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Sacramento County Public Safety Digest



Bird Flu Infected Flock Confirmed in San Mateo

02/06/2025

A local backyard poultry flock has been confirmed by San Mateo County health officials to have been infected with H5N1 bird flu. Read on for more information.

Bird Flu Infects San Mateo County Cat

02/06/2025

Bird flu was detected in a stray cat in San Mateo County. Read on for more information.

New At-Home Influenza Tests Are Available

02/05/2025

Good. Because it's flu season and cases are surging. Read on to learn more.

CA Lawmakers Propose $175 Million Increase for Cal Fire Staffing

02/04/2025

Roughly a month after deadly wildfires erupted in Los Angeles County, killing at least 29 people, lawmakers in the state Senate have introduced a proposal to bolster Cal Fire staffing, and Gov. Gavin Newsom is meeting with President Donald Trump over disaster aid.

Over $4 Billion in LA Fire Claims Distributed, More to Come

01/30/2025

Insurance companies have paid out $4.2 billion in claims so far to survivors of the Los Angeles County fires, the state Insurance Department said Thursday.

New Regulations Proposed for Battery Energy Storage Facilities Following Moss Landing Fire

01/29/2025

In the wake of the fire earlier this month at Vistra Corporation’s Moss Landing Power Plant and Energy Storage Facility, the California Public Utilities Commission has proposed new standards for battery energy storage facilities.

Artificial Intelligence Is Bringing Nuclear Power Back From the Dead — Maybe Even in California

01/29/2025

Energy demands from big tech, including for AI, has elected officials giving an old power source a second look.

Supervisors Approve New Street Vendor Regulations

01/28/2025

Responding to concerns over health and safety, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors approved new regulations for street food vendors in their January 28 meeting. Read on for more information about the new rules.

LA Fires Damage Estimated at More Than $250 Billion

01/24/2025

Damages in the ongoing Southern California wildfires are topping $250 billion, on track for the costliest disaster in US history. Read on to learn more.

CA Earmarks $2.5 Billion for LA Fire Aid

01/23/2025

With President Donald Trump bound for Los Angeles today and once again threatening to withhold wildfire aid to California unless the state abides by his water policies, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two bills Thursday to provide $2.5 billion in state funding for wildfire response and preparedness.

As the Fire Risk Fades, Los Angeles Is Busy Piecing Lives Back Together After Widespread Tragedy

01/22/2025

At the Pasadena City College disaster resource center, the long, methodical work of putting lives back together is underway.

Rebuilding in Paradise Offers Insight for Fire Ravaged LA

01/22/2025

A look at how the rebuilding effort is going in the California town of Paradise, wiped out in a 2018 fire, and how it offers insights for the tough road ahead for residents in neighborhoods destroyed in the fires of Southern California.

California Lags in Making Homes Fire Resistant

01/17/2025

As wildfires ravage southern California, state mandated defensible space requirements legislated in 2020 haven't been encoded into enforceable regulations. Read on to learn why.

Private Firefighters Are Increasingly Popular With Insurers. But Do They Pose a Risk?

01/16/2025

Robert MacKenzie is an assistant fire chief — but not the kind who works for your local fire department. As the Palisades Fire bore down on Southern California last week, the private fire crew he oversees headed out to help defend homes for their customers: insurance companies that offer wildfire protection to wealthy homeowners and others with the coverage built into their policies.

LA Will Need Workers to Clean Up After Fires. It Can Be a Dangerous Job

01/16/2025

The LA fires have left domestic workers and day laborers jobless. They may soon be hired for wildfire cleanup work, where they can be exposed to ash and other toxins.

LA Fires Bring Scrutiny to Worker Safety, Private Firefighting

01/16/2025

Describing the active wildfires in Southern California as a “catastrophe at an unprecedented scale,” Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas of Salinas gathered with dozens of Assemblymembers on Thursday in Los Angeles to introduce new bills that seek to quicken rebuilding efforts and lift development restrictions.

