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San Joaquin County Resilience Digest



Counties Prepare for Mosquito Season

05/14/2024

Mosquito vector control agencies are preparing for mosquito season in San Joaquin and Sacramento counties.

Fire District Funding Allocated

05/14/2024

In their May 14 meeting, the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors approved $1.1 million in increased funding to be distributed across 19 fire districts in the county.

Response Times Lag In Southwest Manteca

05/07/2024

More than 6,000 residents live outside the targeted 5-minute accident, fire and police response-time zone in southwest Manteca.

School District Positions for Budget Cuts

04/19/2024

While expecting cuts to its budget due to reduced state funds, the Manteca Unified School District is in a resilient position because of policies resulting from the aftermath of the 2008 recession.

A Plan to Change Your Utility Rates Is Dividing California Environmentalists. Here’s Why

04/18/2024

The California Public Utilities Commission will consider on May 9 a new proposal that would change how Californians pay for electricity.

California Requires New Homes to Have Solar Panels. Should Wildfire Victims Get a Break?

04/11/2024

A California Republican’s bill would exempt low and middle income wildfire victims from solar panels requirements on rebuilt homes that didn’t have them when they burned down.

Manteca Fire Department Covers Ripon

04/03/2024

Manteca Fire responded to 168 fires in Ripon, providing coverage in cases when the single available fire engine and team were engaged.

Photographers Capture Spectacular Streaking Lights of Southern California

04/02/2024

It quickly became clear that Elon Musk’s SpaceX was responsible for the show. The lights were a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 22 new Starlink satellites into orbit. The rocket blasted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 7:30 p.m., and it’s trail was visible from Los Angeles to Joshua Tree National Park.

Weed Abatement Program Begins May 1

03/27/2024

Intended to reduce fire danger as summer approaches, the City of Manteca’s annual Weed Abatement Program begins May 1, enforcing the City’s weed ordinance requiring grass and weeds be under 6 inches in height.

Valley Water Allotment Increased

03/22/2024

Following strong February rains, the Bureau of Reclamation announced increases in Central Valley Project water allotments.

Four Tribes in California Receive Federal Funds to Boost Access to Electricity

03/07/2024

For many living on the Yurok Tribe’s reservation, which lies in and around Humboldt County, access to electricity has been spotty for years — if that access has existed at all. 

Two Rare Tornadoes Seen in Central California

03/02/2024

A tornado stuck Kings county briefly, and another touched down in Madera county, as favorable conditions came together during a powerful winter storm which swept the region.

With State Approval, Rancho Palos Verdes to Fast-Track Landslide Mitigation

02/26/2024

State officials determined that Rancho Palos Verdes can utilize an already-established state of emergency to expedite landslide stabilization efforts as the crisis escalates.

If Done Correctly, Californians Can Save on Utility Bills by Creating Income-Based Charges

02/06/2024

California’s utility regulators are exploring energy bill reforms that would structure charges based on household income. If done correctly, the change shift the cost for maintaining the grid to higher earners who can afford it.

L.A.’s Flood-Control System Survived Epic Storm. But It’s Losing the Battle With Climate Change

02/05/2024

Los Angeles County flood control network withstands punishing rains—for now.

The Terrifying Forces That Created a California Monster Storm

02/05/2024

The storm fed off of unusually warm waters as it grew. It also reached “bomb cyclone” status as it neared California.

New USGS Map Shows California Is at High Risk for Damaging Earthquakes

01/24/2024

An updated earthquake hazard map from USGS shows a high shaking risk in California.

‘Thousand-Year Storm’ Leaves San Diego Reeling From Punishing Rainfall, Floods

01/23/2024

Hundreds of San Diego homes and businesses were damaged or ruined in devastating floods after punishing rainfall fell on Jan. 22.

Smokey Bear—and Californians’ Relationship With Fire—Gets an Update in UC Davis Art Exhibition

01/18/2024

If you’re driving on Interstate 80, you might spot a billboard displaying an animal wildfire mascot. But it isn’t Smokey Bear. It’s Burnie the Bobcat, with a new slogan: Only you can decide our fiery future.

