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El Niño Threatens U.S. Coastlines with Severe Erosion

El Niño Threatens U.S. Coastlines with Severe Erosion

El Niño, the periodic warming of surface waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific, is intensifying and already causing significant damage to U.S. coastlines. In Carlsbad, California, Tamarack Beach disappeared almost overnight, while seawalls and homes across Southern California have been severely damaged. This El Niño event is breaking records, with local sea levels rising 6–12 inches (15–30 cm) above normal due to warmer waters. A Kelvin wave, an invisible pulse of warm water, is also contributing to sustained sea level rises, compounding the risks of king tides and winter storms. The East Coast is also bracing for increased storm surges and nor’easters, as El Niño shifts the Pacific jet stream southward, steering more storms toward the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions.

CAL FIRE Establishes Fire Innovation Unit to Advance Wildfire Technology

CAL FIRE Establishes Fire Innovation Unit to Advance Wildfire Technology

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed legislation to establish the Fire Innovation Unit (FIU) within CAL FIRE, the state’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. This new unit will serve as CAL FIRE's dedicated 'innovation arm' for researching, coordinating, procuring, and deploying emerging technologies related to wildfire management. The FIU will take a broad approach, exploring technologies for wildfire detection, prevention, mitigation, emergency operations, incident response, suppression, evacuation, post-fire recovery, and ecosystem resilience. Chief Jack Worden, deputy chief of FIU, emphasized that the unit's goal is to identify technologies that address existing gaps in CAL FIRE's operations and enhance fire and public safety. While not every technology researched will be deployed, the FIU will evaluate tools, including artificial intelligence and IT modernization, under real-world conditions to determine their effectiveness and suitability for adoption.

Palm Springs Desert Sun

Multi-day heat wave expected to blanket large swathes of California

Multi-day heat wave expected to blanket large swathes of California

Central and Southern California is forecast to receive above-normal temperatures with some counties under heat advisory and extreme heat watch.

Palm Springs Desert Sun

California making it easier to remove dead Joshua trees

California making it easier to remove dead Joshua trees

Three years after California enacted landmark protections for western Joshua trees, it's tweaking rules to add flexibility for homeowners and tribes.

Palm Springs Desert Sun

New California wildfire laws aim to cut risk and upgrade homes

New California wildfire laws aim to cut risk and upgrade homes

Learn what the new wildfire laws may offer homeowners and what to watch for as funding programs launch.

Newsom vetoes measure that would have penalized the use of smart glasses to secretly record people

Newsom vetoes measure that would have penalized the use of smart glasses to secretly record people

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that would have penalized people for using smart glasses to record people without their permission in changing rooms, doctor’s offices and other spaces people generally consider private

California Governor Gavin Newsom Signs Laws for Ultra-Processed Food Labels and Sugar Warnings

California Governor Gavin Newsom Signs Laws for Ultra-Processed Food Labels and Sugar Warnings

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed two new laws aimed at improving public health through food labeling. One law introduces the nation's first 'Non-Ultraprocessed Certified' seal, allowing food manufacturers to voluntarily label products that meet California's standards for avoiding ultra-processing. This certification program, overseen by the California Department of Public Health, defines ultra-processed foods as those containing certain additives like flavors, colors, sweeteners, or high levels of saturated fat, sodium, or added sugar. The other law mandates that chain restaurants with 20 or more locations must display a warning label—a sugar cube inside a black triangle—next to menu items, specifically drinks, that contain a full day's recommended amount of added sugar. This sugar warning requirement is set to be implemented by January 1, 2029. These legislative actions are part of California's broader healthcare strategy to address chronic conditions linked to diet.

California Enacts New Regulations for Large Cold Storage Facilities Following Boyle Heights Fire

California Enacts New Regulations for Large Cold Storage Facilities Following Boyle Heights Fire

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Assembly Bill (AB) 817 and Senate Bill (SB) 716 into law, introducing new requirements and increased penalties for large cold storage facilities and other nonresidential structures. AB 817 mandates contingency-fund requirements for certain large cold storage facilities, initially applying to those within the Boyle Heights Community Plan boundaries in Los Angeles until July 1, 2028, after which it will expand statewide. SB 716 increases fines for violations of local ordinances in nonresidential structures of 20,000 square feet or more, particularly when these violations threaten public health and safety. Fines for qualifying violations that lead to a governor-declared state of emergency or federal disaster declaration can reach up to $50,000 per violation. These enhanced penalties are currently effective in Los Angeles County and will extend to other qualifying areas in California starting July 1, 2028. The legislation was prompted by a significant fire at a nearl...

Ventura County Star, Camarillo

SpaceX to transport 130 payloads to orbit in next Vandenberg launch

SpaceX to transport 130 payloads to orbit in next Vandenberg launch

The first day of October could also see the first rocket launch of the month in California. Here's where you can watch liftoff from Vandenberg.

Powerful planetary wave takes aim at West Coast as El Niño rages

Powerful planetary wave takes aim at West Coast as El Niño rages

Scientists warned for months that the oceanic Kelvin waves associated with El Niño could bring higher sea levels and far-reaching impacts.

California Boosts Wildfire Prevention Efforts

California Boosts Wildfire Prevention Efforts

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a series of legislative measures aimed at enhancing wildfire prevention, response, and community resilience. The new laws expedite wildfire mitigation projects, streamline permitting processes, and expand tools for prescribed and cultural burning. The legislation also establishes the California Wildfire Preparedness Program to improve local coordination and introduces a Fire Innovation Unit within CAL FIRE to advance wildfire technology. These efforts build on the state’s historic investments in wildfire resilience, which include over $5 billion allocated since 2019 for forest health, community hardening, and emergency preparedness. Notable projects include fuel reduction in Los Angeles, prescribed burns in Humboldt County, and defensible space creation in Tuolumne County. The state has also allocated $25 million for a community wildfire mitigation program and $117 million for wildfire prevention projects through Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funds. [Source: Governor ...

California State Law Prevents Encinitas from Removing Santa Fe Drive Bike Lane

California State Law Prevents Encinitas from Removing Santa Fe Drive Bike Lane

A new provision in California's state budget bill, Senate Bill 114, signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, prohibits the city of Encinitas from removing a separated bike lane on Santa Fe Drive for at least five years. This state intervention overrides the Encinitas City Council's plans to modify the bike lane, which was part of a $4 million roadway overhaul project completed last year. The project included separated bike lanes, narrower vehicle lanes, and back-in parking spots. Encinitas Mayor Bruce Ehlers has criticized the state's action as 'unbelievably sneaky' and indicated that the city is exploring legal options. The provision stipulates that if Encinitas violates these conditions, it must return $3.09 million in state grant money received for the project. After five years, the city can remove the bike lane only if the removal results in equal or greater safety, accessibility, and mobility for non-motorized users.