The utility said the rate hike will bolster the safety and reliability of its services.

The federal report released Nov. 17 ranked California among the top five states suffering economic effects from climate-related natural disasters.

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara unveiled a plan to shore up the California insurance market for homeowners, in which insurers would return to wildfire zones, but would have an easier path to rate increases.

The alerts, which include a ban on burning wood or other solid fuels in the Bay Area, were also in effect for today because of the smoke coming from several massive wildfires in Northern California and Southern Oregon.

A wet winter may have delayed the state’s fire season, but it could ultimately make the blazes worse.

California is tapping into new technology to figure out how to attack wildfires, using military satellites, drones and infrared mapping.

People who fail to grasp the big picture, or choose to ignore the combined impacts of poor planning, discriminatory zoning practices and the complexities required to fund affordable housing projects are among the first to argue passionately how much they feel sorry for the homeless – but just as passionately argue that they shouldn’t be allowed to live in their neighborhoods.

As rising costs of rebuilding after several years of wildfires are wiping out profits for California home insurers, State Farm isn’t the first insurer to retreat from the state, and may not be the last.

The Times profiled 30 people, who talked about their experience with homelessness, part of an effort to illuminate the challenges and occasional mundanity of unhoused people’s lives.

As of Wednesday, eight of California’s 12 major state-managed reservoirs were at less than 60% of historical capacity.

Elderly persons, children and individuals with respiratory illnesses are particularly susceptible to elevated air pollution levels and should take extra precautions.

In addition to the Discovery Meadow at the San Jose Children’s Museum and Almaden Lake Park in San Jose, public fireworks displays are scheduled for sites in Cupertino, Gilroy, Milpitas, Mountain View, Morgan Hill and Santa Clara, according to county officials.

New rules proposed by California’s Department of Insurance would require insurers to take homeowners’ efforts to reduce wildfire risk into account when setting premiums. But they would still allow non-renewals.

The State Water Resources Control Board and the Santa Clara Valley Water District adopted tough restrictions on water use, as California grapples with a new normal climate that’s drier and hotter.

From housing and health to transportation and education, the Legislative Analyst’s Office provides a litany of sobering climate change impacts for California legislators to address as they enact policies and set budgets.

California grants a safety certificate to PG&E just after the utility came off probation for the deadly 2010 San Bruno pipeline explosion.