering 200 homes and two lives during the Slater Fire. About half of the families in the community, many of them Karuk, lost their homes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The sad thing is we had started 20 years ago preparing for this fire,” Harling said. “We knew it was going to come.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1974627\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1656-scaled.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1974627\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1656-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1656-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1656-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1656-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1656-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1656-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1656-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1656-1920x2880.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1656-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" />\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Will Harling, director of the Mid Klamath Watershed Council. \u003ccite>(Danielle Venton/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Harling directs the \u003ca href=\"http://www.mkwc.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mid Klamath Watershed Council\u003c/a>, a nonprofit dedicated to ecologically restoring the area. He says it wasn’t just the wind working against the small band of firefighters that day. Decades of suppressing fires had left the forests overgrown and primed to burn.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The time to do this work is five, ten years before that fire comes,” he said. “Do the fuels-work, follow it up with prescribed fire, get the fuels in a condition where we can actually save homes and not be in the state where we have to just fall back and watch everything burn.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>How to Fix the Problem\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Local nonprofits and federal and tribal governments know what would make the situation better, because the Karuk \u003ca href=\"https://karuktribeclimatechangeprojects.com/chapter-1-traditional-knowledge-knowledge-sovereignty-and-climate-change-as-strategic-opportunity/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">kept these forests healthy\u003c/a> for thousands of years with prescribed burns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Tribal knowledge carried on in this place and it teaches us how us humans are meant to be in a place,” Harling says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But native burning, used primarily to increase food supply but also to deprive the land of fuel in anticipation of a wildfire, has been outlawed or suppressed since at least the middle of the 1800s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In its first couple of years of statehood, California spent at least two million dollars in state funds to exterminate native people. Miners and white settlers didn’t understand the role fire played in the ecosystem. They stopped, and even shot, Karuk people who lit fires. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Also in the 1850s, the Karuk negotiated a treaty with the federal government. Under pressure from the California governor, Congress refused to ratify it, leaving the tribe without the treaty’s protections, lands and rights. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That legacy is still with the tribe.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Karuk people being stripped from their relationship with fire has had profound effects,” said Bill Tripp, director of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.karuk.us/index.php/departments/natural-resources\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Department of Natural Resources\u003c/a> for the Karuk. “It’s effectively still pushing us out of our ability to live in our aboriginal homelands. And it continues to function in a manner of systematic colonization.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Re-establishing this \u003ca href=\"https://karuktribeclimatechangeprojects.com/good-fire/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">traditional relationship\u003c/a> with fire, the Karuk say, is the key to revitalizing the area. That’s true economically, they say, with good jobs to be had in fire and forest management in an area that’s otherwise struggling. It’s also true ecologically: Controlled fire supports salmon, elk, forage plants and the systems they are enmeshed with. And it’s true culturally and spiritually, says Tripp.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We had a \u003ca href=\"https://karuktribeclimatechangeprojects.com/introduction-karuk-traditional-ecological-knowledge-climate-change-and-knowledge-sovereignty/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">culturally founded\u003c/a> fire regime in place on our landscape at one time, and we have an opportunity to put that back into place.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tripp is part of a community along the Klamath working to increase traditional burning practices on the Six Rivers and Klamath national forests. Effectively, everyone interested in the health of forests in the area agrees the land needs more management. Yet prescribed fire advocates describe frustration at the slow pace of progress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Steinbring, who has state and federal burn boss qualifications, says the tribe has identified priority projects and received grants to carry them out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m thinking to myself, well, NGOs, the tribes, we all have the funding to do this kind of implementation work. We’re coming to the table asking, can we do it? And we’re getting shunned. And that’s the frustrating part.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The problem lies in how the collaboration has gone — so far — between the partners: the tribe, the non-profits and the U.S. government. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We wanted a level of collaboration where we were all in it together,” Harling said. “And you know, the people who control fire in California aren’t ready to share that power and that decision-making.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tripp spells it out: “When it comes to burning, itself, we can’t get past this idea that the agency is the only one that can light a fire out there in the forest.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The agency” is the one that controls most aboriginal Karuk land — the U.S. Forest Service.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mike Appling, who as a fire management officer for the Klamath National Forest, agrees: Working together hasn’t been simple.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You know, it’s a challenge,” Appling says. “I think it’s just a matter of putting our heads together and sitting down and figuring out how to be effective together. Because we do need to do more.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Barriers Maintaining the Status Quo\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The barriers here are deeply systemic, even with shared values of wanting to protect the forest and the people around it. Appling agrees the land does need more prescribed burns, but says the National Forest’s ability to act is constrained by the responsibilities of the agency overall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1974630\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0088-scaled.jpeg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1974630 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0088-800x533.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0088-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0088-1020x680.jpeg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0088-160x107.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0088-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0088-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0088-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_0088-1920x1280.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" />\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Prescribed fire burn training, from 2019.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s a tough blend,” he says, “when you’ve got 42 million people in the state of California today and a bunch of mixed ownerships and such and a number of different contributing factors.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of those factors is that the Forest Service is fundamentally not in the business of lighting prescribed fires to prevent destructive blazes in the future. Core to its mission is putting fires out, as well as managing timber sales.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These resources that we have are all funded to be available to suppress fires,” says Appling. “Oftentimes, 11 months out of the year, there are suppression needs in other parts of the state.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the last few years in late fall — normally a good time for burning — Appling has seen Forest Service management put holds on intentional burns because the necessary equipment is on standby for emergency response.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They put us at our drawdown, and we have to have our engines available,” he said, “and by available that means not committed to a prescribed burn.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A second contributing factor: liability. The Forest Service doesn’t bear legal responsibility if a wildfire takes out vast swaths of forest. But if a controlled burn gets out of hand — which is very rare, but still a risk — the agency can take the blame.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harling says that’s the wrong way to look at it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Not managing fuels correctly is the criminal act,” he says. “And really, it’s what came down to all these homes burning down.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He says the incentives all work against the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1927354/controlled-burns-can-help-solve-californias-fire-problem-so-why-arent-there-more-of-them\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">proven concept\u003c/a> of prescribed fires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Start a fire to protect the land and people often complain about smoke in the air. Put out a fire and people celebrate you as a hero.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That’s where the money is, that’s where the promotions are, and that’s where the liability isn’t,” Harling said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until very recently, fire managers at the Six Rivers and Klamath National Forests have interpreted existing agreements between the Karuk and the U.S. Forest Service to say that a tribal burn boss must be overseen by a Forest Service burn boss. There isn’t always someone available, so this policy has repeatedly stalled approved burn projects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Appling knows this has been a point of frustration for members of the tribe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">After some meetings in recent months, the Forest Service changed its position. Officials now agree it \u003cem>is\u003c/em> \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">legal \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">for a federally-qualified tribal burn boss to supervise planned fires in the Klamath and Six Rivers \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">— without the presence of a Forest Service burn boss.\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Appling says the agency hopes to work with the tribe to increase opportunities for planned burns. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">He agrees there are still issues: Forest Service approval, liability, and resources that have to be on standby for emergencies. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And a past that stymied collaboration weighs heavily. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Steinbring says it’s been frustrating that his credentials weren’t recognized as equal to someone with the same credentials who works for the Forest Service. In other areas of the state, as well as the U.S., fire management agreements allow qualified burn bosses from one agency to share responsibility and burn on land managed by a different federal agency.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Okay,” Steinbring says, “so is the tribe not being recognized as a federal agency? Because according to my readings, they are.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jeremy Bailey with The Nature Conservancy has helped forge these fire management agreements under a program known as Prescribed Fire Training Exchanges or TREX.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We use these agreements all over the country and in many instances we are able to support each other, getting lots of additional good fire on the ground,” Bailey said. “For some reason along the Klamath river, that is not the dynamic we are experiencing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Bringing Fire to Private Land\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Forest Service says it wants to increase collaboration with the Karuk. If that does happen, it could look like a fire management project at Somes Bar, near the town of Orleans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The project, stretching over 5,600 acres, is on a mix of private inholdings and National Forest land.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It is designed to protect homes that are embedded in forested lands near the Klamath river. This is one of several projects by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.wkrp.network/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Western Klamath Restoration Partnership\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is our promise to the community — we’re going to get it right here,” Harling says of the Somes Bar initiative.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a shady mountain road where sparse sunlight slants through to settle in patches on the forest floor, Harling points out a huge tan oak, the bulging base of its trunk a sign of living through a multitude of fires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s here because it was managed for five generations, of Karuk women lighting fires in this very spot. And if you think about all the food that that one tree could produce, it’s enough to feed a family for the wintertime with acorns.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More elk are using the area, as seasonal grasses have returned. This project replicates the traditional fire regime, one that has continually rejuvenated the land. The project is also providing jobs to tribal workers instead of out-of-town contractors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harling hears the sound of chainsaws in the distance. He says it’s a tribal brushing crew funded by grants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bailey, from the Nature Conservancy, says the Western Klamath Restoration Partnership is accomplishing technically challenging burns in steep and overgrown territory.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s really a leader in the country, and a leader in the world of prescribed fire,” he said. “These are burns that you would only want the most professional, highest quality fire practitioners to accomplish, and they’re doing it. They’re doing it year in and year out.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But until there’s real change, these Klamath River communities are living with high risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What we’re actually able to accomplish on the ground is just a minute fraction of what we need to be doing,” says Tripp.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s why people like Tripp, Harling and Steinbring continue to push for change at the Forest Service.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Being as Steinbring put it, “basically a thorn in their consistent daily lives to push them to get there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1973196/the-karuk-used-fire-to-manage-the-forest-for-centuries-now-they-want-to-do-that-again",
"authors": [
"11088"
],
"programs": [
"science_5376"
],
"categories": [
"science_35",
"science_40",
"science_5141",
"science_4450",
"science_3423",
"science_3730"
],
"tags": [
"science_182",
"science_4414",
"science_113"
],
"featImg": "science_1974622",
"label": "source_science_1973196"
},
"science_1973159": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1973159",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1973159",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1620889267000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "how-to-save-a-california-town-from-wildfire-plentyy-of-advance-work-and-agency-cooperation",
"title": "The Very Unsexy Solution to California's Wildfire Woes: Interagency Cooperation and Controlled Burns",
"publishDate": 1620889267,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "The Very Unsexy Solution to California’s Wildfire Woes: Interagency Cooperation and Controlled Burns | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>Signs of gratitude, literally, adorn the Fresno County mountain town of Shaver Lake, population 500 plus a collection of cabins, restaurants and real estate offices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outside of Bob’s Market, the message is: “Thank you, Creek Fire Heroes,” adjacent to a photo of firefighters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The town today is an island of green pines, surrounded by charred hills and the burnt remains of trees. Yet the signs of gratitude, while well-deserved, could also rightly extend to a mostly unheralded group of workers who labored in advance of flames bearing down on the area from the raging Creek Fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label=\"Saved by Fire\" postID=\"science_1973138,science_1973196\"]That fire started on Sept. 4, 2020, the Friday before Labor Day. After a hot, dry summer, all it took was a spark in a steep, overgrown canyon to ignite what turned into an explosive blaze.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Having a fire in this canyon was kind of a nightmare,” said Ryan Stewart, a forester for the utility Southern California Edison, looking down a steep hillside, which as of September was overgrown with thick brush. “You look at it and you go: ‘I don’t know how they’re going to stop that fire.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>SoCal Edison owns a lot of property to the south of the canyon, around Shaver Lake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the Creek Fire started, Stewart “was kind of just thinking in the back of my mind, ‘I wonder what they’re doing over there, because I got it over here. But over there it’s a different story.'”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1971660\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/05/KQEDSCIENCE_CRKFR-1.gif\" alt=\"Groundwater Rise\" width=\"400\" height=\"720\">Over “there” are the forests around Big Creek, where half the homes burned. The “here” Stewart referred to is the forest where he and his colleagues have treated the landscape for years, cutting crowded and dead trees, clearing brush and lighting prescribed fires. All that work, performed in preparation for the next big wildfire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the fire struck, Cal Fire Assistant Chief Jim McDougald, who’d just returned home from fighting fires in Sonoma County, had been forced to head out in the middle of the night to do yet more battle with a conflagration. While driving he spotted the glow from miles away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And that was a clue to me it had the potential to become a major fire,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stewart says he got the call from McDougald around 2 a.m., telling him the fire was headed up the hill toward SoCal Edison property. “I knew that, OK, well, we’ve got a good chance of stopping it once it gets on Edison lands,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>McDougald also thought the fire could be stopped there. “The best tool at that time was to try to get dozers in there and open up some of the fuel breaks.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stewart arrived at the property in the dead of night and began tying pink flags to trees, marking spots where fire breaks should be widened. Many of the pink flags are still in place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And that line is where crews held it during the first hours of the Creek Fire incident. Once the flames crossed over into the treated lands, the fire’s behavior rapidly changed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The intensity of the fire was reduced to a ground fire, and we didn’t get into the crowns, didn’t kill any of the trees,” said Stewart, surveying the land last winter. “Looks pretty good. It’s actually pretty much a controlled burn.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The diminution rapidly halted one flank of the fire. And, McDougald says, it bought time to complete evacuations and prepare to defend Shaver Lake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“No question about it … that work bought the direct impact of the fire hitting Shaver at least 24 to 48 hours,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, the fire continued to spread in other directions, drawing McDougald’s attention elsewhere. He knew he needed help.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the Creek Fire surged, Clint Wade, a fuels specialist for the High Sierra Ranger District of the Sierra National Forest, was working a different fire in the Los Padres National Forest. He and McDougald had worked closely together on getting a system of fuel breaks installed in the Sierra.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Jim made a special request, like, ‘Hey, we need Clint back. He understands this fuel break system,’” recalls Wade.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1973154\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1973154 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/119A5277-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/119A5277-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/119A5277-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/119A5277-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/119A5277-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/119A5277-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/119A5277-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/119A5277-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ryan Stewart stands on the edge of a parcel of land he helped prepare for fire. To his left is untreated Forest Service land, to his right Southern California Edison land. \u003ccite>(Ryan Tamborski)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>That system helped provide protection in part because Wade, McDougald and others made a conscious effort to put breaks in place where they were needed most, regardless of whether the land was federal, state or the private parcels dotting the land within the national forest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You know, the Forest Service doesn’t treat private land, typically,” Wade said. “So Cal Fire came to us, said, ‘Hey, we have some money. Where do you have holes?’ And we got out the maps [and saw], ‘Hey, Twin Brooks has got some patches. Can we glue that together? You know, there’s stuff over here off the back side of Cressman’s, there’s patches. Let’s glue that together.’ And we started designing projects.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of these fuel breaks and controlled burns were funded because of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 2019 executive order fast-tracking 35 high-priority projects to protect vulnerable communities. Five of these were on lands in and around Shaver Lake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At a California Assembly hearing last fall, Cal Fire director Thom Porter told lawmakers, “The centerpiece of Shaver Lake would have been completely consumed like Paradise, had we not done those projects and had we not had those prescribed fires that occurred in that area.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Breaking Down Jurisdictional Barriers\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although the Creek Fire, the fourth largest on record in the state, destroyed 900 structures and injured 26 people, the preventive treatments around Shaver Lake are a success story, albeit one that’s not common. Even though vegetation treatments and planned fires can make wildfires less catastrophic and smoke less toxic, they are not easy to get done in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Questions of jurisdiction, for instance, can get in the way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It shouldn’t matter whose ground it is if that’s where the fuel break needs to go and both agencies agree,” Cal Fire’s McDougald said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet, it often does. Agencies like the Forest Service or Cal Fire have individual mandates to care for land and protect communities, but not necessarily to work together smoothly. So success can depend on the goodwill efforts of individuals with the power to make decisions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve spent a lot of time fostering the professional and personal relationship that needs to be in place so that you can implement work,” Wade said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A host of other barriers exist, such as questions of who has liability if the controlled burn escapes or what animals can’t be disturbed because they’re in mating season. There’s also a firefighting culture at work: People who extinguish flames are called heroes. People who trim brush and light prescribed fires aren’t thought of that way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1973155\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1973155 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1585-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1585-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1585-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1585-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1585-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1585-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1585-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1585-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Looking toward Musick Mountain through a fire-destroyed forest. \u003ccite>(Danielle Venton/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>One approved project wasn’t completed before fire season because of limited staff, time and money. So when wildfire tore over Musick Mountain, it ruined habitat and blazed a path to where people lived.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“(T)he regret is, you know, could we have gotten that done a year sooner?” said Wade. “We probably would’ve had fuel-breaks in [which] would have surrounded that ignition, and there could have been opportunity to slow this down.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The sheer magnitude of all the treatments that need to be done is intense in a forest where fires have been suppressed for more than a century.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1973156\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1973156\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1610-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1610-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1610-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1610-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1610-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1610-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1610-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1610-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cal Fire’s Jim McDougald says what he and others do in the next few decades will determine if Shaver Lake will survive future fires. \u003ccite>(Danielle Venton/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“You’re always behind, you’re working hard, you’re building fuel breaks, you’re doing the right thing,” McDougald said. “You’re getting some prescribed fire done. But there’s no light at the end of the tunnel for a while.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>McDougald says what he and others do in the next years to decades will determine whether Shaver Lake has healthy forests — and healthy fires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Hopefully the story you’re talking about next time is: ‘This is now a resilient landscape. And how did you do it?’ It’s work we haven’t done yet.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "A small group of workers who labored in the forests surrounding Shaver Lake ahead of last year's Creek Fire aren't typically talked about as wildfire heroes. But their work made it possible to save the town.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1727135412,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 39,
"wordCount": 1510
},
"headData": {
"title": "The Very Unsexy Solution to California's Wildfire Woes: Interagency Cooperation and Controlled Burns | KQED",
"description": "A small group of workers who labored in the forests surrounding Shaver Lake ahead of last year's Creek Fire aren't typically talked about as wildfire heroes. But their work made it possible to save the town.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "The Very Unsexy Solution to California's Wildfire Woes: Interagency Cooperation and Controlled Burns",
"datePublished": "2021-05-13T00:01:07-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-23T16:50:12-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"source": "Wildfire",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/science/2021/05/ShaverLakewithLede.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"path": "/science/1973159/how-to-save-a-california-town-from-wildfire-plentyy-of-advance-work-and-agency-cooperation",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Signs of gratitude, literally, adorn the Fresno County mountain town of Shaver Lake, population 500 plus a collection of cabins, restaurants and real estate offices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outside of Bob’s Market, the message is: “Thank you, Creek Fire Heroes,” adjacent to a photo of firefighters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The town today is an island of green pines, surrounded by charred hills and the burnt remains of trees. Yet the signs of gratitude, while well-deserved, could also rightly extend to a mostly unheralded group of workers who labored in advance of flames bearing down on the area from the raging Creek Fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "Saved by Fire ",
"postid": "science_1973138,science_1973196"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>That fire started on Sept. 4, 2020, the Friday before Labor Day. After a hot, dry summer, all it took was a spark in a steep, overgrown canyon to ignite what turned into an explosive blaze.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Having a fire in this canyon was kind of a nightmare,” said Ryan Stewart, a forester for the utility Southern California Edison, looking down a steep hillside, which as of September was overgrown with thick brush. “You look at it and you go: ‘I don’t know how they’re going to stop that fire.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>SoCal Edison owns a lot of property to the south of the canyon, around Shaver Lake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the Creek Fire started, Stewart “was kind of just thinking in the back of my mind, ‘I wonder what they’re doing over there, because I got it over here. But over there it’s a different story.'”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1971660\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/05/KQEDSCIENCE_CRKFR-1.gif\" alt=\"Groundwater Rise\" width=\"400\" height=\"720\">Over “there” are the forests around Big Creek, where half the homes burned. The “here” Stewart referred to is the forest where he and his colleagues have treated the landscape for years, cutting crowded and dead trees, clearing brush and lighting prescribed fires. All that work, performed in preparation for the next big wildfire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the fire struck, Cal Fire Assistant Chief Jim McDougald, who’d just returned home from fighting fires in Sonoma County, had been forced to head out in the middle of the night to do yet more battle with a conflagration. While driving he spotted the glow from miles away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And that was a clue to me it had the potential to become a major fire,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stewart says he got the call from McDougald around 2 a.m., telling him the fire was headed up the hill toward SoCal Edison property. “I knew that, OK, well, we’ve got a good chance of stopping it once it gets on Edison lands,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>McDougald also thought the fire could be stopped there. “The best tool at that time was to try to get dozers in there and open up some of the fuel breaks.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stewart arrived at the property in the dead of night and began tying pink flags to trees, marking spots where fire breaks should be widened. Many of the pink flags are still in place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And that line is where crews held it during the first hours of the Creek Fire incident. Once the flames crossed over into the treated lands, the fire’s behavior rapidly changed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The intensity of the fire was reduced to a ground fire, and we didn’t get into the crowns, didn’t kill any of the trees,” said Stewart, surveying the land last winter. “Looks pretty good. It’s actually pretty much a controlled burn.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The diminution rapidly halted one flank of the fire. And, McDougald says, it bought time to complete evacuations and prepare to defend Shaver Lake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“No question about it … that work bought the direct impact of the fire hitting Shaver at least 24 to 48 hours,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, the fire continued to spread in other directions, drawing McDougald’s attention elsewhere. He knew he needed help.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the Creek Fire surged, Clint Wade, a fuels specialist for the High Sierra Ranger District of the Sierra National Forest, was working a different fire in the Los Padres National Forest. He and McDougald had worked closely together on getting a system of fuel breaks installed in the Sierra.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Jim made a special request, like, ‘Hey, we need Clint back. He understands this fuel break system,’” recalls Wade.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1973154\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1973154 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/119A5277-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/119A5277-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/119A5277-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/119A5277-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/119A5277-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/119A5277-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/119A5277-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/119A5277-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ryan Stewart stands on the edge of a parcel of land he helped prepare for fire. To his left is untreated Forest Service land, to his right Southern California Edison land. \u003ccite>(Ryan Tamborski)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>That system helped provide protection in part because Wade, McDougald and others made a conscious effort to put breaks in place where they were needed most, regardless of whether the land was federal, state or the private parcels dotting the land within the national forest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You know, the Forest Service doesn’t treat private land, typically,” Wade said. “So Cal Fire came to us, said, ‘Hey, we have some money. Where do you have holes?’ And we got out the maps [and saw], ‘Hey, Twin Brooks has got some patches. Can we glue that together? You know, there’s stuff over here off the back side of Cressman’s, there’s patches. Let’s glue that together.’ And we started designing projects.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of these fuel breaks and controlled burns were funded because of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 2019 executive order fast-tracking 35 high-priority projects to protect vulnerable communities. Five of these were on lands in and around Shaver Lake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At a California Assembly hearing last fall, Cal Fire director Thom Porter told lawmakers, “The centerpiece of Shaver Lake would have been completely consumed like Paradise, had we not done those projects and had we not had those prescribed fires that occurred in that area.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Breaking Down Jurisdictional Barriers\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although the Creek Fire, the fourth largest on record in the state, destroyed 900 structures and injured 26 people, the preventive treatments around Shaver Lake are a success story, albeit one that’s not common. Even though vegetation treatments and planned fires can make wildfires less catastrophic and smoke less toxic, they are not easy to get done in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Questions of jurisdiction, for instance, can get in the way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It shouldn’t matter whose ground it is if that’s where the fuel break needs to go and both agencies agree,” Cal Fire’s McDougald said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet, it often does. Agencies like the Forest Service or Cal Fire have individual mandates to care for land and protect communities, but not necessarily to work together smoothly. So success can depend on the goodwill efforts of individuals with the power to make decisions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve spent a lot of time fostering the professional and personal relationship that needs to be in place so that you can implement work,” Wade said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A host of other barriers exist, such as questions of who has liability if the controlled burn escapes or what animals can’t be disturbed because they’re in mating season. There’s also a firefighting culture at work: People who extinguish flames are called heroes. People who trim brush and light prescribed fires aren’t thought of that way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1973155\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1973155 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1585-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1585-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1585-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1585-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1585-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1585-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1585-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1585-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Looking toward Musick Mountain through a fire-destroyed forest. \u003ccite>(Danielle Venton/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>One approved project wasn’t completed before fire season because of limited staff, time and money. So when wildfire tore over Musick Mountain, it ruined habitat and blazed a path to where people lived.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“(T)he regret is, you know, could we have gotten that done a year sooner?” said Wade. “We probably would’ve had fuel-breaks in [which] would have surrounded that ignition, and there could have been opportunity to slow this down.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The sheer magnitude of all the treatments that need to be done is intense in a forest where fires have been suppressed for more than a century.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1973156\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1973156\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1610-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1610-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1610-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1610-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1610-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1610-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1610-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/IMG_1610-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cal Fire’s Jim McDougald says what he and others do in the next few decades will determine if Shaver Lake will survive future fires. \u003ccite>(Danielle Venton/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“You’re always behind, you’re working hard, you’re building fuel breaks, you’re doing the right thing,” McDougald said. “You’re getting some prescribed fire done. But there’s no light at the end of the tunnel for a while.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>McDougald says what he and others do in the next years to decades will determine whether Shaver Lake has healthy forests — and healthy fires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Hopefully the story you’re talking about next time is: ‘This is now a resilient landscape. And how did you do it?’ It’s work we haven’t done yet.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1973159/how-to-save-a-california-town-from-wildfire-plentyy-of-advance-work-and-agency-cooperation",
