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Severe wildfires burning 8 times more area in western U.S., study finds

December 4, 2020
As we move into winter and what is typically the wet season for the western U.S., the 2020 fire season is finally winding down. But the damage is done: nearly 14 million acres have burned across the nation, about double the 10-year average and the most acres...

Is California Heading For A Multi-Year Drought? The Odds Aren’t In Our Favor, Experts Say.

December 4, 2020
With no rain in the forecast for the rest of 2020 — thanks to a La Niña weather pattern pushing storms north of the state — the probability of California entering a multi-year drought is increasing.  “We did fortunately get some rain in November,” said...

Berhe Honored with Prestigious AGU Medal and Fellowship

November 11, 2020
Soil biogeochemistry Professor Asmeret Asefaw Berhe has been recognized by the American Geophysical Union (AGU) as one of this year’s recipients of the Joanne Simpson Medal for Mid-Career Scientists. Two or three medals are given each year to “exceptional mid-career scientists who have made...

In the West, Lightning Grows as a Cause of Damaging Fires

November 3, 2020
Wildfires in the West caused by lightning have been growing bigger and occurring more frequently. If the weather extremes already brought by climate change are any indication, other parts of the country will start paying a price, too. Wildfires have burned across much of the West in 2020, with...

Firefighters Gain Ground on Southern California Wildfires as Weather Improves

November 3, 2020
Improving weather conditions helped firefighters in Southern California gain ground overnight Tuesday and into Wednesday on a pair of wildfires that drove tens of thousands of residents from their homes and left two firefighters in critical condition. The Blue Ridge Fire, which has burned...

California’s ancient ‘asbestos’ forests no longer seem immune

November 3, 2020
Firefighters Will Christianson and Jason Vincent clear away fallen brush from around the base of the Mother of the Forest redwood as hot spots from the CZU Complex fire continue burning in Big Basin Redwoods State Park on Aug., 28, 2020. Photo by Karl Mondon, Bay Area News Group. In the...

Second Docuseries Installment Examines COVID-19’s Impact on the Food Supply Chain

October 16, 2020
Imagine pouring farm-fresh milk down the drain or crushing perfectly good eggs that could feed families. This has been the reality for farmers during the COVID-19 epidemic. The COVID-19 epidemic has not only created a medical crisis across the country, but it has greatly crippled the food...

Dry Days Ahead For California This Year And Beyond, Experts Say

October 16, 2020
Meteorologist Emily Heller says the weather lately reminds her of what Northern California saw in 2018 just before the Camp Fire set the town of Paradise ablaze. For weeks, there was no rain, excessive heat, and dry winds.  “The Camp Fire started November 8, and we hadn'...

Restoring California’s forests to reduce wildfire risks will take time, billions of dollars and a broad commitment

October 16, 2020
As California contends with its worst wildfire season in history, it’s more evident than ever that land management practices in the state’s forested mountains need major changes. Many of California’s 33 million acres of forests face widespread threats stemming from past...

High-stakes college recruitment goes virtual, and it’s no fun thanks to Zoom fatigue

October 16, 2020
In a normal year, Northern California high school senior Alain Kanadjian would be touring college campuses, attending college fairs in gyms or convention centers and meeting with college recruiters at his campus. All in person. But this is not a normal year for Kanadjian and hundreds of...

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