Dry lightning, wildfires and drought are bursting the weird meteorological bubble that’s insulated Silicon Valley.

Water supply was a concern for a majority of survey participants in each area of the state—the central valley, Inland Empire, Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties and the San Francisco Bay Area.

County fire officials said public concern about wildfires and drought conditions may have dampened use of fireworks on Fourth of July weekend.

Updated in December 2020, the City of San José now has some of the steepest fines for illegal fireworks use: $1,000 for the first violation, $2,000 for a second violation within 18 months, and $3,000 for a third violation.

Fire officials said “vegetation fires” can ignite easily with dry grass and rising temperatures.

Why is California building new houses in the path of wildfires? The housing market is dangerously hot, say UC scientists.

For those living on hillsides with low grasslands, the fire risks are not as serious as for those living in densely populated communities near forests, or hillsides of brush and timber.

The haul in the state’s leading journalism contest included seven first-place awards, three runners up, four third-place finishes and more.

The stock market has soared to new heights, prompting a record number of Silicon Valley companies to go public.

Rain fall has decreased, so the region faces looming threats of drought, which increases threats of wildfires, which impact air quality. 

Perhaps more than any other part of the country, California stands to benefit from the $2.2 trillion proposal by Joe Biden.

Fire policy changes state leaders are considering would likely be good for Californians—and for the wildlife that depends on the blazes.

Residents living east of Milpitas near the Calaveras Reservoir are expected to lose power at 8pm.

State Parks issued an early damage assessment of Coe Park, an eastern Santa Clara County open space: “Built to Burn.”

Forecasters expect the smoke-cooling effect to last for another few days, with highs in the 75-to-80-degree Fahrenheit range.

The timing could not have been better, as massive blazes in California make clear that there’s an urgent need for experts in the field.