"authors": [
"11088"
],
"programs": [
"science_5376"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_35",
"science_40",
"science_5141",
"science_4450",
"science_3423",
"science_3730"
],
"tags": [
"science_182",
"science_4417",
"science_4414",
"science_113"
],
"featImg": "science_1973151",
"label": "source_science_1973159"
},
"science_1973138": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1973138",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1973138",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1620802904000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "how-a-small-forest-community-saved-itself-from-fire",
"title": "Amid Devastating California Fire Season, One Small Community Saved Itself. Here's How",
"publishDate": 1620802904,
"format": "image",
"headTitle": "Amid Devastating California Fire Season, One Small Community Saved Itself. Here’s How | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>Foresters Julianne Stewart and Meghan Breniman are inspecting a white fir tree. The top branches are green and the bottom singed, probably dead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s a good thing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I mean, really, that’s ideal,” said Stewart. “That tree, as it grows, it’s eventually going to drop those lower branches because they were killed during the fire.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By virtue of this self-pruning, she says, the tree is making itself more resilient when the next fire comes looking for fuel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California is preparing for another fire season, with last year’s record 4 million acres burned still fresh in the state’s memory. But anyone looking for silver linings amid that devastation might consider one community that had appeared primed to burn but prepared for the worst and survived, offering a lesson in withstanding even a ferocious conflagration if residents have committed to adapting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label=\"Saved by Fire\" postID=\"science_1973159,science_1973196\"]Last September, the Creek Fire, the state’s fourth largest on record, roared toward that white fir and its neighboring trees, located near a community called Rock Haven, a community of 16 cabins surrounded by the Sierra National Forest, about an hour east of Fresno and close to the shores of Shaver Lake. But instead of consuming everything in its path, the fire suddenly dropped and calmly burned along the forest floor. Now the fir sits smack in the middle of a transition zone, where just a few feet away the landscape is very different, and “there’s literally nothing alive,” Stewart said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before the fire, the slope was dense with pines, firs and cedars. The understory of manzanita and white thorn was so thick you could barely walk through. Now it looks like a sand dune punctured by spent matchsticks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When we were here right after the fire, this really burnt-up guy, he was smoking like a chimney,” Breniman said, pointing to one charred tree. “He essentially looked like a cigar. It was burning up through the inside of him and just, like, smoking out the top.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1973142\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1973142 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1567-scaled-e1615334165235-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1567-scaled-e1615334165235-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1567-scaled-e1615334165235-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1567-scaled-e1615334165235-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1567-scaled-e1615334165235-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1567-scaled-e1615334165235-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1567-scaled-e1615334165235-1366x2048.jpg 1366w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1567-scaled-e1615334165235.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dead and burned trees in the area of Rock Haven that was not treated prior to the Creek Fire of September 2020. \u003ccite>(Danielle Venton/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Breniman and Stewart own a forestry consulting company, and they managed the project that cleared brush and removed dead and crowded trees at Rock Haven.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The private, 160-acre parcel is collectively owned by more than a dozen families. Stewart has worked with the community since 2014, when bark beetles, induced by a long, punishing drought, were killing entire stands, turning the dead trees into ticking time bombs before the next wildfire struck.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What’s kind of neat about Rock Haven is it’s almost like a small miniature model of California,” said Stewart, “with a pretty diverse set of people with generally the same goals,” all revolving around maintaining a healthy forest. “But everyone might have a slightly different view of what they want done right around their cabin or what they want done here or there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>East Bay resident Jennifer Meux-White is the fourth generation of her family to use a cabin at Rock Haven. She and her husband had to work to convince their neighbors they had to do something about the fire risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That took a long time. “We’ve been talking to our members for maybe almost 20 years,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Part of the community’s reluctance was connected to the area’s history. In the late 1800s, a lumber company built a small millpond in the area that’s now Shaver Lake, harvesting an enormous number of trees in the basin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demand for lumber was high. Wood from the area was used in crates to hold California produce, as well as the frames and walls of San Joaquin Valley houses. By the 1920s, most of the trees were gone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It looked like a sparse haircut with a few trees here and there,” Stewart said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As lumber jobs dried up, many left the aream but some, including Mrs. Shaver, wife of the lumber mill’s owner, remained. After he died she sold the mill and her land to Southern California Edison\u003cstrong>;\u003c/strong> the utility company was looking for a place to build a hydroelectric dam. But she kept 160 acres with a view of the lake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“She basically invited 15 of her friends from Fresno to build cabins there,” said Meux-White. “My great-grandparents were friends of the Shavers, and they were among the first to build a cabin up there with her.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1973141\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1973141\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1562-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1562-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1562-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1562-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1562-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1562-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1562-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1562-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">View from a cabin at Rock Haven looking toward Shaver Lake. \u003ccite>(Danielle Venton/KQED )\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Finding Consensus\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meux-White says that when the cabins were built, the families had a great desire to see the forest come back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We had rules in our association: You will not cut a tree, and you know, trees are sacred and blah, blah, blah. Well, after 100 years, you have a lot of scraggly trees.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A study of the property showed the situation was dire in terms of fire risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We had at Rock Haven six times as much fire fuel on the ground as the average for California,” Meux-White said. “Well, you could imagine that’s a hell of a lot of stuff that can burn.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She and her husband held meeting after meeting at her cabin, inviting expert speakers and passing out reading material. The education was continual.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You’ve got all the generations,” she said, “You may have the grandparents or the parents who say, ‘Yeah, we’ve got to do something.’ But about then the kids come along, the 20-year-olds are pretty soon 30-year-olds, and you have to educate them, too.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Stewart said the process was effective, and residents realized that, “We’re on the precipice. We have an emergency, our trees are dying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And so everyone kind of grouped together and said, ‘OK, we’re going to figure out something,” she said. “And it might not be exactly what everyone wants, but we’re going to move forward because we’d rather have our forest than lose it.'”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But there was also the question of money.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The price of cleaning up, recovering and maintaining a forest can run up to $5,000 an acre, which at Rock Haven prices out to almost $1 million. Less intensive treatments would have still cost in the hundreds of thousands, and while the cabins are beautiful, that doesn’t necessarily mean the families who’ve inherited them have a lot of money.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We never would have been able to pay for all of that in a timely manner,” said Meux-White.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But help came from the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The one shining beacon of light was the California Forest Improvement Program,” Stewart said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The program, run by Cal Fire, the state’s fire agency, picked up 90% of the costs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Breniman and Stewart say that by funding the program, California acknowledged that a well-managed forest is in the public’s best interest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It reduces wildfire risk. It provides wildlife habitat,” Stewart said. “It’s kind of a win all across the board.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>(The program was not funded for the current fiscal year, ending June 30.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, even paying a fraction of the cost can be a big investment for landowners, so foresters Stewart and Breniman first focused on the half of the property where the cabins are, near the lake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Trial by Fire\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The treatments — removing crowded trees and thick brush — were finished just months before the Creek Fire. The other half of the property was supposed to be done this year, but the fire killed almost all of the trees there, so new ones will have to be planted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1973145\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1973145 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1575-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1575-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1575-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1575-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1575-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1575-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1575-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1575-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The entrance to Rock Haven, near the shores of Shaver Lake. Firefighters used treated land at Rock Haven to bulldoze the fire line and fight the Creek Fire. \u003ccite>(Danielle Venton/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Still, without the preventive work they managed to complete, “I think all these cabins would have burned to the ground,” Stewart said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the end, the cabins escaped without even getting singed. That’s in part because of another benefit of forest treatment: Cal Fire’s Jim McDougald, an assistant chief in Fresno County, says the advance labor at Rock Haven made the work of firefighters safer, quicker and more effective during the fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If that work hadn’t been done,” he said, “we may not have been as successful protecting homes and people’s property in those areas.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The stand firefighters mounted at Rock Haven also halted the fire’s progress toward the rest of Shaver Lake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For foresters Breniman and Stewart, the loss of the trees in the untreated portion of the Rock Haven property is regrettable. Just another year and maybe they could have been saved, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the preserved green half gives them hope. It’s now ecologically healthier than before the fire, residents have noticed more wildlife, and it shows what can be done, in a state with millions of overgrown acres, to reduce wildfire risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Amid the devastation of last year's fire season, Rock Haven appeared primed to burn but prepared for the worst and survived, showing it's possible to withstand even a ferocious conflagration if residents have committed to adapting.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1727135419,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 47,
"wordCount": 1606
},
"headData": {
"title": "Amid Devastating California Fire Season, One Small Community Saved Itself. Here's How | KQED",
"description": "Amid the devastation of last year's fire season, Rock Haven appeared primed to burn but prepared for the worst and survived, showing it's possible to withstand even a ferocious conflagration if residents have committed to adapting.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Amid Devastating California Fire Season, One Small Community Saved Itself. Here's How",
"datePublished": "2021-05-12T00:01:44-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-23T16:50:19-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"source": "Wildfire",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/science/2021/05/RockHavenwithLede.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"path": "/science/1973138/how-a-small-forest-community-saved-itself-from-fire",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Foresters Julianne Stewart and Meghan Breniman are inspecting a white fir tree. The top branches are green and the bottom singed, probably dead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s a good thing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I mean, really, that’s ideal,” said Stewart. “That tree, as it grows, it’s eventually going to drop those lower branches because they were killed during the fire.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By virtue of this self-pruning, she says, the tree is making itself more resilient when the next fire comes looking for fuel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California is preparing for another fire season, with last year’s record 4 million acres burned still fresh in the state’s memory. But anyone looking for silver linings amid that devastation might consider one community that had appeared primed to burn but prepared for the worst and survived, offering a lesson in withstanding even a ferocious conflagration if residents have committed to adapting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "Saved by Fire ",
"postid": "science_1973159,science_1973196"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Last September, the Creek Fire, the state’s fourth largest on record, roared toward that white fir and its neighboring trees, located near a community called Rock Haven, a community of 16 cabins surrounded by the Sierra National Forest, about an hour east of Fresno and close to the shores of Shaver Lake. But instead of consuming everything in its path, the fire suddenly dropped and calmly burned along the forest floor. Now the fir sits smack in the middle of a transition zone, where just a few feet away the landscape is very different, and “there’s literally nothing alive,” Stewart said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before the fire, the slope was dense with pines, firs and cedars. The understory of manzanita and white thorn was so thick you could barely walk through. Now it looks like a sand dune punctured by spent matchsticks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When we were here right after the fire, this really burnt-up guy, he was smoking like a chimney,” Breniman said, pointing to one charred tree. “He essentially looked like a cigar. It was burning up through the inside of him and just, like, smoking out the top.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1973142\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1973142 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1567-scaled-e1615334165235-800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1567-scaled-e1615334165235-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1567-scaled-e1615334165235-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1567-scaled-e1615334165235-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1567-scaled-e1615334165235-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1567-scaled-e1615334165235-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1567-scaled-e1615334165235-1366x2048.jpg 1366w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1567-scaled-e1615334165235.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dead and burned trees in the area of Rock Haven that was not treated prior to the Creek Fire of September 2020. \u003ccite>(Danielle Venton/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Breniman and Stewart own a forestry consulting company, and they managed the project that cleared brush and removed dead and crowded trees at Rock Haven.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The private, 160-acre parcel is collectively owned by more than a dozen families. Stewart has worked with the community since 2014, when bark beetles, induced by a long, punishing drought, were killing entire stands, turning the dead trees into ticking time bombs before the next wildfire struck.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What’s kind of neat about Rock Haven is it’s almost like a small miniature model of California,” said Stewart, “with a pretty diverse set of people with generally the same goals,” all revolving around maintaining a healthy forest. “But everyone might have a slightly different view of what they want done right around their cabin or what they want done here or there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>East Bay resident Jennifer Meux-White is the fourth generation of her family to use a cabin at Rock Haven. She and her husband had to work to convince their neighbors they had to do something about the fire risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That took a long time. “We’ve been talking to our members for maybe almost 20 years,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Part of the community’s reluctance was connected to the area’s history. In the late 1800s, a lumber company built a small millpond in the area that’s now Shaver Lake, harvesting an enormous number of trees in the basin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demand for lumber was high. Wood from the area was used in crates to hold California produce, as well as the frames and walls of San Joaquin Valley houses. By the 1920s, most of the trees were gone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It looked like a sparse haircut with a few trees here and there,” Stewart said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As lumber jobs dried up, many left the aream but some, including Mrs. Shaver, wife of the lumber mill’s owner, remained. After he died she sold the mill and her land to Southern California Edison\u003cstrong>;\u003c/strong> the utility company was looking for a place to build a hydroelectric dam. But she kept 160 acres with a view of the lake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“She basically invited 15 of her friends from Fresno to build cabins there,” said Meux-White. “My great-grandparents were friends of the Shavers, and they were among the first to build a cabin up there with her.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1973141\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1973141\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1562-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1562-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1562-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1562-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1562-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1562-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1562-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1562-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">View from a cabin at Rock Haven looking toward Shaver Lake. \u003ccite>(Danielle Venton/KQED )\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Finding Consensus\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meux-White says that when the cabins were built, the families had a great desire to see the forest come back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We had rules in our association: You will not cut a tree, and you know, trees are sacred and blah, blah, blah. Well, after 100 years, you have a lot of scraggly trees.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A study of the property showed the situation was dire in terms of fire risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We had at Rock Haven six times as much fire fuel on the ground as the average for California,” Meux-White said. “Well, you could imagine that’s a hell of a lot of stuff that can burn.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She and her husband held meeting after meeting at her cabin, inviting expert speakers and passing out reading material. The education was continual.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You’ve got all the generations,” she said, “You may have the grandparents or the parents who say, ‘Yeah, we’ve got to do something.’ But about then the kids come along, the 20-year-olds are pretty soon 30-year-olds, and you have to educate them, too.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Stewart said the process was effective, and residents realized that, “We’re on the precipice. We have an emergency, our trees are dying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And so everyone kind of grouped together and said, ‘OK, we’re going to figure out something,” she said. “And it might not be exactly what everyone wants, but we’re going to move forward because we’d rather have our forest than lose it.'”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But there was also the question of money.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The price of cleaning up, recovering and maintaining a forest can run up to $5,000 an acre, which at Rock Haven prices out to almost $1 million. Less intensive treatments would have still cost in the hundreds of thousands, and while the cabins are beautiful, that doesn’t necessarily mean the families who’ve inherited them have a lot of money.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We never would have been able to pay for all of that in a timely manner,” said Meux-White.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But help came from the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The one shining beacon of light was the California Forest Improvement Program,” Stewart said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The program, run by Cal Fire, the state’s fire agency, picked up 90% of the costs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Breniman and Stewart say that by funding the program, California acknowledged that a well-managed forest is in the public’s best interest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It reduces wildfire risk. It provides wildlife habitat,” Stewart said. “It’s kind of a win all across the board.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>(The program was not funded for the current fiscal year, ending June 30.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, even paying a fraction of the cost can be a big investment for landowners, so foresters Stewart and Breniman first focused on the half of the property where the cabins are, near the lake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Trial by Fire\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The treatments — removing crowded trees and thick brush — were finished just months before the Creek Fire. The other half of the property was supposed to be done this year, but the fire killed almost all of the trees there, so new ones will have to be planted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1973145\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1973145 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1575-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1575-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1575-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1575-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1575-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1575-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1575-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2029/03/IMG_1575-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The entrance to Rock Haven, near the shores of Shaver Lake. Firefighters used treated land at Rock Haven to bulldoze the fire line and fight the Creek Fire. \u003ccite>(Danielle Venton/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Still, without the preventive work they managed to complete, “I think all these cabins would have burned to the ground,” Stewart said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the end, the cabins escaped without even getting singed. That’s in part because of another benefit of forest treatment: Cal Fire’s Jim McDougald, an assistant chief in Fresno County, says the advance labor at Rock Haven made the work of firefighters safer, quicker and more effective during the fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If that work hadn’t been done,” he said, “we may not have been as successful protecting homes and people’s property in those areas.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The stand firefighters mounted at Rock Haven also halted the fire’s progress toward the rest of Shaver Lake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For foresters Breniman and Stewart, the loss of the trees in the untreated portion of the Rock Haven property is regrettable. Just another year and maybe they could have been saved, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the preserved green half gives them hope. It’s now ecologically healthier than before the fire, residents have noticed more wildlife, and it shows what can be done, in a state with millions of overgrown acres, to reduce wildfire risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1973138/how-a-small-forest-community-saved-itself-from-fire",
"authors": [
"11088"
],
"programs": [
"science_5376"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_5141",
"science_4450",
"science_3423",
"science_3730"
],
"tags": [
"science_182",
"science_4414",
"science_113"
],
"featImg": "science_1973140",
"label": "source_science_1973138"
},
"science_1974265": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1974265",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1974265",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1619718490000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "if-youre-offered-the-johnson-johnson-vaccine-take-it-experts-say-heres-why",
"title": "If You're Offered the Johnson & Johnson Vaccine, Take It, Experts Say. Here's Why",
"publishDate": 1619718490,
"format": "audio",
