A record amount of California is burning, spurred by a nearly 20-year mega-drought. To the north, parts of Oregon that don’t usually catch fire are in flames. Meanwhile, the Atlantic’s 16th and 17th named tropical storms are swirling, a record number for this time of year. Powerful Typhoon Haishen lashed Japan and the Korean...
Study: Warming Makes US West Megadrought Worst in Modern Age
KENSINGTON, Maryland — A two-decade-long dry spell that has parched much of the western United States is turning into one of the deepest megadroughts in the region in more than 1,200 years, a new study found. And about half of this historic drought can be blamed on man-made global warming,...
Impressive March Rains Continue, but Is Drought Ahead?
Don't put away your rubber boots and umbrellas yet. Although today's occasional showers in the Fresno area will give way to dry skies on Friday, the National Weather Service in Hanford has revised its forecast to include a chance of showers Saturday afternoon and Sunday. NWS-Hanford predicts temperatures will be...
Fires Set Stage for Irreversible Forest Losses in Australia
Australia’s forests are burning at a rate unmatched in modern times and scientists say the landscape is being permanently altered as a warming climate brings profound changes to the island continent. Heat waves and drought have fueled bigger and more frequent fires in parts of Australia, so far this season torching...
Opinion: Sierra Tree Deaths Punctuate Climate Urgency
When the Navy brought me to California in 1990, I immediately fell in love with the beauty of the backcountry and the trees of San Diego County. In fact, the majesty of sugar pines 6 foot in diameter, the enormous white fir, the incense cedar, Jeffrey pines and Ponderosa inspired me...
Australian Crews Race to Contain Blazes as Damage Bill Soars
BALMORAL, Australia — Bolstered by cooler weather and desperately needed rain, exhausted firefighters in Australia raced to shore up defenses against deadly wildfires before the blazes flare again within days when scorching temperatures are expected to return. The first hints of the financial toll from the disaster began to emerge...
Much of California Now ‘Abnormally Dry’ Says U.S. Drought Monitor
LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Drought Monitor is now categorizing two-thirds of California as abnormally dry. The monitor reports Thursday that more than 81% of the state is considered dry, including a small percentage in the first stages of drought. That’s up from less than 18% last week. Reservoir Levels Remain High The monitor...
Earthquakes Can Dry Water Supply. Californians Must Prepare
Recent earthquakes have us all thinking about emergency preparedness. Whether that’s updating the earthquake kit, putting supplies in the car trunk, or finally affixing the bookshelves to the wall, there are steps we can take personally to prepare for the worst. Critical to any earthquake kit is bottled water. This...
It's Heating Up. Want to Control Water Use? There's an App for That.
As triple-digit temperatures begin to creep into Fresno forecasts, the city is allowing lawns and gardens to be watered more often. At the same time, City Hall hopes residents take an active role in keeping water use on a tight leash. That's where a new digital tool promoted by the...
Key Conflicts Roil California’s Ever-Evolving Waterscape
As 2018 was winding down, one of California’s leading newspapers suggested, via a front-page, banner-headlined article, that the drought that had plagued the state for much of this decade may be returning. Just weeks later, that same newspaper was reporting that record-level midwinter storms were choking mountain passes with snow,...