Citrus Heights Sends Strike Team South

01/16/2025

The Citrus Heights Fire Department dispatched Engine 23 and its crew to assist in the ongoing wildfires in Southern California. Read on for details.

LA Wildfires Could Clobber California Economy as State Recovers From a Pandemic Recession

01/15/2025

Three days after immensely destructive and deadly wildfires broke out in and around Los Angeles, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a $322.3 billion state budget with a positive revenue forecast “based on an assumption of continued but slowing economic growth.”

How the LA Fires Could Exacerbate California’s Homelessness Crisis

01/14/2025

Jennielynn Holmes stood in the middle of a make-shift evacuation center when the scope of the crisis hit her.

‘Literally Off the Charts’: LA’s Critically Dry Conditions Stun Scientists as Fires Rage

01/14/2025

Key moisture measurements are only 2% to 5% of average, leaving dusty soils. And the recent swing from wet to dry is among the most extreme on record. This combination of climatic conditions crossed into a danger zone, priming much of Southern California for wind-whipped fires.

Hardening Your Home Against Wildfires - Wildfire Proven

01/14/2025

Read on to learn about the measures taken to harden and protect the lone remaining house of the neighborhoodfrom the Pacific Palisades fire in Southern California.

Presumptive Bird Flu Case Identified in San Francisco Child Who Has Since Recovered

01/13/2025

A presumptive case of H5N1 bird flu has been identified in a child who resides in San Francisco, the city’s Department of Public Health announced.The child had a fever and conjunctivitis but did not need to be hospitalized and has since made a full recovery, public health officials said Friday.

Updated Watch Duty Eaton Fire Information

01/11/2025

Official updated information from WatchDuty about the Eaton Fire in Southern California.

Updated Watch Duty Palisades Fire Information

01/11/2025

Official updated information from WatchDuty about the Palisades Fire in Southern California.

Explainer: The Santa Ana Winds and LA Wildfires

01/09/2025

Read on to learn more about the periodic Santa Ana winds which whip Southern California every year, and how they are literally fanning the flames of the devastating fires which have so far killed over two dozen people and destroyed over 10,000 structures.

Hundreds of California Prison Firefighters Join Battle Against Los Angeles Wildfires

01/09/2025

State prisoners have long been a part of California’s firefighting force. Hundreds of them now are deployed in Los Angeles County.

Why Newsom Invited Trump to Visit LA Fire Zones Amid Worries He’ll Block Disaster Aid

01/09/2025

After days of sniping back and forth with President-elect Donald Trump over California’s handling of the fires ravaging Los Angeles, Gov. Gavin Newsom today invited the incoming Republican president to visit the state and survey the damage.

California Infernos in January? Here’s Why Wildfire Season Keeps Getting Longer and More Devastating

01/08/2025

As climate change warms the planet, wildfires have become so unpredictable and extreme that new words were invented: firenado, gigafire, fire siege — even fire pandemic. California has 78 more annual “fire days” — when conditions are ripe for fires to spark — than 50 years ago. When is California’s wildfire season? It is now almost year-round.

Fact Check: Why Is Trump Blaming the LA Fires on Newsom’s Water Policies?

01/08/2025

President-elect Donald Trump faulted California water policies for the devastating wildfires that are burning in Los Angeles County. The fires started because of fierce winds and extremely dry conditions.

LA Fires Underscore How Much California Has to Lose if Trump Withholds Disaster Aid

01/08/2025

The federal government typically covers 75% of rebuilding costs after a major disaster. President-elect Trump has threatened to withhold firefighting money from California.

Sacramento-Area Firefighters Heading to Help in Southern California

01/08/2025

Learn about Sacramento firefighting resources and crews being sent to assist in fighting the massive wildfire which have burned thousands of acres and destroyed over 1,000 homes.

Bird Flu Detected in Mather Lake Birds

01/07/2025

Two dead swans found at Mather Lake tested positive for H5N1 bird flu. Read on to learn more.

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