"headTitle": "If You’re Offered the Johnson & Johnson Vaccine, Take It, Experts Say. Here’s Why | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>This week, news of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/coronavirusliveupdates/news/11871298/bay-area-man-treated-for-rare-blood-clot-after-receiving-jj-vaccine\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">rare blood clot\u003c/a> in a patient at UCSF, after he received the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine, brought this very small risk close to home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The chance of developing these blood clots is tiny \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">—\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> only 2 in 1 million. And UCSF reported Monday that the patient is doing well and expected to go home in a few days. Still, knowing there is a risk at all is upsetting and confusing. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Health experts agree Johnson & Johnson is still a great vaccine. \u003ca href=\"https://www.susanaramirez.net/\">\u003cb>Professor Susana Ramírez\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a UC Merced expert in \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.communicationculturehealth.org/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">communication, culture and public health\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, recently shared some guidelines with KQED’s \u003c/span>Raquel Maria Dillon\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> about how to evaluate risks around these vaccines. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>There have been 16 of these rare blood clot cases out of about 8 million Johnson & Johnson doses given out in the U.S. Can you put that overall risk of this vaccine in context for us?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Susana Ramírez: \u003c/span>\u003c/i>The extraordinarily rare events that we are seeing, with these blood clotting disorders are tragic and sad, but they’re extremely rare. But the potential to be infected with the coronavirus is much higher than the potential to get one of these severe side effects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As humans, we really want to avoid bad outcomes. And so it’s really easy for us to focus on the negative outcomes that we might be hearing about, even when those outcomes are so very rare. And the risks from the coronavirus are not so obvious. Some people get very sick and they are hospitalized, and some people die, but other people may not get a very significant disease. I think what we need to focus on is the relative risk here is much lower for side effects than of getting the actual coronavirus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>We’ve heard from our audience that they have concerns that the J&J shot is for homeless people or people who don’t have time to come back for a second shot. They’re basically worried it’s a lower quality option. How do you address that? \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ci>Ramírez\u003c/i>: I think the very most important fact to remember is that all three of the vaccines that are available to people in the United States have incredibly high efficacy rates. The very best vaccine is the one that you can get in your arm as soon as possible.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All three of these vaccines have prevented serious hospitalization and death from this disease. And that’s the worst case, right? That’s the worst-case outcome. And all three of these vaccines are effective at preventing those.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003c/b>But the problem with trying to compare [efficacy rates] is that these three vaccines were developed at different times, and they were developed and tested with essentially different groups of people. The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines were tested really at the early end of the pandemic over a year ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The J&J clinical trials finished very recently. And by that time, we’d been engaging in behavioral measures like wearing masks and social distancing. So those things had been in place for months when the J&J vaccine was tested. So we were a different population, and the disease itself was different by this point. We had more variants that were circulating. And so it was really tested under very different conditions. So there’s not an apples to apples comparison that you can do, although it’s tempting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In some ways, even though we see a lower effectiveness, it’s really among a disease that had evolved and changed and adapted to our conditions. And so the fact that the vaccine is still effective in that context, I think is a real strength and plus in the J&J column. \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I don’t think by any stretch of the imagination that we should think about it as a lesser kind of vaccine. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I think that there is definitely a kernel of truth to the idea that folks are talking about the two-dose vaccines, the Pfizer and Moderna, being for more privileged people. You have to have certain privileges like a flexible job, transportation to the vaccination site twice, a stable residence and a phone number to make those follow-up appointments, and then the ability to take some time off if you’re not feeling well after the vaccine. But that doesn’t make any of the vaccines better from a disease prevention perspective. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Are you concerned that the appeal of the J&J shot — convenience — might not be enough to convince people to get it at this point? And what would that mean for getting to herd immunity, which is the broader societal goal? \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ci>Ramírez\u003c/i>: You’re absolutely right. The number one goal is we want everybody to get a vaccine as soon as possible. We need to think about really messaging on that convenience. I think there are people like me who are terrified of needles. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">We would prefer just having to go one time. And that convenience — it’s not just about the needle. You have to take time off to get the vaccine. We may have localized side effects, which is not a big deal. But if you’re feeling kind of yucky or you have a headache, you don’t really want to go back to work the next day. And so that would be twice that you have to do that for the other two vaccines. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So the convenience of a one-shot vaccine is really something that we need to be talking up and selling because it’s a big deal. It’s a positive condition of this particular vaccine.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In my opinion, I don’t see a clear clinical reason to prefer one vaccine over another vaccine. So it’s really about the convenience.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb> I think people want to make rational decisions, especially when it comes to their health, but there are a lot of numbers being thrown around. You’ve got Pfizer and Moderna with efficacy rates in the 90s and Johnson & Johnson’s lower. So why is this so confusing? \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ci>Ramírez\u003c/i>: I think the key number that we should be looking at as individuals is which of these vaccines is going to prevent me from getting this disease? And then which one of those is going to prevent such a severe case that I’m hospitalized or die from it? All of these have been tested in slightly different ways. And they’ve considered efficacy and measured it in different ways, like having some symptoms, any symptoms, having a positive test, or being hospitalized. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The takeaway is all three of these vaccines have prevented serious hospitalization and death from this disease. And that’s the worst case, right? That’s the worst-case outcome. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The numbers are really confusing. Even highly educated people have a really hard time making sense of risk because it’s not just a number, it’s a value and a set of values. We’re talking about our own health and the health of our loved ones. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So, again, it’s hard to compare, but [the three vaccines are] all incredibly good. The Moderna and the Pfizer vaccines were tested early on in the pandemic and they had different clinical outcomes. And now that they’ve been out in the real world, the other comparisons of efficacy are hard to make.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s hard to give people what they want, which is a really concrete answer to the question, How risky is this vaccine? I think the best answer that we can give is the risk of the vaccines is much, much, much lower than the risk of serious complications from the coronavirus, should you not be vaccinated. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>This whole thing — the pandemic and the vaccines — is kind of a science experiment taking place on a world stage. What can people learn about science from this?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ci>Ramírez\u003c/i>: \u003c/span>The fact that we have three vaccines in the U.S. and seven in the world that are already authorized for preventing a disease that no one knew about 18 months ago — that is amazing! And millions of people have already been vaccinated. I think it’s really important that we appreciate the incredible scientific achievement and the logistical feats that were involved in getting to this point.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When we stop to appreciate the fact that we have this global health crisis and we already have, and have had for months, the ability to control it — I think that should inspire confidence in science. And I also think that the temporary pause that occurred with the distribution of the J&J vaccine should also be applauded and celebrated as a way of increasing our confidence in science, because that pause shows that the real-world tracking and monitoring of the vaccines is is working.\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "The risk of a blood clot developing after a J&J vaccine is tiny, but it's also scary and confusing. We break down ways to evaluate vaccine options.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1727135426,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 28,
"wordCount": 1531
},
"headData": {
"title": "If You're Offered the Johnson & Johnson Vaccine, Take It, Experts Say. Here's Why | KQED",
"description": "The risk of a blood clot developing after a J&J vaccine is tiny, but it's also scary and confusing. We break down ways to evaluate vaccine options.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "If You're Offered the Johnson & Johnson Vaccine, Take It, Experts Say. Here's Why",
"datePublished": "2021-04-29T10:48:10-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-23T16:50:26-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"source": "COVID-19 Vaccines",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/science/2021/04/VaxRisk5302wayRMDRamirez210428.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"adSlotOverride": "kqed300x250_deeplook",
"path": "/science/1974265/if-youre-offered-the-johnson-johnson-vaccine-take-it-experts-say-heres-why",
"audioDuration": 222000,
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>This week, news of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/coronavirusliveupdates/news/11871298/bay-area-man-treated-for-rare-blood-clot-after-receiving-jj-vaccine\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">rare blood clot\u003c/a> in a patient at UCSF, after he received the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine, brought this very small risk close to home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The chance of developing these blood clots is tiny \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">—\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> only 2 in 1 million. And UCSF reported Monday that the patient is doing well and expected to go home in a few days. Still, knowing there is a risk at all is upsetting and confusing. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Health experts agree Johnson & Johnson is still a great vaccine. \u003ca href=\"https://www.susanaramirez.net/\">\u003cb>Professor Susana Ramírez\u003c/b>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a UC Merced expert in \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.communicationculturehealth.org/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">communication, culture and public health\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, recently shared some guidelines with KQED’s \u003c/span>Raquel Maria Dillon\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> about how to evaluate risks around these vaccines. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>There have been 16 of these rare blood clot cases out of about 8 million Johnson & Johnson doses given out in the U.S. Can you put that overall risk of this vaccine in context for us?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Susana Ramírez: \u003c/span>\u003c/i>The extraordinarily rare events that we are seeing, with these blood clotting disorders are tragic and sad, but they’re extremely rare. But the potential to be infected with the coronavirus is much higher than the potential to get one of these severe side effects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As humans, we really want to avoid bad outcomes. And so it’s really easy for us to focus on the negative outcomes that we might be hearing about, even when those outcomes are so very rare. And the risks from the coronavirus are not so obvious. Some people get very sick and they are hospitalized, and some people die, but other people may not get a very significant disease. I think what we need to focus on is the relative risk here is much lower for side effects than of getting the actual coronavirus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>We’ve heard from our audience that they have concerns that the J&J shot is for homeless people or people who don’t have time to come back for a second shot. They’re basically worried it’s a lower quality option. How do you address that? \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ci>Ramírez\u003c/i>: I think the very most important fact to remember is that all three of the vaccines that are available to people in the United States have incredibly high efficacy rates. The very best vaccine is the one that you can get in your arm as soon as possible.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All three of these vaccines have prevented serious hospitalization and death from this disease. And that’s the worst case, right? That’s the worst-case outcome. And all three of these vaccines are effective at preventing those.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003c/b>But the problem with trying to compare [efficacy rates] is that these three vaccines were developed at different times, and they were developed and tested with essentially different groups of people. The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines were tested really at the early end of the pandemic over a year ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The J&J clinical trials finished very recently. And by that time, we’d been engaging in behavioral measures like wearing masks and social distancing. So those things had been in place for months when the J&J vaccine was tested. So we were a different population, and the disease itself was different by this point. We had more variants that were circulating. And so it was really tested under very different conditions. So there’s not an apples to apples comparison that you can do, although it’s tempting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In some ways, even though we see a lower effectiveness, it’s really among a disease that had evolved and changed and adapted to our conditions. And so the fact that the vaccine is still effective in that context, I think is a real strength and plus in the J&J column. \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I don’t think by any stretch of the imagination that we should think about it as a lesser kind of vaccine. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I think that there is definitely a kernel of truth to the idea that folks are talking about the two-dose vaccines, the Pfizer and Moderna, being for more privileged people. You have to have certain privileges like a flexible job, transportation to the vaccination site twice, a stable residence and a phone number to make those follow-up appointments, and then the ability to take some time off if you’re not feeling well after the vaccine. But that doesn’t make any of the vaccines better from a disease prevention perspective. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Are you concerned that the appeal of the J&J shot — convenience — might not be enough to convince people to get it at this point? And what would that mean for getting to herd immunity, which is the broader societal goal? \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ci>Ramírez\u003c/i>: You’re absolutely right. The number one goal is we want everybody to get a vaccine as soon as possible. We need to think about really messaging on that convenience. I think there are people like me who are terrified of needles. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">We would prefer just having to go one time. And that convenience — it’s not just about the needle. You have to take time off to get the vaccine. We may have localized side effects, which is not a big deal. But if you’re feeling kind of yucky or you have a headache, you don’t really want to go back to work the next day. And so that would be twice that you have to do that for the other two vaccines. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So the convenience of a one-shot vaccine is really something that we need to be talking up and selling because it’s a big deal. It’s a positive condition of this particular vaccine.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In my opinion, I don’t see a clear clinical reason to prefer one vaccine over another vaccine. So it’s really about the convenience.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb> I think people want to make rational decisions, especially when it comes to their health, but there are a lot of numbers being thrown around. You’ve got Pfizer and Moderna with efficacy rates in the 90s and Johnson & Johnson’s lower. So why is this so confusing? \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ci>Ramírez\u003c/i>: I think the key number that we should be looking at as individuals is which of these vaccines is going to prevent me from getting this disease? And then which one of those is going to prevent such a severe case that I’m hospitalized or die from it? All of these have been tested in slightly different ways. And they’ve considered efficacy and measured it in different ways, like having some symptoms, any symptoms, having a positive test, or being hospitalized. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The takeaway is all three of these vaccines have prevented serious hospitalization and death from this disease. And that’s the worst case, right? That’s the worst-case outcome. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The numbers are really confusing. Even highly educated people have a really hard time making sense of risk because it’s not just a number, it’s a value and a set of values. We’re talking about our own health and the health of our loved ones. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">So, again, it’s hard to compare, but [the three vaccines are] all incredibly good. The Moderna and the Pfizer vaccines were tested early on in the pandemic and they had different clinical outcomes. And now that they’ve been out in the real world, the other comparisons of efficacy are hard to make.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s hard to give people what they want, which is a really concrete answer to the question, How risky is this vaccine? I think the best answer that we can give is the risk of the vaccines is much, much, much lower than the risk of serious complications from the coronavirus, should you not be vaccinated. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>This whole thing — the pandemic and the vaccines — is kind of a science experiment taking place on a world stage. What can people learn about science from this?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ci>Ramírez\u003c/i>: \u003c/span>The fact that we have three vaccines in the U.S. and seven in the world that are already authorized for preventing a disease that no one knew about 18 months ago — that is amazing! And millions of people have already been vaccinated. I think it’s really important that we appreciate the incredible scientific achievement and the logistical feats that were involved in getting to this point.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When we stop to appreciate the fact that we have this global health crisis and we already have, and have had for months, the ability to control it — I think that should inspire confidence in science. And I also think that the temporary pause that occurred with the distribution of the J&J vaccine should also be applauded and celebrated as a way of increasing our confidence in science, because that pause shows that the real-world tracking and monitoring of the vaccines is is working.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1974265/if-youre-offered-the-johnson-johnson-vaccine-take-it-experts-say-heres-why",
"authors": [
"11495"
],
"programs": [
"science_5376"
],
"categories": [
"science_39",
"science_40",
"science_5141",
"science_43",
"science_4450",
"science_3423"
],
"tags": [
"science_4329",
"science_4417",
"science_4414",
"science_410"
],
"featImg": "science_1973732",
"label": "source_science_1974265"
},
"science_1973493": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1973493",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1973493",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1617242271000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "worst-editorial-advice-ever-kqed-science-reporters-reflect-on-the-pandemics-early-days",
"title": "'Worst. Editorial. Guidance. Ever.' KQED Science Reporters Reflect on the Pandemic's Early Days",
"publishDate": 1617242271,
"format": "audio",
"headTitle": "‘Worst. Editorial. Guidance. Ever.’ KQED Science Reporters Reflect on the Pandemic’s Early Days | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>It was a year ago that we suddenly all found ourselves working from home and obsessively washing our hands as the novel coronavirus started to spread in the U.S. and the Bay Area. A lot has changed since then: how we live, work, parent, plan and communicate. The coronavirus is hardly “novel” anymore. It has altered all of our lives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[aside postID=news_11855623,news_11864473]\u003c/span>\u003c/i>KQED science reporters \u003cb>Lesley McClurg\u003c/b> and \u003cb>Peter Arcuni\u003c/b>, along with science editor \u003cb>Jon Brooks\u003c/b>, spoke with Morning Edition host Brian Watt about what it was like to cover an unprecedented global pandemic over the past year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The following has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You have been covering COVID-19 since before it was even called that. Can you take us back to those early days before we knew much about the virus?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[aside postID=science_1972824]\u003c/span>\u003cem>Peter Arcuni\u003c/em>:\u003c/i> I remember coming into work last January expecting to do a story about fish ears. But my editor pulled me aside and said, ‘Hey, we need you to roll on a CDC teleconference about an outbreak of this new virus in China.’ And that’s when I learned about it for the first time. At that point, we didn’t even know what to call it. It didn’t have an official name, and what was a coronavirus anyway? As reporters, I think we were all just scrambling to figure out how serious it was.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Lesley McClurg:\u003c/i> I think it was the exact same morning that I heard my first news clip about some virus circulating in China. I went back and listened and 17 people had died by that point. I was assigned to go to the San Francisco International Airport and just meet people coming in from a place called Wuhan and asked them, “What is it like in China?” So I raced to the airport. I had no idea even how to say the word Wuhan. I remember being really embarrassed about that. So I’m waiting for people coming in from customs and some are wearing masks and I start talking to them. I remember one woman, she was actually carrying her mask, and she was obviously not very worried about the new “coronavirus.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most people were pretty excited to come to San Francisco. It was Lunar New Year. That was the last direct flight to come in from Wuhan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Jon Brooks:\u003c/i> What I remember clearly is talking to the head of our online engagement team in January after the first U.S. cases were reported. She was concerned about this coronavirus thing. I had seen things in the news and we hadn’t really been covering it. And I remember telling her, “Yeah, don’t worry about it.” Worst. Editorial. Guidance. Ever.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even after that, we did have a lot of editorial discussion over how much attention to give this. I remember talking to our NPR colleagues about not wanting to overplay this because we didn’t quite know what was happening. We did not want to panic anyone unnecessarily.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What is a story you remember doing that really sticks out in your memory?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>LM:\u003c/i> The virus hit home for me in April. I was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1960827/vaping-may-increase-covid-19-risk-even-for-the-young-healthy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">interviewing this young guy\u003c/a> named Colin Finnerty, a 21-year-old who works at a ski resort; he’s a lift operator there. The virus just took him out. This kid spent 10 days in the hospital. He almost didn’t make it. And that’s when I remember thinking, okay, this thing is not the flu.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>PA:\u003c/i> In the beginning the virus really was this scary unknown for people. So as reporters, we wanted to start putting a face to it. The first person I got to know who had it was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1958262/whats-it-like-to-be-in-quarantine-with-the-coronavirus-meet-carl-34-days-counting\">a cruise ship passenger\u003c/a> named Carl Goldman who wound up in Nebraska in a biocontainment lockdown facility for a month. Nowadays, he would probably just spend two weeks at home isolating. But what struck me was Carl’s super positive attitude. I remember him talking about doing his 10,000 steps in this tiny room in Nebraska.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I spoke to Carl a few weeks ago, and unfortunately he has some long hauler symptoms. He’s actually been in a wheelchair due to a nerve condition that he and his doctors think could have been exacerbated by COVID-19. But Carl being Carl, he’s kept positive. He even wants to book another cruise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>JB:\u003c/i> I edited one of Lesley’s stories about doctors and nurses who were absolutely exhausted and feeling “betrayed” by people who weren’t following the guidelines. These health care workers were breaking down, witnessing so much death and pain. And they knew it didn’t have to be this way. They knew if people had just followed the guidelines, they wouldn’t be there in the hospital.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The other thing I remember is, I was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/coronavirusliveupdates\">live blogging\u003c/a> everything. And then when the news came down that Major League Baseball was shutting down — that of all things hit me — because they played entire seasons during World War II. They did not stop. If they were shutting down Major League Baseball, exactly what were we dealing with here?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Things really were moving fast. You could go to the kitchen to get a glass of water and the whole story changed when you got back to your computer. So did covering the coronavirus change how you report your stories?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>LM:\u003c/i> As a science reporter, you really want science to be way down the line in terms of our understanding of something. It has to be vetted by journals and editors and peers. And you don’t put it on the air until we really know that it’s solid, factual science.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At this point in the coronavirus, we didn’t know anything. And so we’re putting stuff on the air that’s a preprint, stuff that has never been vetted by peer review. You know, can you get the coronavirus from touching a surface? Is it airborne? We didn’t know whether those answers were concrete, and we had to be vetting them on the air.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I think my takeaway is that, as science reporters, we need to do a lot more educating the public about the scientific process so they understand that’s how science works. Because I think they were really confused that we had information that changed over time, and yet that really is science.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>JB:\u003c/i> It was not just “news you can use,” it was “news you must use.” You know: Your school won’t be open tomorrow; in fact, don’t even leave your house. What started as a science story, became a public health story, became an everything story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The other thing was this was a very hard story to report and keep track of because the health officials sort of kept moving the goal post of what was important to them. Early on they were tracking these metrics that they called “indicators,” including contact tracing ability and protective equipment supply and other stuff. We tried to stay abreast of all that. It was a lot of work. But pretty soon they just ditched the whole thing. They scrapped it and started keeping track of other things that they felt were important. And, you know, I think they were kind of making it up as they went along and we had to go along for the ride.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>As the pandemic continued, was there a sense of monotony ever, even though things seem to be changing a lot, did you start feeling like you were kind of saying the same stuff?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>PA:\u003c/i> Absolutely. As much as things were changing, there were other things that were staying the same: Stay 6 feet apart; do your activities outside; wash your hands; wear your mask. I started to feel like there were only so many times I could write that story before the audience would tune out or burnout or get fatigued. For us science reporters, I think one of the big things was sitting down and talking about how we can tell these stories in new, creative ways. So we did FAQs. We made a quiz for people to test how well they were doing in their stay at home bubble. I remember doing a PSA early on with my daughter to show people how to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1960866/why-washing-your-hands-works-so-well-and-how-to-do-it-right\">wash their hands\u003c/a> and why it works.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The challenge, and really the hope, was to help the audience, without totally freaking them out or losing them.\u003cb> \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>If another pandemic came around, what is your take away from this one?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>LM:\u003c/i> Well, I certainly wouldn’t run to the airport the next time a virus is circulating. Hopefully we learned some of the basics. I also think I would focus more on the positive. I think journalists are kind of inherently skeptical, kind of picky people. I think we really focused on a lot of the concerns: Do masks work 100 percent? Is this vaccine 100 percent effective? And yet masks, we have learned, work really well, even if they’re not 100 percent effective. And this vaccine is almost 100 percent effective, and I don’t think we really stressed that enough\u003cb>. \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>PA:\u003c/i> And in terms of vaccines, you know, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1972824/covid-19-vaccine-your-questions-answered\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">how fast\u003c/a> we got them. A year ago, doctors were telling us it could be two years, maybe a year. We got three vaccines in less than a year, which is just crazy when you think about the decades it can take to develop other vaccines. We still don’t have a vaccine for HIV. So even with all the uncertainty and the snafus with testing and the response on the federal level, there were some real bright spots for science.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>JB:\u003c/i> I will certainly remember how rapidly the rug can be pulled out from underneath the entire world. Just like that, things were shut down. But I will also remember the resilience of us, the human race. We’re still here. Take \u003cem>that,\u003c/em> coronavirus. We’re going to beat you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Remember when no one knew what this new thing called the ' novel coronavirus' was? Three KQED Science reporters remember some struggles, decisions and startling moments that shaped our coverage.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1727135428,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 30,
"wordCount": 1741
},
"headData": {
"title": "'Worst. Editorial. Guidance. Ever.' KQED Science Reporters Reflect on the Pandemic's Early Days | KQED",
"description": "Remember when no one knew what this new thing called the ' novel coronavirus' was? Three KQED Science reporters remember some struggles, decisions and startling moments that shaped our coverage.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "'Worst. Editorial. Guidance. Ever.' KQED Science Reporters Reflect on the Pandemic's Early Days",
"datePublished": "2021-03-31T18:57:51-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-23T16:50:28-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"source": "Coronavirus",
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-4[…]f-aaef00f5a073/67b13016-c12b-40d5-a9d8-acfc010ec63e/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"path": "/science/1973493/worst-editorial-advice-ever-kqed-science-reporters-reflect-on-the-pandemics-early-days",
"audioDuration": 431000,
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>It was a year ago that we suddenly all found ourselves working from home and obsessively washing our hands as the novel coronavirus started to spread in the U.S. and the Bay Area. A lot has changed since then: how we live, work, parent, plan and communicate. The coronavirus is hardly “novel” anymore. It has altered all of our lives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_11855623,news_11864473",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>\u003c/i>KQED science reporters \u003cb>Lesley McClurg\u003c/b> and \u003cb>Peter Arcuni\u003c/b>, along with science editor \u003cb>Jon Brooks\u003c/b>, spoke with Morning Edition host Brian Watt about what it was like to cover an unprecedented global pandemic over the past year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The following has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>You have been covering COVID-19 since before it was even called that. Can you take us back to those early days before we knew much about the virus?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "science_1972824",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>\u003cem>Peter Arcuni\u003c/em>:\u003c/i> I remember coming into work last January expecting to do a story about fish ears. But my editor pulled me aside and said, ‘Hey, we need you to roll on a CDC teleconference about an outbreak of this new virus in China.’ And that’s when I learned about it for the first time. At that point, we didn’t even know what to call it. It didn’t have an official name, and what was a coronavirus anyway? As reporters, I think we were all just scrambling to figure out how serious it was.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Lesley McClurg:\u003c/i> I think it was the exact same morning that I heard my first news clip about some virus circulating in China. I went back and listened and 17 people had died by that point. I was assigned to go to the San Francisco International Airport and just meet people coming in from a place called Wuhan and asked them, “What is it like in China?” So I raced to the airport. I had no idea even how to say the word Wuhan. I remember being really embarrassed about that. So I’m waiting for people coming in from customs and some are wearing masks and I start talking to them. I remember one woman, she was actually carrying her mask, and she was obviously not very worried about the new “coronavirus.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most people were pretty excited to come to San Francisco. It was Lunar New Year. That was the last direct flight to come in from Wuhan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Jon Brooks:\u003c/i> What I remember clearly is talking to the head of our online engagement team in January after the first U.S. cases were reported. She was concerned about this coronavirus thing. I had seen things in the news and we hadn’t really been covering it. And I remember telling her, “Yeah, don’t worry about it.” Worst. Editorial. Guidance. Ever.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even after that, we did have a lot of editorial discussion over how much attention to give this. I remember talking to our NPR colleagues about not wanting to overplay this because we didn’t quite know what was happening. We did not want to panic anyone unnecessarily.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What is a story you remember doing that really sticks out in your memory?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>LM:\u003c/i> The virus hit home for me in April. I was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1960827/vaping-may-increase-covid-19-risk-even-for-the-young-healthy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">interviewing this young guy\u003c/a> named Colin Finnerty, a 21-year-old who works at a ski resort; he’s a lift operator there. The virus just took him out. This kid spent 10 days in the hospital. He almost didn’t make it. And that’s when I remember thinking, okay, this thing is not the flu.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>PA:\u003c/i> In the beginning the virus really was this scary unknown for people. So as reporters, we wanted to start putting a face to it. The first person I got to know who had it was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1958262/whats-it-like-to-be-in-quarantine-with-the-coronavirus-meet-carl-34-days-counting\">a cruise ship passenger\u003c/a> named Carl Goldman who wound up in Nebraska in a biocontainment lockdown facility for a month. Nowadays, he would probably just spend two weeks at home isolating. But what struck me was Carl’s super positive attitude. I remember him talking about doing his 10,000 steps in this tiny room in Nebraska.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I spoke to Carl a few weeks ago, and unfortunately he has some long hauler symptoms. He’s actually been in a wheelchair due to a nerve condition that he and his doctors think could have been exacerbated by COVID-19. But Carl being Carl, he’s kept positive. He even wants to book another cruise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>JB:\u003c/i> I edited one of Lesley’s stories about doctors and nurses who were absolutely exhausted and feeling “betrayed” by people who weren’t following the guidelines. These health care workers were breaking down, witnessing so much death and pain. And they knew it didn’t have to be this way. They knew if people had just followed the guidelines, they wouldn’t be there in the hospital.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The other thing I remember is, I was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/coronavirusliveupdates\">live blogging\u003c/a> everything. And then when the news came down that Major League Baseball was shutting down — that of all things hit me — because they played entire seasons during World War II. They did not stop. If they were shutting down Major League Baseball, exactly what were we dealing with here?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Things really were moving fast. You could go to the kitchen to get a glass of water and the whole story changed when you got back to your computer. So did covering the coronavirus change how you report your stories?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>LM:\u003c/i> As a science reporter, you really want science to be way down the line in terms of our understanding of something. It has to be vetted by journals and editors and peers. And you don’t put it on the air until we really know that it’s solid, factual science.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At this point in the coronavirus, we didn’t know anything. And so we’re putting stuff on the air that’s a preprint, stuff that has never been vetted by peer review. You know, can you get the coronavirus from touching a surface? Is it airborne? We didn’t know whether those answers were concrete, and we had to be vetting them on the air.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I think my takeaway is that, as science reporters, we need to do a lot more educating the public about the scientific process so they understand that’s how science works. Because I think they were really confused that we had information that changed over time, and yet that really is science.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>JB:\u003c/i> It was not just “news you can use,” it was “news you must use.” You know: Your school won’t be open tomorrow; in fact, don’t even leave your house. What started as a science story, became a public health story, became an everything story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The other thing was this was a very hard story to report and keep track of because the health officials sort of kept moving the goal post of what was important to them. Early on they were tracking these metrics that they called “indicators,” including contact tracing ability and protective equipment supply and other stuff. We tried to stay abreast of all that. It was a lot of work. But pretty soon they just ditched the whole thing. They scrapped it and started keeping track of other things that they felt were important. And, you know, I think they were kind of making it up as they went along and we had to go along for the ride.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>As the pandemic continued, was there a sense of monotony ever, even though things seem to be changing a lot, did you start feeling like you were kind of saying the same stuff?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>PA:\u003c/i> Absolutely. As much as things were changing, there were other things that were staying the same: Stay 6 feet apart; do your activities outside; wash your hands; wear your mask. I started to feel like there were only so many times I could write that story before the audience would tune out or burnout or get fatigued. For us science reporters, I think one of the big things was sitting down and talking about how we can tell these stories in new, creative ways. So we did FAQs. We made a quiz for people to test how well they were doing in their stay at home bubble. I remember doing a PSA early on with my daughter to show people how to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1960866/why-washing-your-hands-works-so-well-and-how-to-do-it-right\">wash their hands\u003c/a> and why it works.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The challenge, and really the hope, was to help the audience, without totally freaking them out or losing them.\u003cb> \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>If another pandemic came around, what is your take away from this one?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>LM:\u003c/i> Well, I certainly wouldn’t run to the airport the next time a virus is circulating. Hopefully we learned some of the basics. I also think I would focus more on the positive. I think journalists are kind of inherently skeptical, kind of picky people. I think we really focused on a lot of the concerns: Do masks work 100 percent? Is this vaccine 100 percent effective? And yet masks, we have learned, work really well, even if they’re not 100 percent effective. And this vaccine is almost 100 percent effective, and I don’t think we really stressed that enough\u003cb>. \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>PA:\u003c/i> And in terms of vaccines, you know, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1972824/covid-19-vaccine-your-questions-answered\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">how fast\u003c/a> we got them. A year ago, doctors were telling us it could be two years, maybe a year. We got three vaccines in less than a year, which is just crazy when you think about the decades it can take to develop other vaccines. We still don’t have a vaccine for HIV. So even with all the uncertainty and the snafus with testing and the response on the federal level, there were some real bright spots for science.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>JB:\u003c/i> I will certainly remember how rapidly the rug can be pulled out from underneath the entire world. Just like that, things were shut down. But I will also remember the resilience of us, the human race. We’re still here. Take \u003cem>that,\u003c/em> coronavirus. We’re going to beat you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1973493/worst-editorial-advice-ever-kqed-science-reporters-reflect-on-the-pandemics-early-days",
