An image from September 2020 of Lake Tenaya in Yosemite National Park, with sunlight and shadows cast in the wildfire smoke hanging over the lake water.
Image credit: Chris Neklason contributed
Fire Season Begins with a Roar
A whiff of smoke on the breeze the other day had me thinking back to 2020.
I was up at our family cabin outside Yosemite that August, and one night watched the most intense thunderstorm of my life take place off to the east over the Sierra. Lightning lit up the sky and thunder crashed and boomed for hours, though little or no rain fell.
It was the same up and down California, and the next day, the state was on fire.
I was back up at the cabin a month later in September, and the smoke was so thick I donned goggles and an industrial respirator and headed up into the Yosemite high contry in search of breathable air. After driving a couple hours I found some up in Tuolumne Meadows, and remember hiking to the river and wondering if I should camp out for a few days.
That summer there were so many fires buring in the state, I'd found the best air in California and was loathe to leave.
Since then, more communities have become firewise certified, more homeowners have embraced defensible space, and more funding has been directed toward clearing beetle-killed trees in forests.
Hopefully, this summer won't see the return of the lurid yellow and orange skies of 2020.
Summer arrived this year on June 20, but fire season got here first with the ignition of the Corral Fire south of Tracy in San Joaquin County on June 1. Now 100% contained, the fire burned over 14,000 acres of grasslands and led to evacuations of some neighborhoods.
California wildfires are becoming larger, more frequent and more ferocious. ‘Malibu Burning’ author Robert Kerbeck shares simple steps you can take to protect your home.
The UC San Diego-managed ALERTCalifornia network of mountaintop cameras act as remote eyes for fire fighters, and the public.
Monterey County's Homepage
Direct your browser to https://monterey.californialocal.com/ to catch up on the latest news in California and Monterey County. Bookmark the link and visit often, there's a lot happening in your community!
Recipe of the Week
Our friends at Sacramento Digs Gardening publish a recipe from their gardens every Sunday, which we feature here so you can start your week with some yum.
Community Emergency Response Volunteers of the Monterey Peninsula's mission is “to support local CERT programs, build public awareness about emergency preparedness, and promote the community's capacity to respond to natural disasters and man-made emergencies.”
One of the most popular outdoor dining parklets in Pacific Grove and two of its neighbors will be dismantled later this year, to be replaced by extended sidewalks and "light footprint" structures at an estimated cost of $400,000.
Call it a happy ending with an epilogue yet to be written. The Monterey County Board of Supervisors approved a $2 billion 2024-25 budget on Thursday, June 20.
A Folsom Assemblyman is pushing legislation that calls for more transparency on how the state is spending money on homelessness. The bill is in response to a state audit report which revealed the state spent $24 billion on homelessness, yet …
Yet again, the City of Seaside finds itself embroiled in a lawsuit over its attempts to develop the former Fort Ord, just over a week after City Council finalized an $850,000 settlement with Sacramento-based developer Paul Petrovich.
Highway 1 in Big Sur is among the most beautiful roads on Earth. Most images of it – aside from disaster photos – contain one common element: a bridge.
Caltrans announced today that due to favorable conditions, Highway 1 at Paul's Slide in Big Sur will reopen Sunday, June 23, freeing up a 4.3-mile section of the highway.
The anticipated opening of the Golden Bough Playhouse in Carmel, the primary performance venue for the Pacific Repertory Theatre, has moved to late August.
Greenfield Market and Gas Inc. will receive $877,500 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help create infrastructure for the sale and production of renewable fuels.
On June 17, the Transportation Agency for Monterey County applied for a state grant to connect existing trails and bike lanes in the area of Fremont Boulevard and Highway 218 near Seaside.
• What You Need to Know About the California Budget Deal
Gov. Newsom and legislative leaders announce an agreement to bridge the state budget deficit by dipping into reserves and reducing some spending. The deal also calls for a bill in August to set aside more money and a 2026 constitutional amendment to grow the state’s rainy day fund.
• Environmental Groups Appeal Sites Reservoir Ruling
A new round of litigation began when environmental groups opposed to the Sites reservoir in Colusa County filed an appeal on a ruling which dismissed their suit seeking to halt the project from proceeding.
• In Rain, Snow and Drought, California’s Fights Over Water Rights, Supplies Persist
Legal rights to use water — particularly those obtained prior to 1914 — lie at the heart of California’s perpetual wrangling over the allocation of increasingly limited water supplies.
The City of Marina is seeking public input on proposed changes to the Citys Master Fee Schedule. Anyone can submit a formal statement, question or concern via e-mail to Laura Pruneda, Finance Director at lpruneda@cityofmarina.org by July 1, 2024
Vitakraft Sun Seed Inc. of Weston, OH, is voluntarily recalling one lot of Sun Seed Vita Prima Hedgehog Food because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is also a risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products,
Addis Joins Community for 5th Annual Juneteenth Jubilee in Seaside
piperch
Wed, 06/19/2024 - 15:56
Title
Chief of Staff
Email
julie.cravotto@asm.ca.gov
Phone
916-319-2030
Wednesday, June 19, 2024
SEASIDE, CA Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay) joined community members and leaders over the weekend for the 5th Annual Juneteenth Jubilee Celebration, hosted by the Monterey County Black Caucus. The event commemorated the …
Hudson Harvest of Germantown, NY, is voluntarily recalling Hudson Harvest Tomato Basil Sauce because of reported swelling, leaking, or bursting jars. There is a possibility that the product has been under processed, which could lead to the potential for spoilage organisms or pathogens.
Snapchill LLC (Snapchill) of Green Bay, WI is voluntarily recalling all canned coffee products manufactured by the company, within expiration date, because their current process could lead to the growth and production of the deadly toxin, botulinum toxin, in low acid canned foods. Botulism, a poten
An image from September 2020 of Lake Tenaya in Yosemite National Park, with sunlight and shadows cast in the wildfire smoke hanging over the lake water.