The 1994 Northridge Quake Was a Shock. Here’s Why the Next One Won’t Be

01/16/2024

Our understanding and preparedness have come a long way since Southern California’s magnitude 6.7 earthquake in 1994. We’re still learning from that destructive temblor.

California Community College Students Helping Peers

01/03/2024

Two-thirds of community college students in California admit to struggling to meet basic needs. The California Community Colleges’ Student Ambassador Program has empowered more than 50 students to act as resource guides to help them.

Smoke Exposure From Controlled Burns Is Raising Concerns

12/26/2023

Prescribed burns, used to limit destructive wildfires, are growing in frequency at California State Parks. But as the smoke drifts into residential areas, it’s easy to see why many Californians are concerned about the health impacts.

Bureau of Reclamation Names New Leader for California Region

12/21/2023

The Bureau of Reclamation, which manages federal water such as the Central Valley Project, has a new regional director for the California-Great Basin Region.

Coordinated Effort Aims to Secure Aircraft for CalFire

12/19/2023

An effort spearheaded by the Newsom administration and congressional leaders resulted in Congress authorizing and accelerating the transfer of seven C-130 aircraft from the U.S. Coast Guard to CalFire, expanding California’s firefighting fleet.

Officials Hope New Flood Strategies Can Help the Sacramento Region Handle an Unpredictable Winter

12/17/2023

As soon as this winter, the Lower Elkhorn Basin project area will become a larger overflow area for the Sacramento River when it rises. Crews pushed seven miles of levee back around 1,500 feet, expanding the capacity of the existing Sacramento and Yolo bypass areas.

Wildfire Risks Will Continue to Drive Up Rates for California Homeowners

12/14/2023

Home insurance policies will likely get more expensive, California’s insurance commissioner said. Seven of the 12 largest insurers doing business in California said they could no longer afford to cover new homes in the state.

As Atmospheric Rivers Become More Frequent, California Expands Research to Prepare

12/05/2023

A new law expanding California’s atmospheric river research program goes into effect next year. It connects flood and reservoir control operations with new technologies and strategies that can help operators accurately predict the arrival of these storms.

2023 Shatters Records

11/29/2023

2023 has broken climate records, accompanied by extreme weather which has left a trail of devastation, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

‘Super El Niño’ is Heading for California This Winter

11/13/2023

Much of California could get hit by extreme weather conditions this winter. A major storm is due to hit Northern California this week.

Tree Climbers Are Helping Replant California’s Forests

11/09/2023

More than 1.5 million acres of forest have been burned or scarred in California. Climbers go high in trees to grab pine cones that could help in reforestation.

With More Rain and Fewer Fires, California Forests Saw More Prescribed Burns This Year

11/08/2023

It’s been a good year for forest managers, with fewer massive wildfires and more precipitation.  At Lake Tahoe, enhanced fire restrictions began in the beginning of August—almost a month later than usual.

Some Camp Fire Survivors Think They Won’t Ever be Paid

11/08/2023

Five years ago, the Camp Fire killed 85 people and leveled Paradise, Concow and parts of Magalia. Three years ago, PG&E created the Fire Victim Trust to pay out settlements to survivors—but some say they’ve lost hope they’ll ever get their full payments.

Featured

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Getting Acquainted With AQI
Learn what's getting into Californians’ lungs and why it matters.
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.
How Not to Feel the Burn
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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
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.
Just because record rains have been falling, the state’s water crisis remains.
What Is Drought? Probably Not What You Think
Recent torrential rains have helped, but California's drought is a long way from over.
Kerry Wood, CEO of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, says the organization researches areas of need to help donors direct their contributions.
What Is a Community Foundation?
By channeling funds to a number of nonprofits working on various issues in a given region, community foundations help solve big problems throughout California.
The Pajaro River levee broke during the 2023 atmospheric river storms, flooding the town of Pajaro.
Is California Ready for More Extreme Weather Driven by Climate Change?
Increasingly extreme weather events are already testing California’s preparedness.
Disaster Prep: Alerts, Maps and Apps
Keep these online resources handy in case of floods, fires, quakes and other disasters
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