"authors": [
"11368",
"11229",
"80"
],
"programs": [
"science_5376"
],
"categories": [
"science_39",
"science_40",
"science_5141",
"science_43",
"science_4450",
"science_3423"
],
"tags": [
"science_4329",
"science_4414",
"science_5181"
],
"featImg": "science_1956032",
"label": "source_science_1973493"
},
"science_1973217": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1973217",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1973217",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1615850446000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "in-central-california-sea-otters-feast-on-purple-urchins-and-thats-good-for-kelp",
"title": "Kelp, Sea Otters and Urchins. Who's Eating Who in Monterey Bay",
"publishDate": 1615850446,
"format": "audio",
"headTitle": "Kelp, Sea Otters and Urchins. Who’s Eating Who in Monterey Bay | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp class=\"p1\">Marine scientists have observed a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1949757/massive-california-kelp-decline-linked-to-ocean-heat-wave-voracious-sea-urchins\">\u003cspan class=\"s1\">massive decline\u003c/span>\u003c/a> of California’s underwater kelp forests in recent years. Studies have linked the die-off to a host of factors including an ocean heat wave, a deadly sea star virus, and an influx of voracious kelp-eating sea urchins.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">Kelp’s long flat leaves and bulbous stems provide habitat for marine mammals, fish and invertebrates in tidal regions along California’s coast. In many regions where kelp once flourished, the ocean floor is now carpeted with spiny purple sea urchins and there’s no kelp to be found. Scientists call these zones the urchin barrens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">A new study out of UC Santa Cruz reveals more about the disappearance of California’s kelp forests, finding the leafy green seaweed is faring better in places where sea otters, a natural urchin predator, are thriving.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1973221\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1973221\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/urchin-barren-800x600.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/urchin-barren-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/urchin-barren-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/urchin-barren-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/urchin-barren-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/urchin-barren-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/urchin-barren-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/urchin-barren-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Most of the kelp forest ecosystem in Northern California has been replaced by urchin barrens dominated by purple sea urchins. \u003ccite>(Katie Sowul/CDFW)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">Several studies have documented the collapse of the kelp ecosystem in California. The story goes something like this: A giant, warm-water “blob” first observed by scientists off the Washington coast in 2013 combined with an El Nino weather event from the south resulted in a prolonged marine heatwave in California from 2014-16. Kelp thrives in colder tidal waters, which have the nutrients it needs to survive. Faced with warmer water, the kelp essentially starved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">The historically hardy plant, which can grow up to 2 feet per day, could have bounced back from the heat wave, but for a disease that that nearly eradicated sunflower stars along the West Coast. This large, 24-limbed starfish feeds on purple sea urchins; without stars around, urchin populations swelled and changed their typical hunting behavior. Instead of merely grazing on fallen kelp leaves, the urchins began gobbling up the kelp’s stalks and seed pods as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">In Northern California, satellite images have revealed a roughly 95% decline in kelp forest canopy as a result of these events. But in Central California waters, kelp has fared somewhat better.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">The Central Coast saw a similar urchin outbreak in 2014, says Joshua Smith, a Ph.D. candidate and kelp forest researcher at UC Santa Cruz. “But what was different here was that instead of having this widespread kelp deforestation, we actually had this patchy mosaic of kelp forests interspersed with these patches of sea urchin barrens\u003ci>,” \u003c/i>he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1973227\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1973227\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Healthy-Kelp-2-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Healthy-Kelp-2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Healthy-Kelp-2-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Healthy-Kelp-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Healthy-Kelp-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Healthy-Kelp-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Healthy-Kelp-2-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Healthy-Kelp-2-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A healthy forest of giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, in Monterey Bay. \u003ccite>(Michael Langhans)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">Smith says this unique phenomenon gave his group an opportunity to look closer at the factors driving the kelp decline and its potential for recovery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">The \u003ca href=\"https://www.pnas.org/content/118/11/e2012493118\">\u003cspan class=\"s1\">study\u003c/span>\u003c/a>, published this week in \u003cspan class=\"s2\">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003c/span>, links the presence of sea otters in Monterey Bay to patches of lush, healthy kelp forest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p3\">Smith called Monterey Bay “sea otter country,” pointing out more of the species inhabited the area than any other in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p3\">\u003ci>“\u003c/i>This is a sea otter country,” Smith said. “We have the highest abundance of sea otters here in Monterey Bay than anywhere else in the state\u003ci>.”\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p3\">Sea otters, like sunflower stars, are a natural predator of sea urchins. \u003ci> \u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p3\">“The key finding of what this actually means is that otters are so important for this ecosystem because they are maintaining these remnant patches of kelp forests,” Smith said, “And those patches of kelp are the ultimate source populations to help replenish those barren patches.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p3\">The study shows that the sea otter population in Monterey Bay grew in the wake of the urchin boom, with an increased survival rate for pups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p3\">While scientists can’t say for sure, the lack of sea otters and other urchin predators north of the San Francisco Bay may help explain why Northern California’s kelp forests have suffered more than on other parts of the coast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1973226\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1973226\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Urchin-on-Kelp-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Urchin-on-Kelp-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Urchin-on-Kelp-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Urchin-on-Kelp-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Urchin-on-Kelp-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Urchin-on-Kelp-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Urchin-on-Kelp-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Urchin-on-Kelp-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Purple sea urchins feeding on kelp. \u003ccite>(Michael Langhans)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp class=\"p4\">Sea otters haven’t been spotted on the North Coast since the 1800s, says Meredith McPherson, a UC Santa Cruz marine scientist who recently published \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-021-01827-6\">\u003cspan class=\"s1\">a separate study\u003c/span>\u003c/a> on Northern California’s kelp decline. “From what we observed in the satellite data from the last 35 years, the kelp had been doing well without sea otters as long as we still had sunflower stars. Once they were gone, there were no urchin predators left in the system.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p4\">Without natural predators, McPherson says, scuba divers are helping maintain what’s left of the region’s kelp forests by plucking out interloping urchins. But while ocean temperatures and nutrient levels have normalized some since the 2014-16 heat waves, she says kelp haven’t seen any significant rebound.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p4\">“There seems to be some evidence that some patches of kelp have reemerged in certain areas, but it’s nothing to the extent that we would expect from the historical data,” she said. “The concentrations of urchins are still really high and [are] creating the strong grazing pressure on any kind of recovery.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p4\">McPherson says while the urchin barrens persist, a full-scale kelp recovery is unlikely. Even without kelp to eat, urchins have shown resilience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p4\">“That’s where some people have used the term zombie urchin,” Smith said. “These urchins are remarkable in that they can persist in this starved state in the sea urchin barrens for years.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p4\">Smith’s study revealed that otters largely ignore urchins in the barrens, as they lack the nutritional value of those that have kelp to forage on. Scientists say another environmental event will likely be needed to reduce urchin populations and tip the scales in favor of kelp.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p4\">“A number of things could take out the urchins.” Smith said. “It could be urchin disease or it could be a bottom-scouring swell that physically wipes sea urchins off the reef.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p4\">In the meantime, otters may be key to kelp’s chance for a long-term recovery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "California's underwater kelp forests are suffering massive declines. But a new study shows that sea otters are helping to preserve kelp off the Central Coast.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1727135430,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 2,
"wordCount": 1032
},
"headData": {
"title": "Kelp, Sea Otters and Urchins. Who's Eating Who in Monterey Bay | KQED",
"description": "California's underwater kelp forests are suffering massive declines. But a new study shows that sea otters are helping to preserve kelp off the Central Coast.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Kelp, Sea Otters and Urchins. Who's Eating Who in Monterey Bay",
"datePublished": "2021-03-15T16:20:46-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-23T16:50:30-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"source": "Oceans",
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-4[…]f-aaef00f5a073/d251c616-163b-4359-bf5c-ace6012b11a8/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"path": "/science/1973217/in-central-california-sea-otters-feast-on-purple-urchins-and-thats-good-for-kelp",
"audioDuration": 281000,
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp class=\"p1\">Marine scientists have observed a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1949757/massive-california-kelp-decline-linked-to-ocean-heat-wave-voracious-sea-urchins\">\u003cspan class=\"s1\">massive decline\u003c/span>\u003c/a> of California’s underwater kelp forests in recent years. Studies have linked the die-off to a host of factors including an ocean heat wave, a deadly sea star virus, and an influx of voracious kelp-eating sea urchins.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">Kelp’s long flat leaves and bulbous stems provide habitat for marine mammals, fish and invertebrates in tidal regions along California’s coast. In many regions where kelp once flourished, the ocean floor is now carpeted with spiny purple sea urchins and there’s no kelp to be found. Scientists call these zones the urchin barrens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">A new study out of UC Santa Cruz reveals more about the disappearance of California’s kelp forests, finding the leafy green seaweed is faring better in places where sea otters, a natural urchin predator, are thriving.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1973221\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1973221\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/urchin-barren-800x600.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/urchin-barren-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/urchin-barren-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/urchin-barren-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/urchin-barren-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/urchin-barren-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/urchin-barren-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/urchin-barren-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Most of the kelp forest ecosystem in Northern California has been replaced by urchin barrens dominated by purple sea urchins. \u003ccite>(Katie Sowul/CDFW)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">Several studies have documented the collapse of the kelp ecosystem in California. The story goes something like this: A giant, warm-water “blob” first observed by scientists off the Washington coast in 2013 combined with an El Nino weather event from the south resulted in a prolonged marine heatwave in California from 2014-16. Kelp thrives in colder tidal waters, which have the nutrients it needs to survive. Faced with warmer water, the kelp essentially starved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">The historically hardy plant, which can grow up to 2 feet per day, could have bounced back from the heat wave, but for a disease that that nearly eradicated sunflower stars along the West Coast. This large, 24-limbed starfish feeds on purple sea urchins; without stars around, urchin populations swelled and changed their typical hunting behavior. Instead of merely grazing on fallen kelp leaves, the urchins began gobbling up the kelp’s stalks and seed pods as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">In Northern California, satellite images have revealed a roughly 95% decline in kelp forest canopy as a result of these events. But in Central California waters, kelp has fared somewhat better.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">The Central Coast saw a similar urchin outbreak in 2014, says Joshua Smith, a Ph.D. candidate and kelp forest researcher at UC Santa Cruz. “But what was different here was that instead of having this widespread kelp deforestation, we actually had this patchy mosaic of kelp forests interspersed with these patches of sea urchin barrens\u003ci>,” \u003c/i>he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1973227\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1973227\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Healthy-Kelp-2-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Healthy-Kelp-2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Healthy-Kelp-2-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Healthy-Kelp-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Healthy-Kelp-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Healthy-Kelp-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Healthy-Kelp-2-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Healthy-Kelp-2-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A healthy forest of giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, in Monterey Bay. \u003ccite>(Michael Langhans)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">Smith says this unique phenomenon gave his group an opportunity to look closer at the factors driving the kelp decline and its potential for recovery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">The \u003ca href=\"https://www.pnas.org/content/118/11/e2012493118\">\u003cspan class=\"s1\">study\u003c/span>\u003c/a>, published this week in \u003cspan class=\"s2\">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003c/span>, links the presence of sea otters in Monterey Bay to patches of lush, healthy kelp forest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p3\">Smith called Monterey Bay “sea otter country,” pointing out more of the species inhabited the area than any other in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p3\">\u003ci>“\u003c/i>This is a sea otter country,” Smith said. “We have the highest abundance of sea otters here in Monterey Bay than anywhere else in the state\u003ci>.”\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p3\">Sea otters, like sunflower stars, are a natural predator of sea urchins. \u003ci> \u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p3\">“The key finding of what this actually means is that otters are so important for this ecosystem because they are maintaining these remnant patches of kelp forests,” Smith said, “And those patches of kelp are the ultimate source populations to help replenish those barren patches.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p3\">The study shows that the sea otter population in Monterey Bay grew in the wake of the urchin boom, with an increased survival rate for pups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p3\">While scientists can’t say for sure, the lack of sea otters and other urchin predators north of the San Francisco Bay may help explain why Northern California’s kelp forests have suffered more than on other parts of the coast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1973226\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1973226\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Urchin-on-Kelp-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Urchin-on-Kelp-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Urchin-on-Kelp-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Urchin-on-Kelp-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Urchin-on-Kelp-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Urchin-on-Kelp-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Urchin-on-Kelp-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/Urchin-on-Kelp-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Purple sea urchins feeding on kelp. \u003ccite>(Michael Langhans)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp class=\"p4\">Sea otters haven’t been spotted on the North Coast since the 1800s, says Meredith McPherson, a UC Santa Cruz marine scientist who recently published \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-021-01827-6\">\u003cspan class=\"s1\">a separate study\u003c/span>\u003c/a> on Northern California’s kelp decline. “From what we observed in the satellite data from the last 35 years, the kelp had been doing well without sea otters as long as we still had sunflower stars. Once they were gone, there were no urchin predators left in the system.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p4\">Without natural predators, McPherson says, scuba divers are helping maintain what’s left of the region’s kelp forests by plucking out interloping urchins. But while ocean temperatures and nutrient levels have normalized some since the 2014-16 heat waves, she says kelp haven’t seen any significant rebound.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p4\">“There seems to be some evidence that some patches of kelp have reemerged in certain areas, but it’s nothing to the extent that we would expect from the historical data,” she said. “The concentrations of urchins are still really high and [are] creating the strong grazing pressure on any kind of recovery.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p4\">McPherson says while the urchin barrens persist, a full-scale kelp recovery is unlikely. Even without kelp to eat, urchins have shown resilience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p4\">“That’s where some people have used the term zombie urchin,” Smith said. “These urchins are remarkable in that they can persist in this starved state in the sea urchin barrens for years.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p4\">Smith’s study revealed that otters largely ignore urchins in the barrens, as they lack the nutritional value of those that have kelp to forage on. Scientists say another environmental event will likely be needed to reduce urchin populations and tip the scales in favor of kelp.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p4\">“A number of things could take out the urchins.” Smith said. “It could be urchin disease or it could be a bottom-scouring swell that physically wipes sea urchins off the reef.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p4\">In the meantime, otters may be key to kelp’s chance for a long-term recovery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1973217/in-central-california-sea-otters-feast-on-purple-urchins-and-thats-good-for-kelp",
"authors": [
"11368"
],
"programs": [
"science_5376"
],
"categories": [
"science_2874",
"science_46",
"science_31",
"science_35",
"science_40",
"science_2873",
"science_5141",
"science_43",
"science_4450",
"science_3423"
],
"tags": [
"science_194",
"science_371",
"science_3265",
"science_324",
"science_3266"
],
"featImg": "science_1973220",
"label": "source_science_1973217"
},
"science_1972824": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1972824",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1972824",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1614220208000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "covid-19-vaccine-your-questions-answered",
"title": "Your COVID-19 Vaccine Questions, From Side Effects to Safety",
"publishDate": 1614220208,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Your COVID-19 Vaccine Questions, From Side Effects to Safety | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>Updated April 26, 2021, 5:53 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11870973/cdc-vaccine-committee-votes-to-recommend-jj-vaccine-use-again\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">lifted a 10-day pause\u003c/a> of Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine. Bay Area counties followed suit, announcing they would resume using the single-dose shot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal officials\u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/04/13/world/johnson-vaccine-blood-clots\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> halted\u003c/a> the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on April 13 “out of an abundance of caution” after a rare type of \u003ca href=\"https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/blood-clots-and-the-johnson-johnson-vaccine-what-we-know-so-far/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">blood clot\u003c/a> showed up in 6 women within about two weeks of receiving the vaccination.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Safety is our top priority. This pause was an example of our extensive safety monitoring working as they were designed to work — identifying even these small number of cases,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock in a statement. “We’ve lifted the pause based on the FDA and CDC’s review of all available data and in consultation with medical experts.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Friday, the CDC updated the total to 15 women, ages 18 to 59, who experienced a combination of rare blood clots and low platelets between 6 and 15 days after vaccination. Over the weekend, UCSF announced that it was treating a male patient in his 30s for the condition, which is known as vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_11869210]In the U.S., roughly eight million people have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The relative risk is really, really low for these severe blood clots,” said Dr. Catherine Blish, infectious disease specialist at Stanford Medicine. If you develop a severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks of receiving the vaccine, seek medical treatment with your health care provider or an urgent care clinic or hospital emergency room, and let the provider know you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The CDC said in a statement earlier this month that one purpose of the pause was to let health care providers know what to do. The usual treatment for blood clots, a blood-thinning medication called heparin, can be dangerous used for this type of clot, and the CDC is alerting health providers to be prepared to offer alternate treatments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_11855623,news_11861322]We’ve searched for and compiled answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the vaccine. Our answers come from a \u003ca href=\"https://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/calendar/after-dark-online-covid-catchup?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social&UTM_campaign=FY21AfterDark\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">live Q&A\u003c/a> with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.exploratorium.edu/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Exploratorium\u003c/a> featuring Dr. Bob Wachter, chair of the UCSF Department of Medicine, and Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, chair of the UCSF Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. We also consulted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the World Health Organization and various other medical associations and journal articles. For those of you who want to dig deeper, we’ve linked to some of those.\u003cbr>\n\u003ca id=\"backtotop\">\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Jump to a question:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question1\">How were the vaccines developed so quickly?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question2\">How do people know the vaccines are safe and effective?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question3\">What are the possible side effects of getting a vaccine?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question4\">But the FDA approved this vaccine after two months of observation; isn’t there a chance a really bad side effect could show up much later?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question11\">Why do you need multiple doses and how long does your immunity last?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question5\">Do the vaccines give me the virus?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question6\">Do the vaccines work against the variants?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question7\">Can you still get and transmit COVID-19 if you’ve been vaccinated?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question8\">Should you get vaccinated if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question9\">Were the vaccines tested on racially and ethnically diverse populations? Were they effective for a range of races/ethnicities?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question10\">What are the differences between the vaccines? Is one better than the others?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question12\">Are the vaccines safe for all ages? When will children be eligible?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question13\">Why should people in their 20s and 30s get vaccinated?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question14\">Should I get vaccinated if I already had COVID-19? And how long should I wait after I’ve had COVID-19 to get it?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question15\">If I’m vaccinated, can I stop wearing a mask and get close to people again?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question16\">I am immunosuppressed, should I still get the vaccine?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question17\">Do the COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question18\">Does the vaccine allow any authority to track me?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question19\">How do I get the vaccine?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question1\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: How were the vaccines developed so quickly?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>U.S. government agencies and private companies collaborated on a project called \u003ca href=\"https://www.defense.gov/Explore/Spotlight/Coronavirus/Operation-Warp-Speed/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Operation Warp Speed\u003c/a> to fast-track the coronavirus vaccine. This accelerated timeline doesn’t mean any steps were skipped in the testing stages for the vaccines. The shortcuts related to funding and to dialogue and planning, which went quickly since everyone had the same goal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Normally, companies hesitate to manufacture a vaccine until they’re in the FDA approval process. It’s a big risk to invest a lot of money in manufacturing without knowing whether the vaccine will be approved. But under Operation Warp Speed, governments pre-paid for the vaccines to eliminate the financial risk for the companies involved. This allowed them to manufacture the vaccine at the same time they were doing the testing. So when the testing was complete, a lot of doses were already available to distribute.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another reason for how quickly these vaccines were developed is that the processes used for making the vaccines aren’t new. mRNA had already been studied for years, and and was being developed for other infectious diseases. Because of this, researchers already knew how to make an mRNA vaccine and could customize development and testing for SARS-CoV-2. Adenovirus vaccines, the method used by Johnson & Johnson, are common.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The FDA authorized the emergency use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in February.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“After a thorough analysis of the data, the FDA’s scientists and physicians have determined that the vaccine meets the FDA’s expectations for safety and effectiveness appropriate for theauthorization of a vaccine for emergency use,” Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D. and director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research said at the time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The FDA paused the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on April 13 to investigate 6 cases in which a rare blood clot developed, out of the roughly 7 million people who’d received the vaccine in the U.S. to that point. Medical experts say that the risk of developing a blood clot from COVID-19 is \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33254369/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">50 times higher\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The halt on Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen coronavirus vaccine was lifted 10 days later on April 23 after a review of the initial six cases and 9 additional cases by the FDA and CDC.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have concluded that the known and potential benefits of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine outweigh its known and potential risks in individuals 18 years of age and older,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock in a statement. “We are confident that this vaccine continues to meet our standards for safety, effectiveness and quality. We recommend people with questions about which vaccine is right for them have those discussions with their health care provider.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question2\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: How do people know the vaccines are safe and effective?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-conclude-phase-3-study-covid-19-vaccine\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pfizer\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.modernatx.com/sites/default/files/content_documents/mRNA-1273-Update-11-16-20-Final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Moderna\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-issues-emergency-use-authorization-third-covid-19-vaccine\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Johnson & Johnson\u003c/a> conducted full trials and \u003ca href=\"https://www.fda.gov/media/143890/download\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">didn’t skip any steps\u003c/a> in the stages of testing for the vaccines’ safety and efficacy. The \u003ca href=\"https://media.defense.gov/2020/Aug/13/2002476369/-1/-1/0/200813-D-ZZ999-100.JPG\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">stages\u003c/a> included testing in animals and an application for FDA approval to test in humans. Then the drug companies tested the vaccine in a small number of individuals before conducting tests in tens of thousands of people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The only part of this process that was shorter than usual was in how long drug companies observed people for long-term side effects before requesting FDA authorization to distribute the vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They would normally wait, let’s say, six months after testing of the vaccine,” Wachter said. “They waited two months, and why? Because this was an absolute emergency and a catastrophe. And so in waiting extra months, there would have been hundreds of thousands of people that would have died.