AltWeeklies Wire
Every Wildfire Brings its Own Financial Storm With Itnew
"California has developed a 'seven points of light' agreement that says if anybody breaks a fire, the departments will send resources," says Cal Fire spokesman Mike Mohler. Yet with so little money to burn, it's hard not to wonder who's getting stuck with the mounting bill.
Good Times Santa Cruz |
Jessica Lussenhop |
08-21-2009 |
Disasters
The Brief but Violent Life of the Tea Firenew
At least 210 homes -- including 130 within city limits -- were destroyed by the devastating fire, which has been determined to have been caused be a bonfire started by a group of 10 18- to 22-year-olds the previous night.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Chris Meagher |
11-24-2008 |
Disasters
Burned by the Gap: Not Everyone Escaped Goleta Blaze Unscathednew
Much of the community breathed a sigh of relief when the Gap Fire entered its final days, having only claimed a few outbuildings and some lemon and avocado orchards. Not everybody was fortunate, however, as residents of the county's wilderness-adjacent communities can attest.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Ben Preston and Kathleen Zaratzian |
08-05-2008 |
Disasters
Summer Blazes Reveal the Real Cost of California's Money Problemsnew
As Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger explained how he's get a handle on the fires, a man-made disaster erupted, as the annual financial crisis that paralyzes the state every budget season reeled out of control.
Metro Silicon Valley |
Eric Johnson |
07-17-2008 |
Disasters
A Look at the Ecological Impacts of the Big Sur Wildfiresnew
Big Sur enthusiasts may be horrified to see the wildfires turn postcard-quality forests into black moonscapes. But scientists remind us that fire is a critical ingredient in Big Sur's fire-adapted beauty, and the ecological challenges arise less from the flames than from human meddling. As long as the wildfires are burning, their precise ecological impacts will be shrouded in smoke -- but experts do have a sense of how the flames will affect non-human life in Big Sur.
Monterey County Weekly |
Kera Abraham |
07-11-2008 |
Disasters
Saving Birds from Burning in Big Surnew
As the wildfire in Big Sur carpeted more and more of the region's steep coastal mountains, the biologists of Ventana Wildlife Society's condor rehabilitation project realized the uncontrolled blaze could prove deadly for eight condors contained in a large aviary directly within the fire's predicted path.
Monterey County Weekly |
Stuart Thornton |
07-11-2008 |
Disasters
Earthquake Experts Say There is a Way to Survive 'The Big One'new
November's Great Southern California ShakeOut -- the largest earthquake drill in U.S. history -- aims to find out how many lives and how much property can be saved through quake training and preparedness.
Pasadena Weekly |
Jana Monji and Nathan Solis |
06-17-2008 |
Disasters
Is 'Run' the Strategy Against Firestorms in California?new
From the self-congratulations of big pols to finger pointing over a lack of air support, one of the most troubling aspects of the tragedy -- despite the claims of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger -- was how little government has changed in response to the lessons of 2003.
L.A. Weekly |
Patrick Range McDonald, Christine Pelisek and Jill Stewart |
11-02-2007 |
Disasters
California Fires Fan the Flames of Hate and Stupiditynew
Long before the blazes were anywhere near contained, the rhetorical ash began raining down from the blogosphere and elsewhere, as both ends of the political spectrum saw in the fires grave portents for the republic.
L.A. Weekly |
Steven Mikulan |
11-02-2007 |
Disasters
Extinguishing Some Myths of Fire Weeknew
Many different interest groups distorted what was happening to suit their own purposes: The media wanted to make the fires as sensational as possible, politicians wanted to project an image of supreme competence, small-government conservatives accused the authorities of being underprepared, while liberal democrats wanted to see the fires as a symptom of the advance of global warming.
Los Angeles CityBeat |
Andrew Gumbel |
11-02-2007 |
Disasters
The World on Firenew
If you were to write down how many fires are raging in Southern California right now, you would be wrong, because every time you look, a new one springs up between the Mexican border and Ventura.
L.A. Weekly |
Judith Lewis |
10-26-2007 |
Disasters
California Fires: Anxiety in Fallbrooknew
Residents of the agricultural area north of San Diego evacuate for the first time in memory.
San Diego CityBeat |
AnnaMaria Stephens |
10-24-2007 |
Disasters
California Fires: Uncertainty in Jamulnew
The unincorporated county municipality 25 miles south-southeast of San Diego was a ghost town as Harris fire sped toward Spring Valley.
San Diego CityBeat |
Pat Sherman |
10-24-2007 |
Disasters
California Fires: My Overnight Stay at the Evacuation Sitenew
At Qualcomm Stadium, once someone started answering questions, it became hard to stop.
San Diego CityBeat |
Eric Wolff |
10-24-2007 |
Disasters
California Fires: What Mattersnew
Maybe the Buddhists are on to something with their no-possessions mantra.
San Diego CityBeat |
Kelly Davis |
10-24-2007 |
Disasters
