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El Dorado County Public Safety Articles



Image caption: Steven Carrillo, who has pled guilty to the murders of two law enforcement officers.
Facebook and Steven Carrillo: How a Veteran Became a Cop Killer

Steven Carrillo, an active-duty Air Force servicemember, fell down a rabbit hole of Facebook extremism and became convinced he could start a new civil war. Then he turned his online obsession into real-life murder.

Image caption: The explosive Oak Fire in Mariposa County, as seen in a satellite image from space.
How Climate Change Fueled the Oak Fire

Extreme climate conditions that can be traced directly back to global warming are fueling the Oak Fire, the biggest California fire of 2022. Here’s how climate change is causing the disaster.

Image caption: In California, county sheriffs are on their way to becoming more accountable to the public.
Will California Embrace Progressive Sheriffs?

County sheriffs have tended to be predominantly white, male and politically conservative. But in California, those trends may be moving in the other direction, as recent elections and legislation appear to show.

Image caption: Assault weapons like the AR-15 rifle remain banned in California, but maybe not for long.
California Assault Weapons Ban May End Due To SCOTUS Ruling

California's assault weapons ban, in place since 1989, may not stand up to a new Supreme Court decision that makes it much harder for states to impose gun control. A federal court brief filed June 30 aims to strike down …

Image caption: Thousands of homeowners have been kicked off their fire insurance policies.
California Fire Insurance Crisis: How the State Helps Homeowners

As California insurance companies have revoked the fire policies of thousands of homeowners, the state has taken steps to get them covered again.

Image caption: Historically dry conditions appear likely to lead to another summer of fire in California.
California Wildfire Season 2022: Here's What to Expect

The 2022 California wildfire season looks like another dangerous one, with the state's historic drought showing no signs of letting up. Here's what to expect, and some measures the state is taking to slow down the flames.

Image caption: Mountain lions and many other species are in danger from collisions with cars.
Five California Wildlife Crossings Keeping Animals Safe

California is creating wildlife crossings that can help animals get across dangerous highways without risk of death from vehicle strikes. Here are five of them.

Tahoe’s wildfire season is now

Tahoe’s wildfire season is now Locals have longed joked about Tahoe’s two seasons – winter and road construction. But now locals and visitors must live with the new reality that climate breakdown has wrought upon the beloved landscape of the …

Sign up for Tahoe emergency alerts

Wildfires are a constant threat throughout the West and in the Tahoe Sierra during the dry months, especially when the snowpack is low. Being prepared for wildfires, understanding what Burn Bans and Red Flag warnings mean, and being prepared to …

2nd Annual Wildfire Preparedness Guide 2022

Does Your Home Have Defensible Space? ~ Courtesy TRPA If a wildfire breaks out, will firefighters be able to save your home? Having defensible space around your home will mean the difference between whether firefighters can save your home or …

Boat, swimming safety tips for Lake Tahoe

Boating, paddling and swimming season has begun on Lake Tahoe and at other local waterways, and it’s important to practice safety and understand boating laws in the high-altitude lakes in the region. Cold water shock | The water is cold; …

Tahoe’s 2022 wildfire outlook

Courtesy Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team What began as a promising winter fizzled out in early 2022, leading to the driest January and February recorded across California and Nevada since record keeping began. Closer to home, Tahoe City, which has …

Image caption: The scene of the K Street shooting in downtown Sacramento, in which six people were killed.
Covering the Sacramento Mass Gang Shooting

Following the K-Street shooting, a freelance journalist's thoughts about reporting on the deadliest single episode of gun violence in Sacramento history.

Image caption: Black Panthers at the California Capitol in 1967, an incident that sparked the gun control movement.
California Gun Control, Reagan, and the Black Panthers

The modern gun control movement started in California. Surprisingly, it was the work of Ronald Regan and the Black Panther Party. Here’s what happened.

Drone shows in Tahoe City, Kings Beach

The North Tahoe Business Association and Tahoe City Downtown Association announced that its Independence Day celebrations will return this summer featuring drone shows instead of fireworks on July 3 in Kings Beach and July 4 in Tahoe City, citing noise …

Image caption: Though it’s the most famous, the San Andreas Fault is just one of more than 500 active faults in California.
Battening Down for the Big One

Making it through the earthquake is the easy part. The hard part is surviving in the chaos that follows.

Tahoe’s rescuers brave blizzards to search for the missing

The wind is howling, snow is falling rapidly and there are white-out conditions with no visibility. A massive storm is thrashing the region. During these types of storms, awareness in the outdoors is critical. Getting lost in a storm is …

Tahoe Winter Travel Tips: Know when to stay home

I love living in a beautiful mountain paradise. And, I get to live here, because of the visitors and vacation homeowners that choose to spend their vacations in the Tahoe Sierra. As much as we all enjoy having visitors travel …

Back-country safety: Gear, training & forecast essential

Tahoe has seen record-breaking snowfall after an epic 214 inches of snow in December. Snow for most means it’s playtime in the mountains. Skiing, snowboarding or snowshoeing are just a few activities that make winter fun. The resorts are spinning …

Back country 101

In a nutshell, back-country travel means moving through any area that is not maintained or supervised by resorts or other entities. In the back country, your safety is 100 percent reliant on yourself and those with whom you are traveling. …

Featured

A Pyrocumulus cloud generated by the Dixie Fire in July, 2021.
What is Fire 'Containment?' That and Other Terms, Explained
What does it mean when firefighters call a fire "contained?" Here's a brief guide to commonly used fire prevention terminology.
States have expansive powers to protect the health of the general public.
The State’s Broad Power to Protect Public Health, Explained
Since long before the COVID-19 pandemic, states have possessed broad authority to protect public health.
California will soon be getting a new hotline number as an alternative to 911 for mental health crises.
988, the New Mental Health Emergency Number, Explained
Here's the story behind that new service, and the original 911 number.
Mosquitos kill about 725,000 people every year, worldwide.
Taking a Bite Out of the Mosquito Population
How local government tries to control the world’s deadliest wild animal—the mosquito.
There are more than 300 community service districts in California.
Community Services Districts, Explained
Areas that the county overlooks can form their own local governments.
How Not to Feel the Burn
These groups help residents preserve their property, health and life.
Supercell storms are just one of many weather phenomena in the era of climate change.
The New Vocabulary of the Climate Change Era
As climate change causes more extreme and unusual weather, we need a new set of terms to describe the various phenomena
Though it’s the most famous, the San Andreas Fault is just one of more than 500 active faults in California.
Battening Down for the Big One
Making it through the earthquake is easy—the hard part comes later.
Many of Robert Kerbeck’s neighbors in Malibu Park lost their homes in the 2018 Woolsey Fire, which left behind lots where only chimneys still stood.
Give Your Home a Fighting Chance in a Wildfire
Wildfires are larger, more frequent, and more ferocious—so be prepared.
Thousands of homeowners have been kicked off their fire insurance policies.
California Fire Insurance Crisis: How the State Helps Homeowners
The state tries persuading insurance companies to cover homes in fire zones.
With CERT training, volunteers can learn firefighting skills.
Emergency Teamwork
With CERT training, ordinary civilians can play critical roles in protecting their communities.
View of the flooded San Lorenzo River Park Benchlands in Santa Cruz, California on New Year's Eve 2022.
Communicating During Disaster and Crisis
Recent lessons learned over days of local disaster.