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The FDA recently resumed the rollout of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after a short pause to investigate incidents of a rare blood clot showing up in a small percentage of people in the U.S. who received this vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Experts say a pause like this is normal when a new medication or vaccine becomes available to the public, and does not indicate that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is dangerous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The relative risk is really, really low for these severe blood clots,” said Dr. Catherine Blish, infectious disease specialist at Stanford Medicine after the initial reports. “So we’ve had the six cases out of almost seven million vaccines delivered, which is about one in a million. And while this has been hugely controversial, the birth control pills are associated with about one in 1000-100 rate of blood clots.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The FDA was asking for a minimum of 50% efficacy against the coronavirus. After two doses, Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine is 95% effective at preventing the symptoms of COVID-19 and Moderna’s is a little over 94%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine is about 77% effective in preventing severe/critical COVID-19 occurring at least 14 days after vaccination and 85% effective in preventing severe/critical COVID-19 occurring at least 28 days after vaccination.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those results and the safety records are why the FDA \u003ca href=\"https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/vaccines/emergency-use-authorization-vaccines-explained#:~:text=An%20Emergency%20Use%20Authorization%20(EUA)%20is%20a%20mechanism%20to%20facilitate,the%20current%20COVID%2D19%20pandemic.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">authorized\u003c/a> the emergency use of these vaccines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question3\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: What are the possible side effects of getting a vaccine?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The possible short-term side effects for all the vaccines include pain, swelling and redness at the injection site, as well as tiredness, chills and headaches. If you get side effects, they would typically start within a day or two of injection and last a few days. The side effects, experts note, are your immune system telling you the vaccine is working and your body is creating antibodies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you find yourself experiencing these side effects, consult your doctor before taking over-the-counter medication such as ibuprofen, aspirin, antihistamines or acetaminophen. Also, don’t take these medications before you get the vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The CDC reports that a December study found that a small fraction of people — 11.1 recipients per million doses administered — had a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis, which can be lethal. The CDC has listed a few allergies that could \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-product/clinical-considerations.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">prevent\u003c/a> someone from getting the vaccine. The agency also recommends people get screened for allergies before receiving the vaccine, and that vaccine sites have epinephrine injections available. If you have allergies, you may wish to consult your doctor about the vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are two systems that allow you or your doctor to report any unusual side effects to officials at the CDC and elsewhere: \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/vsafe.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">V-safe\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://vaers.hhs.gov/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">VAERS\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the 15 cases confirmed by the CDC in which blood clots developed, it happened within three weeks after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. If you develop a severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks of receiving the vaccine, seek medical treatment with your health care provider or an urgent care clinic or hospital emergency room, and let the provider know you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question4\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: But the FDA approved this vaccine after two months of observation; isn’t there a chance a really bad side effect could show up much later?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to experts, says Wachter, in the history of vaccines there have been no instances of a serious, worrisome side effect that didn’t show up in the first two months. So while no one is saying it’s impossible for a long-term side effect to emerge later, both Wachter and Bibbins-Domingo say the risk of that is not even close to the risk of contracting COVID-19 and dying or ending up with long-term physical problems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s certainly not a close call, especially when you look at the surge in California, and also when you look at how much we really are still learning about how much the coronavirus affects the body,” said Bibbins-Domingo. “People should talk to their doctors, they should ask questions, but really the balance is in favor of getting this vaccine.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While regulators don’t yet know whether there’s a link between the vaccine and the extremely rare cases of blood clots. \u003cem>If there is\u003c/em>, it could be an example of the kind of thing that only occurs one in a million times. This type of case, then, typically only shows up once the number of vaccinated people rises above one million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall, \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23640658/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">many medications\u003c/a> including birth control pills, carry a higher risk for blood clots. And the risk of developing a blood clot from COVID-19 is \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33254369/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">50 times higher\u003c/a> than if you get the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question11\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: Why do you need multiple doses for some of the vaccines and how long does your immunity last?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, the first dose gives you most of the protection against severe disease, and the second dose takes you all the way there. Plus experts think the second dose may extend how long the vaccine lasts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fourteen days after your first dose of either vaccine, you are 80% protected on average, says Wachter. In case that makes you think about skipping the second dose, remember that the vaccine trials were two doses, so what we know about how well the vaccine works depends on two doses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers still don’t know exactly how long your immunity will last after receiving both doses. Only a few months of data on the vaccines exist so far. But, says Bibbins-Domingo, there are indications they will provide longer-term immunity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For people who received the Johnson & Johnson single dose vaccine before the FDA halted its use, it becomes more effective after 28 days at preventing severe or critical illness, at 85%; overall protection stays about the same, at 66% after 14 days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question5\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: Do the vaccines give me the coronavirus?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No. None of the vaccines contain live coronavirus or synthetic coronavirus. \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/how-they-work.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">They train\u003c/a> your immune system to make antibodies against the coronavirus and then disappears. You cannot get COVID-19 from the vaccine. Also, mRNA vaccines do not interact with your DNA because the mRNA does not enter the cell nucleus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The antibodies your immune system creates protect you from the symptoms of COVID-19, especially severe symptoms. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that the time between getting the vaccine and producing these antibodies is \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/facts.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">several weeks\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The mRNA vaccine is the newer technology; Marla Broadfoot, a Ph.D. geneticist who’s also an independent journalist, likes to compare mRNA to scratch paper on which you write a note then throw away when you’re done.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“mRNA is a kind of molecular scratch paper that carries these instructions around the cell where they can be used to construct proteins,” she \u003ca href=\"https://healthjournalism.org/blog/2021/02/when-writing-about-sars-cov-2-variants-utilize-metaphors/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">told\u003c/a> the \u003ca href=\"https://healthjournalism.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Association of Health Care Journalists\u003c/a>. “In the case of the COVID-19 vaccines, the mRNA is giving our cells instructions for making the spike protein, a harmless bit of the coronavirus. Our cells recognize the protein as foreign and make antibodies against it and against the virus. In the meantime, the mRNA scratch paper disintegrates.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Johnson & Johnson vaccine uses a common virus, engineered so it cannot infect you, to prompt your body to make the spike protein and the antibodies against it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question6\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: Do the vaccines work against the variants?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yes. You may have heard otherwise, but the important point is that the vaccines are highly effective against the variants in preventing severe disease — that is, preventing hospitalizations and deaths. It’s true the vaccines were less \u003cem>potent \u003c/em>against the variants in lab tests, meaning they generated fewer antibodies. However, the vaccines trigger a range of immune responses in addition to antibodies, and the immune response is so robust that it can lose a good bit of potency and still be effective.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Experts think a vaccinated person who contracts a variant of the coronavirus may experience mild or moderate symptoms a little more than they would with the original coronavirus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s normal for viruses to mutate, and scientists expected it. The important point is that every infection the vaccines prevent denies the coronavirus a chance to mutate further.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question7\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: Can you still get and transmit COVID-19 if you’ve been vaccinated?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Initial trials tested vaccines on how effective they are at preventing severe disease. These studies did not examine whether the vaccines prevent infection or transmission of that infection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Early evidence suggests that the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines may be able prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. A \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/p0329-COVID-19-Vaccines.html\">recent CDC study\u003c/a> with roughly 4,000 participants showed that mRNA vaccines were effective at preventing coronavirus infections in real-world conditions. Results showed that after partial vaccination, the risk of infection was reduced by 80 percent. Two weeks or more following the second dose of the vaccine, the risk of infection was reduced by 90 percent. More research is needed to confirm these results.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bibbins-Domingo says that all indications are that vaccines have the ability to prevent infection, but this is still being studied. The uncertainty about this is why people who’ve had the vaccine are advised to continue to wear masks and socially distance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question8\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: Should you get vaccinated if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The vaccines were not studied in pregnant and nursing women. Based on the review of the data on how the mRNA vaccines work and on the side effects, says Bibbins-Domingo, medical authorities say pregnant and nursing women should consider getting the vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pregnant women are at \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/pregnancy.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">higher risk\u003c/a> than other women of having severe illness if they contract COVID-19, according to the CDC, and might be at higher risk of preterm birth or other complications.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/the-moderna-covid-19-mrna-1273-vaccine-what-you-need-to-know\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">World Health Organization\u003c/a> says women who are at high risk of exposure or who have underlying health conditions may receive the vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-advisory/articles/2020/12/vaccinating-pregnant-and-lactating-patients-against-covid-19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists\u003c/a> and the \u003ca href=\"https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.smfm.org/media/2591/SMFM_Vaccine_Statement_12-1-20_(final).pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine \u003c/a>say the vaccine should not be withheld from pregnant women who wish to receive it. Both organizations objected to excluding pregnant and lactating women from the vaccine trials, and they are pressing for future trials to include these groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question9\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: Were the vaccines tested on racially and ethnically diverse populations? Were they effective for a range of races/ethnicities?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yes. And yes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The drug companies gathered demographic information from participants in the study. Both of the vaccine clinical trials included a smaller percentage of Blacks and Asians than in the U.S. population and a roughly similar percentage of Latinos. Here’s where you can find the demographic information for \u003ca href=\"https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2035389\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Moderna’s\u003c/a> vaccine, and for \u003ca href=\"https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2034577\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pfizer-BioNTech’s\u003c/a>. And here’s the \u003ca href=\"https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045219\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">U.S. population\u003c/a> from the census as of 2019.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The coronavirus has hit certain populations much harder: Black, Latino, Indigenous and lower-income people are suffering high rates of COVID-19 and are among the most important groups to be vaccinated. At the same time, says Bibbins-Domingo, they may have serious questions about the vaccines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Oftentimes these same communities have very legitimate concerns about trusting government, trusting the medical establishment, trusting science, because of historical instances where, really, there is basis for that mistrust,” said Bibbins-Domingo.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The United States’ history of medical exploitation, especially of minorities, includes incidents like the widely condemned \u003ca href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p013281q\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tuskegee experiment\u003c/a> on Black men with syphilis, from 1932-1972, and the forced sterilization of \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1449330/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Latina\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://ihpi.umich.edu/news/forced-sterilization-policies-us-targeted-minorities-and-those-disabilities-and-lasted-21st\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">African American\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09612025.2015.1083229?journalCode=rwhr20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Native American\u003c/a> women as late as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1449330/\">1970s\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While there are many examples of racist treatment throughout the history of health care, there are also \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11861322/were-learning-the-wrong-lessons-from-the-tuskegee-experiment\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">failures\u003c/a> in America’s current health care system that reinforce structures of racism and drive distrust. And the country’s immigration debate can also show \u003ca href=\"https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/04/why-can-t-i-micro-chip-an-illegal/340979/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">why it’s hard\u003c/a> for people of color to trust government health projects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bibbins-Domingo encourages people to seek answers to their questions, particularly from doctors or organizations they trust.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bay Area organizations such as \u003ca href=\"https://rootsclinic.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Roots Community Health Center\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://chaaweb.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Community Health for Asian Americans\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://thelatinacenter.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Latina Center\u003c/a>, and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nativehealth.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Native American Health Center\u003c/a> serve their communities and understand the historical factors and current struggles that influence perceptions of the health care system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question11\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: What are the differences between the vaccines? Is one better than the others?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are essentially the same; they are both mRNA vaccines, with the same side effects and the same effectiveness. The way they prompt your immune system to respond and make antibodies is the same. The main difference is which fat globule they use to get the mRNA into the cell. Both require two doses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Johnson & Johnson vaccine uses a different delivery system involving \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/health/johnson-johnson-covid-19-vaccine.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a disabled adenovirus\u003c/a> to trigger your immune system to make antibodies against the coronavirus. It requires only on shot. Its use was halted on April 13, 2021, as the CDC and FDA review 6 cases of women who developed blood clots within a couple of weeks of receiving the vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sccgov.org/sites/covid19/Pages/press-release-03-15-2021-Bay-Area-health-officers-statement-COVID19-vaccine.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">A joint statement\u003c/a> signed by all of the Bay Area’s health officers in March noted that the vaccines are “100 percent effective in preventing deaths from COVID-19. Our collective medical advice is this: the best vaccine is the one you can get the soonest.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question12\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: Are the vaccines safe for all ages? When will children be eligible?\u003cbr>\n\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine was tested and found safe for ages 16 and up. The Moderna vaccine was authorized for ages 18 and up. Before the FDA halted its use, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was authorized for ages 18 and up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Drug companies have to test the vaccine in an age group before they can show it’s safe for those ages. Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are currently testing the vaccine in both young children and adolescents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pfizer-BioNTech recently announced \u003ca href=\"https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210331005503/en/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">results of a Phase 3 clinical trial\u003c/a> that showed the vaccine was effective and well-tolerated in adolescents aged 12-15. However, the vaccine has not yet been authorized by the FDA for use in adolescents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/when-will-kids-get-covid-vaccines/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Some health experts\u003c/a> say vaccines could be authorized for adolescents this summer and for young children in early 2022.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For people 65 and older, the risk from COVID-19 is much higher than the risk of the vaccine. Very elderly and frail people with underlying health conditions should be evaluated before receiving the vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question13\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: Why should people in their 20s and 30s get vaccinated?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While young people are less likely to get really sick from COVID-19, they can still get and spread the virus. Also, many young people are in contact with parents, grandparents and others who are older and more at risk. Finally, while the likelihood of a young person getting a serious case requiring hospitalization is lower, some have become seriously ill or died.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question14\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: Should I get vaccinated if I already had COVID-19? And how long should I wait after I’ve had COVID-19 to get it?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/faq.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Yes.\u003c/a> The level of protection you receive from the vaccine is higher than what you get from having had COVID-19.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-product/clinical-considerations.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">CDC\u003c/a>, once you’ve recovered and completed your isolation requirements, you can get the vaccine. However, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-product/clinical-considerations.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">CDC says\u003c/a> people who were treated for COVID-19 with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma should wait 90 days before getting the vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question15\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: If I’m vaccinated, can I stop wearing a mask and get close to people again?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/faq.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">No\u003c/a>. Even if you’re vaccinated, you can still get and transmit the disease. Remember, the trials only thoroughly tested how well the vaccine protects against the symptoms of COVID-19. Researchers are still studying whether the vaccine prevents infection and transmission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question16\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: I am immunosuppressed; should I still get the vaccine?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Immunocompromised people are at a higher risk for severe COVID-19. While there is no data on mRNA vaccines in people who are immunocompromised, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-product/clinical-considerations.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">CDC\u003c/a> does not recommend against it, but does recommend people be counseled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question17\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: Do the COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No. There’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/10/technology/pfizer-vaccine-infertility-disinformation.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">no evidence\u003c/a> that COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility. In early December, an internet post spread a false rumor about this, but it was proven \u003ca href=\"https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/dec/10/blog-posting/no-pfizers-head-research-didnt-say-covid-19-vaccin/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">to be untrue\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question18\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: Does the vaccine allow any authority to track me?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-microchip-not-injected-covi/fact-check-covid-19-vaccine-labels-would-not-microchip-or-track-individuals-but-serve-logistical-purpose-idUSKBN28O1TM\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">No\u003c/a>. There is a microchip on the syringe’s label (not inside the actual vaccine) that tracks the vaccine’s expiration date and whether it has been used. It does not track who receives the vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question19\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: How do I get the vaccine?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>See KQED’s “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11855623/where-can-i-get-a-covid-19-vaccine-in-the-bay-area-your-questions-answered\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Where Can I Get a COVID-19 Vaccine in the Bay Area? \u003c/a>” post.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s \u003ca href=\"https://myturn.ca.gov/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">MyTurn\u003c/a> website will tell you if you’re eligible for the vaccine and when appointments are available. If you’re not eligible, you can register to receive a notification when you become eligible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>*If you are wondering whether you should get a vaccine, contact your health provider.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Answers to some of the most frequently asked questions health experts are hearing.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1727135437,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 119,
"wordCount": 4328
},
"headData": {
"title": "Your COVID-19 Vaccine Questions, From Side Effects to Safety | KQED",
"description": "Answers to some of the most frequently asked questions health experts are hearing.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Your COVID-19 Vaccine Questions, From Side Effects to Safety",
"datePublished": "2021-02-24T18:30:08-08:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-23T16:50:37-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"source": "Coronavirus",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Carolina Cuellar, Peter Arcuni",
"path": "/science/1972824/covid-19-vaccine-your-questions-answered",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>Updated April 26, 2021, 5:53 p.m.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11870973/cdc-vaccine-committee-votes-to-recommend-jj-vaccine-use-again\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">lifted a 10-day pause\u003c/a> of Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine. Bay Area counties followed suit, announcing they would resume using the single-dose shot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal officials\u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/04/13/world/johnson-vaccine-blood-clots\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> halted\u003c/a> the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on April 13 “out of an abundance of caution” after a rare type of \u003ca href=\"https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/blood-clots-and-the-johnson-johnson-vaccine-what-we-know-so-far/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">blood clot\u003c/a> showed up in 6 women within about two weeks of receiving the vaccination.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Safety is our top priority. This pause was an example of our extensive safety monitoring working as they were designed to work — identifying even these small number of cases,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock in a statement. “We’ve lifted the pause based on the FDA and CDC’s review of all available data and in consultation with medical experts.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Friday, the CDC updated the total to 15 women, ages 18 to 59, who experienced a combination of rare blood clots and low platelets between 6 and 15 days after vaccination. Over the weekend, UCSF announced that it was treating a male patient in his 30s for the condition, which is known as vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_11869210",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In the U.S., roughly eight million people have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The relative risk is really, really low for these severe blood clots,” said Dr. Catherine Blish, infectious disease specialist at Stanford Medicine. If you develop a severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks of receiving the vaccine, seek medical treatment with your health care provider or an urgent care clinic or hospital emergency room, and let the provider know you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The CDC said in a statement earlier this month that one purpose of the pause was to let health care providers know what to do. The usual treatment for blood clots, a blood-thinning medication called heparin, can be dangerous used for this type of clot, and the CDC is alerting health providers to be prepared to offer alternate treatments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_11855623,news_11861322",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>We’ve searched for and compiled answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the vaccine. Our answers come from a \u003ca href=\"https://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/calendar/after-dark-online-covid-catchup?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social&UTM_campaign=FY21AfterDark\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">live Q&A\u003c/a> with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.exploratorium.edu/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Exploratorium\u003c/a> featuring Dr. Bob Wachter, chair of the UCSF Department of Medicine, and Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, chair of the UCSF Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. We also consulted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the World Health Organization and various other medical associations and journal articles. For those of you who want to dig deeper, we’ve linked to some of those.\u003cbr>\n\u003ca id=\"backtotop\">\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>Jump to a question:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question1\">How were the vaccines developed so quickly?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question2\">How do people know the vaccines are safe and effective?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question3\">What are the possible side effects of getting a vaccine?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question4\">But the FDA approved this vaccine after two months of observation; isn’t there a chance a really bad side effect could show up much later?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question11\">Why do you need multiple doses and how long does your immunity last?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question5\">Do the vaccines give me the virus?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question6\">Do the vaccines work against the variants?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question7\">Can you still get and transmit COVID-19 if you’ve been vaccinated?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question8\">Should you get vaccinated if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question9\">Were the vaccines tested on racially and ethnically diverse populations? Were they effective for a range of races/ethnicities?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question10\">What are the differences between the vaccines? Is one better than the others?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question12\">Are the vaccines safe for all ages? When will children be eligible?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question13\">Why should people in their 20s and 30s get vaccinated?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question14\">Should I get vaccinated if I already had COVID-19? And how long should I wait after I’ve had COVID-19 to get it?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question15\">If I’m vaccinated, can I stop wearing a mask and get close to people again?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question16\">I am immunosuppressed, should I still get the vaccine?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question17\">Do the COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question18\">Does the vaccine allow any authority to track me?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#question19\">How do I get the vaccine?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question1\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: How were the vaccines developed so quickly?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>U.S. government agencies and private companies collaborated on a project called \u003ca href=\"https://www.defense.gov/Explore/Spotlight/Coronavirus/Operation-Warp-Speed/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Operation Warp Speed\u003c/a> to fast-track the coronavirus vaccine. This accelerated timeline doesn’t mean any steps were skipped in the testing stages for the vaccines. The shortcuts related to funding and to dialogue and planning, which went quickly since everyone had the same goal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Normally, companies hesitate to manufacture a vaccine until they’re in the FDA approval process. It’s a big risk to invest a lot of money in manufacturing without knowing whether the vaccine will be approved. But under Operation Warp Speed, governments pre-paid for the vaccines to eliminate the financial risk for the companies involved. This allowed them to manufacture the vaccine at the same time they were doing the testing. So when the testing was complete, a lot of doses were already available to distribute.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another reason for how quickly these vaccines were developed is that the processes used for making the vaccines aren’t new. mRNA had already been studied for years, and and was being developed for other infectious diseases. Because of this, researchers already knew how to make an mRNA vaccine and could customize development and testing for SARS-CoV-2. Adenovirus vaccines, the method used by Johnson & Johnson, are common.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The FDA authorized the emergency use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in February.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“After a thorough analysis of the data, the FDA’s scientists and physicians have determined that the vaccine meets the FDA’s expectations for safety and effectiveness appropriate for theauthorization of a vaccine for emergency use,” Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D. and director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research said at the time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The FDA paused the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on April 13 to investigate 6 cases in which a rare blood clot developed, out of the roughly 7 million people who’d received the vaccine in the U.S. to that point. Medical experts say that the risk of developing a blood clot from COVID-19 is \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33254369/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">50 times higher\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The halt on Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen coronavirus vaccine was lifted 10 days later on April 23 after a review of the initial six cases and 9 additional cases by the FDA and CDC.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have concluded that the known and potential benefits of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine outweigh its known and potential risks in individuals 18 years of age and older,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock in a statement. “We are confident that this vaccine continues to meet our standards for safety, effectiveness and quality. We recommend people with questions about which vaccine is right for them have those discussions with their health care provider.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question2\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: How do people know the vaccines are safe and effective?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-conclude-phase-3-study-covid-19-vaccine\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pfizer\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.modernatx.com/sites/default/files/content_documents/mRNA-1273-Update-11-16-20-Final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Moderna\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-issues-emergency-use-authorization-third-covid-19-vaccine\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Johnson & Johnson\u003c/a> conducted full trials and \u003ca href=\"https://www.fda.gov/media/143890/download\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">didn’t skip any steps\u003c/a> in the stages of testing for the vaccines’ safety and efficacy. The \u003ca href=\"https://media.defense.gov/2020/Aug/13/2002476369/-1/-1/0/200813-D-ZZ999-100.JPG\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">stages\u003c/a> included testing in animals and an application for FDA approval to test in humans. Then the drug companies tested the vaccine in a small number of individuals before conducting tests in tens of thousands of people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The only part of this process that was shorter than usual was in how long drug companies observed people for long-term side effects before requesting FDA authorization to distribute the vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They would normally wait, let’s say, six months after testing of the vaccine,” Wachter said. “They waited two months, and why? Because this was an absolute emergency and a catastrophe. And so in waiting extra months, there would have been hundreds of thousands of people that would have died.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The FDA recently resumed the rollout of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after a short pause to investigate incidents of a rare blood clot showing up in a small percentage of people in the U.S. who received this vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Experts say a pause like this is normal when a new medication or vaccine becomes available to the public, and does not indicate that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is dangerous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The relative risk is really, really low for these severe blood clots,” said Dr. Catherine Blish, infectious disease specialist at Stanford Medicine after the initial reports. “So we’ve had the six cases out of almost seven million vaccines delivered, which is about one in a million. And while this has been hugely controversial, the birth control pills are associated with about one in 1000-100 rate of blood clots.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The FDA was asking for a minimum of 50% efficacy against the coronavirus. After two doses, Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine is 95% effective at preventing the symptoms of COVID-19 and Moderna’s is a little over 94%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine is about 77% effective in preventing severe/critical COVID-19 occurring at least 14 days after vaccination and 85% effective in preventing severe/critical COVID-19 occurring at least 28 days after vaccination.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those results and the safety records are why the FDA \u003ca href=\"https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/vaccines/emergency-use-authorization-vaccines-explained#:~:text=An%20Emergency%20Use%20Authorization%20(EUA)%20is%20a%20mechanism%20to%20facilitate,the%20current%20COVID%2D19%20pandemic.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">authorized\u003c/a> the emergency use of these vaccines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question3\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: What are the possible side effects of getting a vaccine?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The possible short-term side effects for all the vaccines include pain, swelling and redness at the injection site, as well as tiredness, chills and headaches. If you get side effects, they would typically start within a day or two of injection and last a few days. The side effects, experts note, are your immune system telling you the vaccine is working and your body is creating antibodies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you find yourself experiencing these side effects, consult your doctor before taking over-the-counter medication such as ibuprofen, aspirin, antihistamines or acetaminophen. Also, don’t take these medications before you get the vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The CDC reports that a December study found that a small fraction of people — 11.1 recipients per million doses administered — had a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis, which can be lethal. The CDC has listed a few allergies that could \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-product/clinical-considerations.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">prevent\u003c/a> someone from getting the vaccine. The agency also recommends people get screened for allergies before receiving the vaccine, and that vaccine sites have epinephrine injections available. If you have allergies, you may wish to consult your doctor about the vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are two systems that allow you or your doctor to report any unusual side effects to officials at the CDC and elsewhere: \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/vsafe.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">V-safe\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://vaers.hhs.gov/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">VAERS\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the 15 cases confirmed by the CDC in which blood clots developed, it happened within three weeks after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. If you develop a severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks of receiving the vaccine, seek medical treatment with your health care provider or an urgent care clinic or hospital emergency room, and let the provider know you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question4\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: But the FDA approved this vaccine after two months of observation; isn’t there a chance a really bad side effect could show up much later?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to experts, says Wachter, in the history of vaccines there have been no instances of a serious, worrisome side effect that didn’t show up in the first two months. So while no one is saying it’s impossible for a long-term side effect to emerge later, both Wachter and Bibbins-Domingo say the risk of that is not even close to the risk of contracting COVID-19 and dying or ending up with long-term physical problems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s certainly not a close call, especially when you look at the surge in California, and also when you look at how much we really are still learning about how much the coronavirus affects the body,” said Bibbins-Domingo. “People should talk to their doctors, they should ask questions, but really the balance is in favor of getting this vaccine.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While regulators don’t yet know whether there’s a link between the vaccine and the extremely rare cases of blood clots. \u003cem>If there is\u003c/em>, it could be an example of the kind of thing that only occurs one in a million times. This type of case, then, typically only shows up once the number of vaccinated people rises above one million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall, \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23640658/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">many medications\u003c/a> including birth control pills, carry a higher risk for blood clots. And the risk of developing a blood clot from COVID-19 is \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33254369/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">50 times higher\u003c/a> than if you get the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question11\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: Why do you need multiple doses for some of the vaccines and how long does your immunity last?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, the first dose gives you most of the protection against severe disease, and the second dose takes you all the way there. Plus experts think the second dose may extend how long the vaccine lasts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fourteen days after your first dose of either vaccine, you are 80% protected on average, says Wachter. In case that makes you think about skipping the second dose, remember that the vaccine trials were two doses, so what we know about how well the vaccine works depends on two doses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers still don’t know exactly how long your immunity will last after receiving both doses. Only a few months of data on the vaccines exist so far. But, says Bibbins-Domingo, there are indications they will provide longer-term immunity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For people who received the Johnson & Johnson single dose vaccine before the FDA halted its use, it becomes more effective after 28 days at preventing severe or critical illness, at 85%; overall protection stays about the same, at 66% after 14 days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question5\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: Do the vaccines give me the coronavirus?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No. None of the vaccines contain live coronavirus or synthetic coronavirus. \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/how-they-work.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">They train\u003c/a> your immune system to make antibodies against the coronavirus and then disappears. You cannot get COVID-19 from the vaccine. Also, mRNA vaccines do not interact with your DNA because the mRNA does not enter the cell nucleus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The antibodies your immune system creates protect you from the symptoms of COVID-19, especially severe symptoms. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that the time between getting the vaccine and producing these antibodies is \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/facts.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">several weeks\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The mRNA vaccine is the newer technology; Marla Broadfoot, a Ph.D. geneticist who’s also an independent journalist, likes to compare mRNA to scratch paper on which you write a note then throw away when you’re done.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“mRNA is a kind of molecular scratch paper that carries these instructions around the cell where they can be used to construct proteins,” she \u003ca href=\"https://healthjournalism.org/blog/2021/02/when-writing-about-sars-cov-2-variants-utilize-metaphors/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">told\u003c/a> the \u003ca href=\"https://healthjournalism.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Association of Health Care Journalists\u003c/a>. “In the case of the COVID-19 vaccines, the mRNA is giving our cells instructions for making the spike protein, a harmless bit of the coronavirus. Our cells recognize the protein as foreign and make antibodies against it and against the virus. In the meantime, the mRNA scratch paper disintegrates.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Johnson & Johnson vaccine uses a common virus, engineered so it cannot infect you, to prompt your body to make the spike protein and the antibodies against it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question6\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: Do the vaccines work against the variants?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yes. You may have heard otherwise, but the important point is that the vaccines are highly effective against the variants in preventing severe disease — that is, preventing hospitalizations and deaths. It’s true the vaccines were less \u003cem>potent \u003c/em>against the variants in lab tests, meaning they generated fewer antibodies. However, the vaccines trigger a range of immune responses in addition to antibodies, and the immune response is so robust that it can lose a good bit of potency and still be effective.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Experts think a vaccinated person who contracts a variant of the coronavirus may experience mild or moderate symptoms a little more than they would with the original coronavirus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s normal for viruses to mutate, and scientists expected it. The important point is that every infection the vaccines prevent denies the coronavirus a chance to mutate further.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question7\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: Can you still get and transmit COVID-19 if you’ve been vaccinated?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Initial trials tested vaccines on how effective they are at preventing severe disease. These studies did not examine whether the vaccines prevent infection or transmission of that infection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Early evidence suggests that the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines may be able prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. A \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/p0329-COVID-19-Vaccines.html\">recent CDC study\u003c/a> with roughly 4,000 participants showed that mRNA vaccines were effective at preventing coronavirus infections in real-world conditions. Results showed that after partial vaccination, the risk of infection was reduced by 80 percent. Two weeks or more following the second dose of the vaccine, the risk of infection was reduced by 90 percent. More research is needed to confirm these results.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bibbins-Domingo says that all indications are that vaccines have the ability to prevent infection, but this is still being studied. The uncertainty about this is why people who’ve had the vaccine are advised to continue to wear masks and socially distance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question8\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: Should you get vaccinated if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The vaccines were not studied in pregnant and nursing women. Based on the review of the data on how the mRNA vaccines work and on the side effects, says Bibbins-Domingo, medical authorities say pregnant and nursing women should consider getting the vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pregnant women are at \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/pregnancy.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">higher risk\u003c/a> than other women of having severe illness if they contract COVID-19, according to the CDC, and might be at higher risk of preterm birth or other complications.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/the-moderna-covid-19-mrna-1273-vaccine-what-you-need-to-know\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">World Health Organization\u003c/a> says women who are at high risk of exposure or who have underlying health conditions may receive the vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-advisory/articles/2020/12/vaccinating-pregnant-and-lactating-patients-against-covid-19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists\u003c/a> and the \u003ca href=\"https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.smfm.org/media/2591/SMFM_Vaccine_Statement_12-1-20_(final).pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine \u003c/a>say the vaccine should not be withheld from pregnant women who wish to receive it. Both organizations objected to excluding pregnant and lactating women from the vaccine trials, and they are pressing for future trials to include these groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question9\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: Were the vaccines tested on racially and ethnically diverse populations? Were they effective for a range of races/ethnicities?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yes. And yes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The drug companies gathered demographic information from participants in the study. Both of the vaccine clinical trials included a smaller percentage of Blacks and Asians than in the U.S. population and a roughly similar percentage of Latinos. Here’s where you can find the demographic information for \u003ca href=\"https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2035389\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Moderna’s\u003c/a> vaccine, and for \u003ca href=\"https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2034577\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pfizer-BioNTech’s\u003c/a>. And here’s the \u003ca href=\"https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045219\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">U.S. population\u003c/a> from the census as of 2019.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The coronavirus has hit certain populations much harder: Black, Latino, Indigenous and lower-income people are suffering high rates of COVID-19 and are among the most important groups to be vaccinated. At the same time, says Bibbins-Domingo, they may have serious questions about the vaccines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Oftentimes these same communities have very legitimate concerns about trusting government, trusting the medical establishment, trusting science, because of historical instances where, really, there is basis for that mistrust,” said Bibbins-Domingo.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The United States’ history of medical exploitation, especially of minorities, includes incidents like the widely condemned \u003ca href=\"https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p013281q\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tuskegee experiment\u003c/a> on Black men with syphilis, from 1932-1972, and the forced sterilization of \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1449330/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Latina\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://ihpi.umich.edu/news/forced-sterilization-policies-us-targeted-minorities-and-those-disabilities-and-lasted-21st\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">African American\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09612025.2015.1083229?journalCode=rwhr20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Native American\u003c/a> women as late as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1449330/\">1970s\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While there are many examples of racist treatment throughout the history of health care, there are also \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11861322/were-learning-the-wrong-lessons-from-the-tuskegee-experiment\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">failures\u003c/a> in America’s current health care system that reinforce structures of racism and drive distrust. And the country’s immigration debate can also show \u003ca href=\"https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/04/why-can-t-i-micro-chip-an-illegal/340979/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">why it’s hard\u003c/a> for people of color to trust government health projects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bibbins-Domingo encourages people to seek answers to their questions, particularly from doctors or organizations they trust.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bay Area organizations such as \u003ca href=\"https://rootsclinic.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Roots Community Health Center\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://chaaweb.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Community Health for Asian Americans\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://thelatinacenter.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Latina Center\u003c/a>, and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nativehealth.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Native American Health Center\u003c/a> serve their communities and understand the historical factors and current struggles that influence perceptions of the health care system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question11\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: What are the differences between the vaccines? Is one better than the others?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are essentially the same; they are both mRNA vaccines, with the same side effects and the same effectiveness. The way they prompt your immune system to respond and make antibodies is the same. The main difference is which fat globule they use to get the mRNA into the cell. Both require two doses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Johnson & Johnson vaccine uses a different delivery system involving \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/health/johnson-johnson-covid-19-vaccine.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a disabled adenovirus\u003c/a> to trigger your immune system to make antibodies against the coronavirus. It requires only on shot. Its use was halted on April 13, 2021, as the CDC and FDA review 6 cases of women who developed blood clots within a couple of weeks of receiving the vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sccgov.org/sites/covid19/Pages/press-release-03-15-2021-Bay-Area-health-officers-statement-COVID19-vaccine.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">A joint statement\u003c/a> signed by all of the Bay Area’s health officers in March noted that the vaccines are “100 percent effective in preventing deaths from COVID-19. Our collective medical advice is this: the best vaccine is the one you can get the soonest.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question12\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: Are the vaccines safe for all ages? When will children be eligible?\u003cbr>\n\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine was tested and found safe for ages 16 and up. The Moderna vaccine was authorized for ages 18 and up. Before the FDA halted its use, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was authorized for ages 18 and up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Drug companies have to test the vaccine in an age group before they can show it’s safe for those ages. Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are currently testing the vaccine in both young children and adolescents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pfizer-BioNTech recently announced \u003ca href=\"https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210331005503/en/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">results of a Phase 3 clinical trial\u003c/a> that showed the vaccine was effective and well-tolerated in adolescents aged 12-15. However, the vaccine has not yet been authorized by the FDA for use in adolescents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/when-will-kids-get-covid-vaccines/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Some health experts\u003c/a> say vaccines could be authorized for adolescents this summer and for young children in early 2022.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For people 65 and older, the risk from COVID-19 is much higher than the risk of the vaccine. Very elderly and frail people with underlying health conditions should be evaluated before receiving the vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question13\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: Why should people in their 20s and 30s get vaccinated?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While young people are less likely to get really sick from COVID-19, they can still get and spread the virus. Also, many young people are in contact with parents, grandparents and others who are older and more at risk. Finally, while the likelihood of a young person getting a serious case requiring hospitalization is lower, some have become seriously ill or died.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question14\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: Should I get vaccinated if I already had COVID-19? And how long should I wait after I’ve had COVID-19 to get it?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/faq.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Yes.\u003c/a> The level of protection you receive from the vaccine is higher than what you get from having had COVID-19.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-product/clinical-considerations.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">CDC\u003c/a>, once you’ve recovered and completed your isolation requirements, you can get the vaccine. However, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-product/clinical-considerations.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">CDC says\u003c/a> people who were treated for COVID-19 with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma should wait 90 days before getting the vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question15\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: If I’m vaccinated, can I stop wearing a mask and get close to people again?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/faq.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">No\u003c/a>. Even if you’re vaccinated, you can still get and transmit the disease. Remember, the trials only thoroughly tested how well the vaccine protects against the symptoms of COVID-19. Researchers are still studying whether the vaccine prevents infection and transmission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question16\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: I am immunosuppressed; should I still get the vaccine?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Immunocompromised people are at a higher risk for severe COVID-19. While there is no data on mRNA vaccines in people who are immunocompromised, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-product/clinical-considerations.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">CDC\u003c/a> does not recommend against it, but does recommend people be counseled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question17\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: Do the COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No. There’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/10/technology/pfizer-vaccine-infertility-disinformation.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">no evidence\u003c/a> that COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility. In early December, an internet post spread a false rumor about this, but it was proven \u003ca href=\"https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/dec/10/blog-posting/no-pfizers-head-research-didnt-say-covid-19-vaccin/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">to be untrue\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question18\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: Does the vaccine allow any authority to track me?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-microchip-not-injected-covi/fact-check-covid-19-vaccine-labels-would-not-microchip-or-track-individuals-but-serve-logistical-purpose-idUSKBN28O1TM\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">No\u003c/a>. There is a microchip on the syringe’s label (not inside the actual vaccine) that tracks the vaccine’s expiration date and whether it has been used. It does not track who receives the vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#backtotop\">Back to top\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"question19\">\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>Q: How do I get the vaccine?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>See KQED’s “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11855623/where-can-i-get-a-covid-19-vaccine-in-the-bay-area-your-questions-answered\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Where Can I Get a COVID-19 Vaccine in the Bay Area? \u003c/a>” post.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s \u003ca href=\"https://myturn.ca.gov/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">MyTurn\u003c/a> website will tell you if you’re eligible for the vaccine and when appointments are available. If you’re not eligible, you can register to receive a notification when you become eligible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>*If you are wondering whether you should get a vaccine, contact your health provider.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1972824/covid-19-vaccine-your-questions-answered",
"authors": [
"byline_science_1972824"
],
"programs": [
"science_5376"
],
"categories": [
"science_39",
"science_3890",
"science_40",
"science_5141",
"science_43",
"science_4450",
"science_3423"
],
"tags": [
"science_4329",
"science_4368",
"science_4417",
"science_4414",
"science_5181",
"science_410"
],
"featImg": "science_1972844",
"label": "source_science_1972824"
},
"science_1972623": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1972623",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1972623",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1612563979000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "california-has-a-rule-to-protect-workers-against-pandemics-heres-how-its-not-working",
"title": "California Has a Rule to Protect Workers Against Pandemics. Here’s How It’s (Not) Working",
"publishDate": 1612563979,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "California Has a Rule to Protect Workers Against Pandemics. Here’s How It’s (Not) Working | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"term": 5376,
"site": "science"
},
"content": "\u003cp>A nation-leading workplace safety rule specifically designed to combat the risks of an airborne virus should have been protecting hundreds of thousands of California workers from COVID-19. The Aerosol Transmissible Diseases Standard took effect 12 years ago — and it anticipated a pandemic. But one year into the pandemic, workers say enforcement is mixed, and problems continue. Regulators at Cal/OSHA have issued more citations on this rule in the last five months than they did in the previous five years.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>Hundreds of Thousands of Workers\u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>This rule applies to hospitals and nursing homes, to home health workers and coroners, to jails and ambulance companies: any place where an airborne disease would be expected to appear to catch, hold and spread widely. Employers must have annual training and written plans for exposure. They have to identify activities at work that are high hazard and figure out ways to minimize the risk. They have to have \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/dosh_publications/respiratory.pdf\">respiratory protection equipment\u003c/a>, not just N95s, but sometimes powered air-purifying respirator hoods, called PAPR hoods.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size=medium citation='Johnna Porter, Nurse']‘Every grocery store has plexiglass now for the cashiers. But they can’t do it in a hospital? It’s just so mind-blowing.’[/pullquote]Employees are entitled to medical services like vaccinations and evaluations after someone’s been exposed. And if they get sent home for getting sick on the job, they’re entitled to sick pay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To be clear, the state of California \u003ca href=\"https://www.nelp.org/blog/which-states-cities-have-adopted-comprehensive-covid-19-worker-protections/\">is one of 14 states\u003c/a> that has also passed comprehensive workplace safety standards that apply more broadly to workplaces; they’re called “emergency temporary” standards, even though they’re in effect until 2023 at least. Those separate standards are \u003ca href=\"https://www.natlawreview.com/article/calosha-s-ets-under-scrutiny-california-judge-hears-oral-argument-to-enjoin\">in litigation\u003c/a>, challenged by various trade groups and employers.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>A Response to Tuberculosis and Pandemics \u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>One of the reasons the state wanted to make this rule is because there were tuberculosis outbreaks related to unhoused people in the late 1980s and early ’90s. To this day, homeless populations remain at higher risk for aerosol transmissible disease, including drug-resistant tuberculosis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since the turn of the century, there have been at least four significant pandemic or epidemic outbreaks. In 2003, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3329048/\">SARS spread rapidly\u003c/a> from continent to continent, and killed about 10% of the people it infected. In 2009, H1N1, or swine flu, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/2009-pandemic-timeline.html\">became the first global flu pandemic in forty years\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s when California’s Aerosol Transmissible Diseases rule took effect. The Ebola outbreak from 2014-16 then tested the rule, as cases in Southern California threatened quarantine and testing.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>A Nation-Leading Rule\u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>After the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, California passed \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/bloodbornefaq.html\">a rule to protect against bloodborne pathogens\u003c/a>; the idea was to minimize workers’ exposure to droplets of blood. This protection came to be seen as so essential that the federal government made a rule of its own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the state, employers, and workers’ advocates finished negotiating the rule to protect against airborne disease, and it took effect in 2009, the parties involved thought it was going to be nation-leading, according to Mark Catlin, an industrial hygienist and workplace safety expert who has since retired.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, Catlin says, the state of California lacked the resources to see the rule through completely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At some point, the state was going to come up with publications and guidance on it, and those got put aside because there wasn’t staff time to work on it,” he said. “And then there’s been a lot of other staffing issues and problems and budget issues within California over the last number of years.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike the CDC, which declared COVID-19 to be an airborne virus in October 2020, \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20200229044706/https://www.dir.ca.gov/DIRNews/2020/2020-08.html\">Cal/OSHA called the coronavirus airborne\u003c/a> for the purpose of regulation months earlier, in February. But it wasn’t until May, after the first surge of the coronavirus had ebbed and the second surge was coming, that Cal/OSHA issued guidance about how to deal with COVID-19 as an airborne virus in the workplace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first citations for violating that guidance just got released last fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>Violations Are Now Common \u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>From late in August 2020 to the beginning of February, Cal/OSHA has \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/COVID19citations.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">issued 42 citations\u003c/a> with violations of this rule, some for tens of thousands of dollars. That represents a third of the COVID-related citations regulators have issued so far.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Historically, the state has enforced this rule infrequently, writing up just 31 citations in five years. Two-thirds of the violations came from complaints that somebody made specifically, meaning that a complaint prompted the investigation and a state response.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Cal/OSHA itself, it can take up to six months to investigate and issue a citation. So what we know about how employers have been protecting workers from exposure to the virus is lagging. But what we do know is that the state has emphasized education rather than punishment for violations during the pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>Workers Say the Rule Hasn’t Meant Much\u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>California identified the coronavirus as airborne before the federal government did — but that doesn’t mean employers necessarily followed suit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Workers don’t always know about this standard. Some say they haven’t been trained at all, or that their training was minimal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In the beginning of the pandemic, they kept insisting we don’t wear masks because it might scare the patients, which I thought was really odd,” said Johnna Porter, a nurse at a hospital in West Hills, in Los Angeles County. “Then they kept telling us, no, no, it’s droplet.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Porter says, in the years before the pandemic, she did receive a brief training on aerosol transmissible disease. But she says for months, the hospital didn’t have enough protective gear. And she says her employer, HCA, requires nurses to seek approval to obtain tests, or, now that it’s available, the vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She says she doesn’t trust that her employers are thinking about how to minimize exposure to COVID-19 in the riskiest circumstances. Or even at the nurses’ stations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They set it up for the cafeteria in a heartbeat to make sure the food doesn’t get contaminated. And every grocery store has plexiglass now for the cashiers,” Porter said. “But they can’t do it in a hospital? It’s just so mind-blowing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State government’s largest union, SEIU 1000, represents some workers at correctional facilities — not the sworn peace officers, but, for example, people who clean the jails. The union filed a statewide grievance last summer about safety on the job, focused on exactly this rule.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>SEIU’s Daniel Lunas, says that at first, “the union was very patient and waiting” to see how the state would respond to the pandemic. Then several jails and facilities had horrendous outbreaks.\u003cbr>\nNow, he says, the state’s still lagging on enforcement and it’s affecting how many people are at work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So that’s still a problem: the fact that we believe there are still people that are showing up to work, who then should not be there because they may have been exposed or maybe already have the virus,” Luna said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So far, the state is basically letting its citations speak for themselves. Cal/OSHA declined written requests for interviews over months. The state’s guidance about how to protect workers \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/coronavirus/COVID-19-Interim-Guide-for-Hospital-Workers.html\">is organized by industry\u003c/a>, not by rule, and it has been updated several times since the pandemic began.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s worth pointing out that employers can — and usually do — appeal citations, and that appeals often lower the fines initially proposed.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>The COVID-19 Pandemic Tests the Rule\u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Having protective gear on hand matters early in a pandemic. In the early days, when pretty much every hospital and health-related workplace had PPE shortages, employers basically said, what can we do? It’s impossible to do everything.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Oh, you know what? That’s BS,” said Angela Dahlgren, a retired nurse who advocated for the passage of the rule. “I’m trying to be nice. Of course, we can prepare for it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nothing requires employers to stockpile PPE. But Dahlgren says employers can think about how to prioritize gear for risky situations, or minimize the number of people at risk in the first place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The point of the rule, she says, is planning ahead, and investing in being ready over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You can’t go out and educate everybody overnight. That doesn’t work,” Dahlgren said. “You actually have to have all these regulations and policies in place and follow them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How California follows this unique standard now is likely to influence the discussion about COVID-19 workplace safety at the federal level — which is, with the Biden administration, \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/21/executive-order-protecting-worker-health-and-safety/\">a newly active one\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Twelve years ago, Cal/OSHA passed a rule aimed at preparing hundreds of thousands of Californians from airborne disease. Why didn't it protect more people? ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1727135440,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 35,
"wordCount": 1527
},
"headData": {
"title": "California Has a Rule to Protect Workers Against Pandemics. Here’s How It’s (Not) Working | KQED",
"description": "Twelve years ago, Cal/OSHA passed a rule aimed at preparing hundreds of thousands of Californians from airborne disease. Why didn't it protect more people? ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "California Has a Rule to Protect Workers Against Pandemics. Here’s How It’s (Not) Working",
"datePublished": "2021-02-05T14:26:19-08:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-23T16:50:40-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-41c5-bcaf-aaef00f5a073/9cdb0d6e-3a10-4b81-9dc3-acc30135bf28/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"path": "/science/1972623/california-has-a-rule-to-protect-workers-against-pandemics-heres-how-its-not-working",
"audioDuration": 407000,
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A nation-leading workplace safety rule specifically designed to combat the risks of an airborne virus should have been protecting hundreds of thousands of California workers from COVID-19. The Aerosol Transmissible Diseases Standard took effect 12 years ago — and it anticipated a pandemic. But one year into the pandemic, workers say enforcement is mixed, and problems continue. Regulators at Cal/OSHA have issued more citations on this rule in the last five months than they did in the previous five years.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>Hundreds of Thousands of Workers\u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>This rule applies to hospitals and nursing homes, to home health workers and coroners, to jails and ambulance companies: any place where an airborne disease would be expected to appear to catch, hold and spread widely. Employers must have annual training and written plans for exposure. They have to identify activities at work that are high hazard and figure out ways to minimize the risk. They have to have \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/dosh_publications/respiratory.pdf\">respiratory protection equipment\u003c/a>, not just N95s, but sometimes powered air-purifying respirator hoods, called PAPR hoods.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘Every grocery store has plexiglass now for the cashiers. But they can’t do it in a hospital? It’s just so mind-blowing.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"citation": "Johnna Porter, Nurse",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Employees are entitled to medical services like vaccinations and evaluations after someone’s been exposed. And if they get sent home for getting sick on the job, they’re entitled to sick pay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To be clear, the state of California \u003ca href=\"https://www.nelp.org/blog/which-states-cities-have-adopted-comprehensive-covid-19-worker-protections/\">is one of 14 states\u003c/a> that has also passed comprehensive workplace safety standards that apply more broadly to workplaces; they’re called “emergency temporary” standards, even though they’re in effect until 2023 at least. Those separate standards are \u003ca href=\"https://www.natlawreview.com/article/calosha-s-ets-under-scrutiny-california-judge-hears-oral-argument-to-enjoin\">in litigation\u003c/a>, challenged by various trade groups and employers.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>A Response to Tuberculosis and Pandemics \u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>One of the reasons the state wanted to make this rule is because there were tuberculosis outbreaks related to unhoused people in the late 1980s and early ’90s. To this day, homeless populations remain at higher risk for aerosol transmissible disease, including drug-resistant tuberculosis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since the turn of the century, there have been at least four significant pandemic or epidemic outbreaks. In 2003, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3329048/\">SARS spread rapidly\u003c/a> from continent to continent, and killed about 10% of the people it infected. In 2009, H1N1, or swine flu, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/2009-pandemic-timeline.html\">became the first global flu pandemic in forty years\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s when California’s Aerosol Transmissible Diseases rule took effect. The Ebola outbreak from 2014-16 then tested the rule, as cases in Southern California threatened quarantine and testing.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>A Nation-Leading Rule\u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>After the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, California passed \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/bloodbornefaq.html\">a rule to protect against bloodborne pathogens\u003c/a>; the idea was to minimize workers’ exposure to droplets of blood. This protection came to be seen as so essential that the federal government made a rule of its own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the state, employers, and workers’ advocates finished negotiating the rule to protect against airborne disease, and it took effect in 2009, the parties involved thought it was going to be nation-leading, according to Mark Catlin, an industrial hygienist and workplace safety expert who has since retired.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, Catlin says, the state of California lacked the resources to see the rule through completely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At some point, the state was going to come up with publications and guidance on it, and those got put aside because there wasn’t staff time to work on it,” he said. “And then there’s been a lot of other staffing issues and problems and budget issues within California over the last number of years.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike the CDC, which declared COVID-19 to be an airborne virus in October 2020, \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20200229044706/https://www.dir.ca.gov/DIRNews/2020/2020-08.html\">Cal/OSHA called the coronavirus airborne\u003c/a> for the purpose of regulation months earlier, in February. But it wasn’t until May, after the first surge of the coronavirus had ebbed and the second surge was coming, that Cal/OSHA issued guidance about how to deal with COVID-19 as an airborne virus in the workplace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first citations for violating that guidance just got released last fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>Violations Are Now Common \u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>From late in August 2020 to the beginning of February, Cal/OSHA has \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/COVID19citations.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">issued 42 citations\u003c/a> with violations of this rule, some for tens of thousands of dollars. That represents a third of the COVID-related citations regulators have issued so far.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Historically, the state has enforced this rule infrequently, writing up just 31 citations in five years. Two-thirds of the violations came from complaints that somebody made specifically, meaning that a complaint prompted the investigation and a state response.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Cal/OSHA itself, it can take up to six months to investigate and issue a citation. So what we know about how employers have been protecting workers from exposure to the virus is lagging. But what we do know is that the state has emphasized education rather than punishment for violations during the pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>Workers Say the Rule Hasn’t Meant Much\u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>California identified the coronavirus as airborne before the federal government did — but that doesn’t mean employers necessarily followed suit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Workers don’t always know about this standard. Some say they haven’t been trained at all, or that their training was minimal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In the beginning of the pandemic, they kept insisting we don’t wear masks because it might scare the patients, which I thought was really odd,” said Johnna Porter, a nurse at a hospital in West Hills, in Los Angeles County. “Then they kept telling us, no, no, it’s droplet.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Porter says, in the years before the pandemic, she did receive a brief training on aerosol transmissible disease. But she says for months, the hospital didn’t have enough protective gear. And she says her employer, HCA, requires nurses to seek approval to obtain tests, or, now that it’s available, the vaccine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She says she doesn’t trust that her employers are thinking about how to minimize exposure to COVID-19 in the riskiest circumstances. Or even at the nurses’ stations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They set it up for the cafeteria in a heartbeat to make sure the food doesn’t get contaminated. And every grocery store has plexiglass now for the cashiers,” Porter said. “But they can’t do it in a hospital? It’s just so mind-blowing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State government’s largest union, SEIU 1000, represents some workers at correctional facilities — not the sworn peace officers, but, for example, people who clean the jails. The union filed a statewide grievance last summer about safety on the job, focused on exactly this rule.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>SEIU’s Daniel Lunas, says that at first, “the union was very patient and waiting” to see how the state would respond to the pandemic. Then several jails and facilities had horrendous outbreaks.\u003cbr>\nNow, he says, the state’s still lagging on enforcement and it’s affecting how many people are at work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So that’s still a problem: the fact that we believe there are still people that are showing up to work, who then should not be there because they may have been exposed or maybe already have the virus,” Luna said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So far, the state is basically letting its citations speak for themselves. Cal/OSHA declined written requests for interviews over months. The state’s guidance about how to protect workers \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/coronavirus/COVID-19-Interim-Guide-for-Hospital-Workers.html\">is organized by industry\u003c/a>, not by rule, and it has been updated several times since the pandemic began.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s worth pointing out that employers can — and usually do — appeal citations, and that appeals often lower the fines initially proposed.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>The COVID-19 Pandemic Tests the Rule\u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Having protective gear on hand matters early in a pandemic. In the early days, when pretty much every hospital and health-related workplace had PPE shortages, employers basically said, what can we do? It’s impossible to do everything.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Oh, you know what? That’s BS,” said Angela Dahlgren, a retired nurse who advocated for the passage of the rule. “I’m trying to be nice. Of course, we can prepare for it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nothing requires employers to stockpile PPE. But Dahlgren says employers can think about how to prioritize gear for risky situations, or minimize the number of people at risk in the first place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The point of the rule, she says, is planning ahead, and investing in being ready over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You can’t go out and educate everybody overnight. That doesn’t work,” Dahlgren said. “You actually have to have all these regulations and policies in place and follow them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How California follows this unique standard now is likely to influence the discussion about COVID-19 workplace safety at the federal level — which is, with the Biden administration, \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/21/executive-order-protecting-worker-health-and-safety/\">a newly active one\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1972623/california-has-a-rule-to-protect-workers-against-pandemics-heres-how-its-not-working",
"authors": [
"11223"
],
"programs": [
"science_5376"
],
"categories": [
"science_39",
"science_40",
"science_5141",
"science_43",
"science_4450",
"science_3423"
],
"tags": [
"science_4329",
"science_4414",
"science_5181"
],
"featImg": "science_1972642",
"label": "science_5376"
}
},
"podcastsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"podcasts": {}
},
"radioProgramsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"radioPrograms": {}
},
"radioSearchSegmentsReducer": {},
"programsReducer": {
"all-things-considered": {
"id": "all-things-considered",
"title": "All Things Considered",
"info": "Every weekday, \u003cem>All Things Considered\u003c/em> hosts Robert Siegel, Audie Cornish, Ari Shapiro, and Kelly McEvers present the program's trademark mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features. Michel Martin hosts on the weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 1pm-2pm, 4:30pm-6:30pm\u003cbr />SAT-SUN 5pm-6pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/All-Things-Considered-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/all-things-considered/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/all-things-considered"
},
"american-suburb-podcast": {
"id": "american-suburb-podcast",
"title": "American Suburb: The Podcast",
"tagline": "The flip side of gentrification, told through one town",
"info": "Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/American-Suburb-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 19
},
"link": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/RBrW",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=1287748328",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/American-Suburb-p1086805/",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/feed/podcast",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMzMDExODgxNjA5"
}
},
"baycurious": {
"id": "baycurious",
"title": "Bay Curious",
"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bay-Curious-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Bay Curious",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/baycurious",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 3
},
"link": "/podcasts/baycurious",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bay-curious/id1172473406",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/500557090/bay-curious",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/category/bay-curious-podcast/feed/podcast",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9a90d476-aa04-455d-9a4c-0871ed6216d4/bay-curious",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/bay-curious",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6O76IdmhixfijmhTZLIJ8k"
}
},
"bbc-world-service": {
"id": "bbc-world-service",
"title": "BBC World Service",
"info": "The day's top stories from BBC News compiled twice daily in the week, once at weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9pm-10pm, TUE-FRI 1am-2am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BBC-World-Service-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_world_service",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "BBC World Service"
},
"link": "/radio/program/bbc-world-service",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/global-news-podcast/id135067274?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/BBC-World-Service-p455581/",
"rss": "https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/p02nq0gn.rss"
}
},
"californiareport": {
"id": "californiareport",
"title": "The California Report",
"tagline": "California, day by day",
"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareport",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 8
},
"link": "/californiareport",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-the-california-report/id79681292",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/26099305-72af-4542-9dde-ac1807fe36d5/kqed-s-the-california-report",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432285393/the-california-report",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-the-california-report-podcast-8838",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcram/feed/podcast"
}
},
"californiareportmagazine": {
"id": "californiareportmagazine",
"title": "The California Report Magazine",
"tagline": "Your state, your stories",
"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
"airtime": "FRI 4:30pm-5pm, 6:30pm-7pm, 11pm-11:30pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Magazine-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report Magazine",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareportmagazine",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 10
},
"link": "/californiareportmagazine",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-california-report-magazine/id1314750545",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/564733126/the-california-report-magazine",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-california-report-magazine",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrmag/feed/podcast"
}
},
"city-arts": {
"id": "city-arts",
"title": "City Arts & Lectures",
"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/cityartsandlecture-300x300.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.cityarts.net/",
"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
"subscribe": {
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/City-Arts-and-Lectures-p692/",
"rss": "https://www.cityarts.net/feed/"
}
},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
"title": "Close All Tabs",
"tagline": "Your irreverent guide to the trends redefining our world",
"info": "Close All Tabs breaks down how digital culture shapes our world through thoughtful insights and irreverent humor.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CAT_2_Tile-scaled.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Close All Tabs",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 1
},
"link": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/close-all-tabs/id214663465",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC6993880386",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/92d9d4ac-67a3-4eed-b10a-fb45d45b1ef2/close-all-tabs",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6LAJFHnGK1pYXYzv6SIol6?si=deb0cae19813417c"
}
},
"code-switch-life-kit": {
"id": "code-switch-life-kit",
"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
"airtime": "SUN 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Code-Switch-Life-Kit-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/code-switch-life-kit",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/1112190608?mt=2&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnByLm9yZy9yc3MvcG9kY2FzdC5waHA_aWQ9NTEwMzEy",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3bExJ9JQpkwNhoHvaIIuyV",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510312/podcast.xml"
}
},
"commonwealth-club": {
"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.commonwealthclub.org/podcasts",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/commonwealth-club-of-california-podcast/id976334034?mt=2",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Commonwealth-Club-of-California-p1060/"
}
},
"forum": {
"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/forum",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
"link": "/forum",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-forum/id73329719",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432307980/forum",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-forum-podcast",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9557381633"
}
},
"freakonomics-radio": {
"id": "freakonomics-radio",
"title": "Freakonomics Radio",
"info": "Freakonomics Radio is a one-hour award-winning podcast and public-radio project hosted by Stephen Dubner, with co-author Steve Levitt as a regular guest. It is produced in partnership with WNYC.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/freakonomicsradio"
}
},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
"title": "Fresh Air",
"info": "Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Fresh-Air-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Fresh-Air-p17/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"
}
},
"here-and-now": {
"id": "here-and-now",
"title": "Here & Now",
"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
"airtime": "MON-THU 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Here-And-Now-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/here-and-now",
"subsdcribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=426698661",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Here--Now-p211/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
"title": "Hidden Brain",
"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/hiddenbrain.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain",
"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-brain/id1028908750?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Science-Podcasts/Hidden-Brain-p787503/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510308/podcast.xml"
}
},
"how-i-built-this": {
"id": "how-i-built-this",
"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/How-I-Built-This-p910896/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510313/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
"imageAlt": "KQED Hyphenación",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hyphenaci%C3%B3n/id1191591838",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
"youtube": "https://www.youtube.com/c/kqedarts",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6c3dd23c-93fb-4aab-97ba-1725fa6315f1/hyphenaci%C3%B3n",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC2275451163"
}
},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/790253322/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1492194549",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/jerrybrown/feed/podcast/",
"tuneIn": "http://tun.in/pjGcK",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/54C1dmuyFyKMFttY6X2j6r?si=K8SgRCoISNK6ZbjpXrX5-w",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/44420f75-3b0e-4301-ab3b-16da6b09e543/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown"
}
},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/xtTd",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Latino-USA-p621/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201853034&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/APM-Marketplace-p88/",
"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
}
},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Masters-of-Scale-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindshift-podcast/id1078765985",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/464615685/mind-shift-podcast",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/stories-teachers-share",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0MxSpNYZKNprFLCl7eEtyx"
}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/onourwatch",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0OLWoyizopu6tY1XiuX70x",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-Our-Watch-p1436229/",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/show/on-our-watch",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510360/podcast.xml"
}
},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Perspectives",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id73801135",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432309616/perspectives",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/perspectives/category/perspectives/feed/",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93dzIua3FlZC5vcmcvcGVyc3BlY3RpdmVzL2NhdGVnb3J5L3BlcnNwZWN0aXZlcy9mZWVkLw"
}
},
"planet-money": {
"id": "planet-money",
"title": "Planet Money",
"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/money/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/M4f5",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business--Economics-Podcasts/Planet-Money-p164680/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510289/podcast.xml"
}
},
"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Political-Breakdown-2024-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Political Breakdown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 5
},
"link": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/political-breakdown/id1327641087",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0c2d153-ad36-4c8d-901d-f1da6a724824/political-breakdown",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/572155894/political-breakdown",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/political-breakdown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/07RVyIjIdk2WDuVehvBMoN",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/political-breakdown/feed/podcast"
}
},
"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/possible/id1677184070",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
}
},
"pri-the-world": {
"id": "pri-the-world",
"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pri.org/programs/the-world",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "PRI"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pri-the-world",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pris-the-world-latest-edition/id278196007?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/PRIs-The-World-p24/",
"rss": "http://feeds.feedburner.com/pri/theworld"
}
},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
"airtime": "SUN 12am-1am, SAT 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/radiolab1400.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/radiolab/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/radiolab",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/radiolab/id152249110?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/RadioLab-p68032/",
"rss": "https://feeds.wnyc.org/radiolab"
}
},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
"airtime": "SAT 4pm-5pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/reveal300px.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/reveal",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/reveal/id886009669",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Reveal-p679597/",
"rss": "http://feeds.revealradio.org/revealpodcast"
}
},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rightnowish-Podcast-Tile-500x500-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Rightnowish with Pendarvis Harshaw",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 16
},
"link": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/programs/rightnowish/feed/podcast",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMxMjU5MTY3NDc4",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I"
}
},
"science-friday": {
"id": "science-friday",
"title": "Science Friday",
"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
"airtime": "FRI 11am-1pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Science-Friday-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/science-friday",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/science-friday",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=73329284&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Science-Friday-p394/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/science-friday"
}
},
"snap-judgment": {
"id": "snap-judgment",
"title": "Snap Judgment",
"tagline": "Real stories with killer beats",
"info": "The Snap Judgment radio show and podcast mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling... with a BEAT!! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 450 public radio stations and is brought to the airwaves by KQED & PRX.",
"airtime": "SAT 1pm-2pm, 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Snap-Judgment-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Snap Judgment",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 4
},
"link": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/snap-judgment/id283657561",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/449018144/snap-judgment",
"stitcher": "https://www.pandora.com/podcast/snap-judgment/PC:241?source=stitcher-sunset",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cct7ZWmxHNAtLgBTqjC5v",
"rss": "https://snap.feed.snapjudgment.org/"
}
},
"soldout": {
"id": "soldout",
"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
"info": "Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Sold-Out-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/soldout",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 13
},
"link": "/podcasts/soldout",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/911586047/s-o-l-d-o-u-t-a-new-future-for-housing",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/introducing-sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america/id1531354937",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/soldout",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/38dTBSk2ISFoPiyYNoKn1X",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america",
"tunein": "https://tunein.com/radio/SOLD-OUT-Rethinking-Housing-in-America-p1365871/"
}
},
"spooked": {
"id": "spooked",
"title": "Spooked",
"tagline": "True-life supernatural stories",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Spooked-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Spooked",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 7
},
"link": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spooked/id1279361017",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/549547848/snap-judgment-presents-spooked",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/76571Rfl3m7PLJQZKQIGCT",
"rss": "https://feeds.simplecast.com/TBotaapn"
}
},
"tech-nation": {
"id": "tech-nation",
"title": "Tech Nation Radio Podcast",
"info": "Tech Nation is a weekly public radio program, hosted by Dr. Moira Gunn. Founded in 1993, it has grown from a simple interview show to a multi-faceted production, featuring conversations with noted technology and science leaders, and a weekly science and technology-related commentary.",
"airtime": "FRI 10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Tech-Nation-Radio-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://technation.podomatic.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "Tech Nation Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tech-nation",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://technation.podomatic.com/rss2.xml"
}
},
"ted-radio-hour": {
"id": "ted-radio-hour",
"title": "TED Radio Hour",
"info": "The TED Radio Hour is a journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ways to think and create.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm, SAT 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/tedRadioHour.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/?showDate=2018-06-22",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/ted-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/8vsS",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=523121474&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/TED-Radio-Hour-p418021/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510298/podcast.xml"
}
},
"thebay": {
"id": "thebay",
"title": "The Bay",
"tagline": "Local news to keep you rooted",
"info": "Host Devin Katayama walks you through the biggest story of the day with reporters and newsmakers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Bay-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Bay",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/thebay",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 2
},
"link": "/podcasts/thebay",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bay/id1350043452",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d800ea4c-7a2c-42f2-b861-edaf78a5db0b/the-bay",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/586725995/the-bay",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-bay",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/4BIKBKIujizLHlIlBNaAqQ",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC8259786327"
}
},
"thelatest": {
"id": "thelatest",
"title": "The Latest",
"tagline": "Trusted local news in real time",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-Latest-2025-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Latest",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/thelatest",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 6
},
"link": "/thelatest",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-latest-from-kqed/id1197721799",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1257949365/the-latest-from-k-q-e-d",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/5KIIXMgM9GTi5AepwOYvIZ?si=bd3053fec7244dba",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9137121918"
}
},
"theleap": {
"id": "theleap",
"title": "The Leap",
"tagline": "What if you closed your eyes, and jumped?",
"info": "Stories about people making dramatic, risky changes, told by award-winning public radio reporter Judy Campbell.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Leap-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Leap",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/theleap",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 17
},
"link": "/podcasts/theleap",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leap/id1046668171",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/447248267/the-leap",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-leap",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3sSlVHHzU0ytLwuGs1SD1U",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/programs/the-leap/feed/podcast"
}
},
"the-moth-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-moth-radio-hour",
"title": "The Moth Radio Hour",
"info": "Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating. Since 2008, The Moth podcast has featured many of our favorite stories told live on Moth stages around the country. For information on all of our programs and live events, visit themoth.org.",
"airtime": "SAT 8pm-9pm and SUN 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/theMoth.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://themoth.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "prx"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-moth-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-moth-podcast/id275699983?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/The-Moth-p273888/",
"rss": "http://feeds.themoth.org/themothpodcast"
}
},
"the-new-yorker-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"title": "The New Yorker Radio Hour",
"info": "The New Yorker Radio Hour is a weekly program presented by the magazine's editor, David Remnick, and produced by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker. Each episode features a diverse mix of interviews, profiles, storytelling, and an occasional burst of humor inspired by the magazine, and shaped by its writers, artists, and editors. This isn't a radio version of a magazine, but something all its own, reflecting the rich possibilities of audio storytelling and conversation. Theme music for the show was composed and performed by Merrill Garbus of tUnE-YArDs.",
"airtime": "SAT 10am-11am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-New-Yorker-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/tnyradiohour",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1050430296",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/New-Yorker-Radio-Hour-p803804/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/newyorkerradiohour"
}
},
"the-sam-sanders-show": {
"id": "the-sam-sanders-show",
"title": "The Sam Sanders Show",
"info": "One of public radio's most dynamic voices, Sam Sanders helped launch The NPR Politics Podcast and hosted NPR's hit show It's Been A Minute. Now, the award-winning host returns with something brand new, The Sam Sanders Show. Every week, Sam Sanders and friends dig into the culture that shapes our lives: what's driving the biggest trends, how artists really think, and even the memes you can't stop scrolling past. Sam is beloved for his way of unpacking the world and bringing you up close to fresh currents and engaging conversations. The Sam Sanders Show is smart, funny and always a good time.",
"airtime": "FRI 12-1pm AND SAT 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-Sam-Sanders-Show-Podcast-Tile-400x400-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "KCRW"
},
"link": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feed.cdnstream1.com/zjb/feed/download/ac/28/59/ac28594c-e1d0-4231-8728-61865cdc80e8.xml"
}
},
"the-splendid-table": {
"id": "the-splendid-table",
"title": "The Splendid Table",
"info": "\u003cem>The Splendid Table\u003c/em> hosts our nation's conversations about cooking, sustainability and food culture.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Splendid-Table-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.splendidtable.org/",
"airtime": "SUN 10-11 pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-splendid-table"
},
"this-american-life": {
"id": "this-american-life",
"title": "This American Life",
"info": "This American Life is a weekly public radio show, heard by 2.2 million people on more than 500 stations. Another 2.5 million people download the weekly podcast. It is hosted by Ira Glass, produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media, delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange, and has won all of the major broadcasting awards.",
"airtime": "SAT 12pm-1pm, 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/thisAmericanLife.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wbez"
},
"link": "/radio/program/this-american-life",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201671138&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"rss": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/podcast/rss.xml"
}
},
"tinydeskradio": {
"id": "tinydeskradio",
"title": "Tiny Desk Radio",
"info": "We're bringing the best of Tiny Desk to the airwaves, only on public radio.",
"airtime": "SUN 8pm and SAT 9pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/300x300-For-Member-Station-Logo-Tiny-Desk-Radio-@2x.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/g-s1-52030/tiny-desk-radio",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tinydeskradio",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/g-s1-52030/rss.xml"
}
},
"wait-wait-dont-tell-me": {
"id": "wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"title": "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!",
"info": "Peter Sagal and Bill Kurtis host the weekly NPR News quiz show alongside some of the best and brightest news and entertainment personalities.",
"airtime": "SUN 10am-11am, SAT 11am-12pm, SAT 6pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Wait-Wait-Podcast-Tile-300x300-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/Xogv",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=121493804&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Wait-Wait-Dont-Tell-Me-p46/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/344098539/podcast.xml"
}
},
"weekend-edition-saturday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-saturday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Saturday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Saturday wraps up the week's news and offers a mix of analysis and features on a wide range of topics, including arts, sports, entertainment, and human interest stories. The two-hour program is hosted by NPR's Peabody Award-winning Scott Simon.",
"airtime": "SAT 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-saturday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-saturday"
},
"weekend-edition-sunday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-sunday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Sunday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Sunday features interviews with newsmakers, artists, scientists, politicians, musicians, writers, theologians and historians. The program has covered news events from Nelson Mandela's 1990 release from a South African prison to the capture of Saddam Hussein.",
"airtime": "SUN 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-sunday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-sunday"
}
},
"racesReducer": {},
"racesGenElectionReducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026Reducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026PresidentialReducer": {},
"radioSchedulesReducer": {},
"listsReducer": {
"posts/science?category=science-podcast": {
"isFetching": false,
"latestQuery": {
"from": 0,
"size": 12
},
"vitalsOnly": false,
"totalRequested": 12,
"isLoading": false,
"isLoadingMore": true,
"total": {
"value": 107,
"relation": "eq"
},
"items": [
"science_1965575",
"science_1981541",
"science_1949019",
"science_1975665",
"science_1973196",
"science_1973159",
"science_1973138",
"science_1974265",
"science_1973493",
"science_1973217",
"science_1972824",
"science_1972623"
],
"complete": true
}
},
"recallGuideReducer": {
"intros": {},
"policy": {},
"candidates": {}
},
"savedArticleReducer": {
"articles": [],
"status": {}
},
"newslettersReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"newsletters": {},
"isSubscribing": false,
"isUnsubscribing": false,
"subscribedNewsletters": {}
},
"termsReducer": {
"about": {
"name": "About",
"type": "terms",
"id": "about",
"slug": "about",
"link": "/about",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"arts": {
"name": "Arts & Culture",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"description": "KQED Arts provides daily in-depth coverage of the Bay Area's music, art, film, performing arts, literature and arts news, as well as cultural commentary and criticism.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts",
"slug": "arts",
"link": "/arts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"artschool": {
"name": "Art School",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "artschool",
"slug": "artschool",
"link": "/artschool",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareabites": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareabites",
"slug": "bayareabites",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareahiphop": {
"name": "Bay Area Hiphop",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareahiphop",
"slug": "bayareahiphop",
"link": "/bayareahiphop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"campaign21": {
"name": "Campaign 21",
"type": "terms",
"id": "campaign21",
"slug": "campaign21",
"link": "/campaign21",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"careers": {
"name": "Careers",
"type": "terms",
"id": "careers",
"slug": "careers",
"link": "/careers",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"checkplease": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "checkplease",
"slug": "checkplease",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"education": {
"name": "Education",
"grouping": [
"education"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "education",
"slug": "education",
"link": "/education",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"elections": {
"name": "Elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "elections",
"slug": "elections",
"link": "/elections",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"events": {
"name": "Events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "events",
"slug": "events",
"link": "/events",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"event": {
"name": "Event",
"alias": "events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "event",
"slug": "event",
"link": "/event",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"filmschoolshorts": {
"name": "Film School Shorts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "filmschoolshorts",
"slug": "filmschoolshorts",
"link": "/filmschoolshorts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"food": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "food",
"slug": "food",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"forum": {
"name": "Forum",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/forum?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "forum",
"slug": "forum",
"link": "/forum",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"futureofyou": {
"name": "Future of You",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "futureofyou",
"slug": "futureofyou",
"link": "/futureofyou",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"jpepinheart": {
"name": "KQED food",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/food,bayareabites,checkplease",
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "jpepinheart",
"slug": "jpepinheart",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"liveblog": {
"name": "Live Blog",
"type": "terms",
"id": "liveblog",
"slug": "liveblog",
"link": "/liveblog",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"livetv": {
"name": "Live TV",
"parent": "tv",
"type": "terms",
"id": "livetv",
"slug": "livetv",
"link": "/livetv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"lowdown": {
"name": "The Lowdown",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/lowdown?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "lowdown",
"slug": "lowdown",
"link": "/lowdown",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"mindshift": {
"name": "Mindshift",
"parent": "news",
"description": "MindShift explores the future of education by highlighting the innovative – and sometimes counterintuitive – ways educators and parents are helping all children succeed.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift",
"slug": "mindshift",
"link": "/mindshift",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"news": {
"name": "News",
"grouping": [
"news",
"forum"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "news",
"slug": "news",
"link": "/news",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"newsletters": {
"name": "newsletters",
"type": "terms",
"id": "newsletters",
"slug": "newsletters",
"link": "/newsletters",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"perspectives": {
"name": "Perspectives",
"parent": "radio",
"type": "terms",
"id": "perspectives",
"slug": "perspectives",
"link": "/perspectives",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"podcasts": {
"name": "Podcasts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "podcasts",
"slug": "podcasts",
"link": "/podcasts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pop": {
"name": "Pop",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop",
"slug": "pop",
"link": "/pop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pressroom": {
"name": "Pressroom",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pressroom",
"slug": "pressroom",
"link": "/pressroom",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"quest": {
"name": "Quest",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "quest",
"slug": "quest",
"link": "/quest",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"radio": {
"name": "Radio",
"grouping": [
"forum",
"perspectives"
],
"description": "Listen to KQED Public Radio – home of Forum and The California Report – on 88.5 FM in San Francisco, 89.3 FM in Sacramento, 88.3 FM in Santa Rosa and 88.1 FM in Martinez.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "radio",
"slug": "radio",
"link": "/radio",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"root": {
"name": "KQED",
"image": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"imageWidth": 1200,
"imageHeight": 630,
"headData": {
"title": "KQED | News, Radio, Podcasts, TV | Public Media for Northern California",
"description": "KQED provides public radio, television, and independent reporting on issues that matter to the Bay Area. We’re the NPR and PBS member station for Northern California."
},
"type": "terms",
"id": "root",
"slug": "root",
"link": "/root",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"science": {
"name": "Science",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"description": "KQED Science brings you award-winning science and environment coverage from the Bay Area and beyond.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "science",
"slug": "science",
"link": "/science",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"stateofhealth": {
"name": "State of Health",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth",
"slug": "stateofhealth",
"link": "/stateofhealth",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"support": {
"name": "Support",
"type": "terms",
"id": "support",
"slug": "support",
"link": "/support",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"thedolist": {
"name": "The Do List",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "thedolist",
"slug": "thedolist",
"link": "/thedolist",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"trulyca": {
"name": "Truly CA",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "trulyca",
"slug": "trulyca",
"link": "/trulyca",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"tv": {
"name": "TV",
"type": "terms",
"id": "tv",
"slug": "tv",
"link": "/tv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"voterguide": {
"name": "Voter Guide",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "voterguide",
"slug": "voterguide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"guiaelectoral": {
"name": "Guia Electoral",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "guiaelectoral",
"slug": "guiaelectoral",
"link": "/guiaelectoral",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"science_category_science-podcast": {
"isLoading": true
},
"science_3423": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3423",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3423",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Science Podcast",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"socialTitle": "Bay Area Science: Stories & Insights with KQED's Science Podcasts",
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "Our captivating podcasts take you on a journey through the Bay Area's vibrant scientific landscape. Discover groundbreaking research & hear expert insights.",
"title": "Bay Area Science: Stories & Insights with KQED's Science Podcasts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3423,
"slug": "science-podcast",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/science-podcast"
},
"source_science_1965575": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1965575",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Wildfire",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1981541": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1981541",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Science Podcast",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/science/category/science-podcast",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1949019": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1949019",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Earthquakes",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1975665": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1975665",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Wildfire",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1973196": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1973196",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Wildfire",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1973159": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1973159",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Wildfire",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1973138": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1973138",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Wildfire",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1974265": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1974265",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "COVID-19 Vaccines",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1973493": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1973493",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Coronavirus",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1973217": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1973217",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Oceans",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1972824": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1972824",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Coronavirus",
"isLoading": false
},
"science_5376": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5376",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5376",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Science Podcast",
"slug": "science-podcast",
"taxonomy": "program",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Science Podcast | KQED Science",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 5376,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/program/science-podcast"
},
"science_40": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_40",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "40",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "News",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "News Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 42,
"slug": "news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/news"
},
"science_5141": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5141",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5141",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Podcast",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Podcast Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5141,
"slug": "podcast",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/podcast"
},
"science_4450": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_4450",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "4450",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Science",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Science Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4450,
"slug": "science",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/science"
},
"science_3730": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3730",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3730",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Wildfires",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Wildfires Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3730,
"slug": "wildfires",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/wildfires"
},
"science_4417": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_4417",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "4417",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "featured-news",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "featured-news Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4417,
"slug": "featured-news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/featured-news"
},
"science_3779": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3779",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3779",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "housing",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "housing Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3779,
"slug": "housing",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/housing"
},
"science_113": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_113",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "113",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "wildfire",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "wildfire Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 117,
"slug": "wildfire",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/wildfire"
},
"science_5342": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5342",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5342",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "wildfirefeature",
"slug": "wildfirefeature",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "wildfirefeature Archives | KQED Science",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 5342,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/wildfirefeature"
},
"science_5347": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5347",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5347",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "wildfires",
"slug": "wildfires",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "wildfires Archives | KQED Science",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 5347,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/wildfires"
},
"science_5217": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5217",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5217",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5217,
"slug": "california",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/interest/california"
},
"science_5229": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5229",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5229",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Climate",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Climate Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5229,
"slug": "climate",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/interest/climate"
},
"science_5220": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5220",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5220",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "East Bay",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "East Bay Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5220,
"slug": "east-bay",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/interest/east-bay"
},
"science_5222": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5222",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5222",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "North Bay",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "North Bay Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5222,
"slug": "north-bay",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/interest/north-bay"
},
"science_31": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_31",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "31",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Climate",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Climate Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33,
"slug": "climate",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/climate"
},
"science_35": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_35",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "35",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Environment",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Environment Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 37,
"slug": "environment",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/environment"
},
"science_38": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_38",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "38",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Geology",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Geology Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 40,
"slug": "geology",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/geology"
},
"science_1888": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_1888",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1888",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "disaster preparedness",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "disaster preparedness Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1899,
"slug": "disaster-preparedness",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/disaster-preparedness"
},
"science_257": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_257",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "257",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "earthquake",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "earthquake Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 261,
"slug": "earthquake",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/earthquake"
},
"science_427": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_427",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "427",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "earthquakes",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "earthquakes Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 433,
"slug": "earthquakes",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/earthquakes"
},
"science_654": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_654",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "654",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "hayward fault",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "hayward fault Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 660,
"slug": "hayward-fault",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/hayward-fault"
},
"science_813": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_813",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "813",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "news",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "news Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 820,
"slug": "news-2",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/news-2"
},
"science_39": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_39",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "39",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Health Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 41,
"slug": "health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/health"
},
"science_5181": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5181",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5181",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "health Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5181,
"slug": "health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/health"
},
"science_43": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_43",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "43",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Radio",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Radio Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 45,
"slug": "radio",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/radio"
},
"science_1942": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_1942",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1942",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California State Parks",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California State Parks Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1953,
"slug": "california-state-parks",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/california-state-parks"
},
"science_182": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_182",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "182",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "climate",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "climate Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 186,
"slug": "climate-2",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/climate-2"
},
"science_254": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_254",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "254",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "hiking",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "hiking Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 258,
"slug": "hiking",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/hiking"
},
"science_4729": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_4729",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "4729",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "outdoors",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "outdoors Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4729,
"slug": "outdoors",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/outdoors"
},
"science_4414": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_4414",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "4414",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "featured-science",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "featured-science Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4414,
"slug": "featured-science",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/featured-science"
},
"science_4329": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_4329",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "4329",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Coronavirus",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Coronavirus Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4329,
"slug": "coronavirus",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/coronavirus"
},
"science_410": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_410",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "410",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "vaccines",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "vaccines Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 416,
"slug": "vaccines",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/vaccines"
},
"science_2874": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_2874",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "2874",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Animals",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Animals Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2874,
"slug": "animals",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/animals"
},
"science_46": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_46",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "46",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Audio",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Audio Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 48,
"slug": "audio",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/audio"
},
"science_2873": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_2873",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "2873",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Oceans",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Oceans Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2873,
"slug": "oceans",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/oceans"
},
"science_194": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_194",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "194",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "climate change",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "climate change Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 198,
"slug": "climate-change",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/climate-change"
},
"science_371": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_371",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "371",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "el nino",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "el nino Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 377,
"slug": "el-nino",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/el-nino"
},
"science_3265": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3265",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3265",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "kelp forest",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "kelp forest Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3265,
"slug": "kelp-forest",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/kelp-forest"
},
"science_324": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_324",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "324",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "oceans",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "oceans Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 330,
"slug": "oceans",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/oceans"
},
"science_3266": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3266",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3266",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "sea star wasting disease",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "sea star wasting disease Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3266,
"slug": "sea-star-wasting-disease",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/sea-star-wasting-disease"
},
"science_3890": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3890",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3890",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Medical Science",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Medical Science Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3890,
"slug": "medical-science",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/medical-science"
},
"science_4368": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_4368",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "4368",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "COVID-19",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "COVID-19 Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4368,
"slug": "covid-19",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/covid-19"
}
},
"userPermissionsReducer": {
"wpLoggedIn": false
},
"eventsReducer": {},
"fssReducer": {},
"tvDailyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvWeeklyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvPrimetimeScheduleReducer": {},
"tvMonthlyScheduleReducer": {},
"userAccountReducer": {
"user": {
"email": null,
"emailStatus": "EMAIL_UNVALIDATED",
"loggedStatus": "LOGGED_OUT",
"loggingChecked": false,
"articles": [],
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"phoneNumber": null,
"fetchingMembership": false,
"membershipError": false,
"memberships": [
{
"id": null,
"startDate": null,
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"familyNumber": null,
"memberNumber": null,
"memberSince": null,
"expirationDate": null,
"pfsEligible": false,
"isSustaining": false,
"membershipLevel": "Prospect",
"membershipStatus": "Non Member",
"lastGiftDate": null,
"renewalDate": null,
"lastDonationAmount": null
}
]
},
"authModal": {
"isOpen": false,
"view": "LANDING_VIEW"
},
"error": null
},
"youthMediaReducer": {},
"checkPleaseReducer": {
"filterData": {
"region": {
"key": "Restaurant Region",
"filters": [
"Any Region"
]
},
"cuisine": {
"key": "Restaurant Cuisine",
"filters": [
"Any Cuisine"
]
}
},
"restaurantDataById": {},
"restaurantIdsSorted": [],
"error": null
},
"userAgentReducer": {
"userAgent": "Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)",
"isBot": true
},
"requestOutcomesReducer": {
"notFound": []
},
"navPromosReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": true,
"promos": {
"news": {
"name": "2026 Voter Guide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"imageURL": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Nav-News-Nov2026ElectionCoverage@2x-7bd4aad4.png",
"description": "Get informed in minutes with our Voter Guide for California’s November 3 election."
},
"podcasts-radio": {},
"video-tv": {},
"events": {},
"support": {}
}
}
}