Santa Clara County Local News: Resilience


All Local Resilience News articles contributed by our local media allies and other local newsrooms.

Image caption: 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.

Image caption: A smoky blanket of particulate matter hovers over San Francisco’s skyline.
Getting Acquainted With AQI

Learn what's getting into Californians’ lungs and why it matters.

Image caption: 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

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.

Image caption: Winter storms can lead to flooding in Santa Clara County’s creeks, such as this January 2022 incident on San Tomas Aquino Creek.
Disaster Prep: Alerts, Maps and Apps

When disaster strikes, you’ll need to have these information resources available on your smartphone.

Image caption: 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?

This year, a series of extreme events in California and around the country have wreaked havoc, driven by climate change. How prepared are we for things to get worse?

Image caption: 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.

Image caption: Just because record rains have been falling, the state’s water crisis remains.
What Is Drought? Probably Not What You Think

2023’s torrential rainstorms have eased California's drought conditions. But there’s a lot more to drought than the amount of rain, and this drought isn't over yet.

Image caption: With CERT training, volunteers can learn firefighting skills.
Emergency Teamwork

Fires, floods, earthquakes—California’s got it all. And CERT volunteers are ready to step in.

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: 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.

Image caption: Supercell storms are just one of many weather phenomena in the era of climate change.
The New Vocabulary of the Climate Change Era

The climate change era has created a whole new set of terms for a wide variety of storms and other weather phenomena. Here are some of the most important.

Image caption:
How Not to Feel the Burn

California residents can turn to these public and private entities to help prepare for wildfires and protect their property.

Gilroy Dispatch logo From Gilroy Dispatch...

04/17/2025
Image for display with article titled Property Owners, Voters Can Protest Dissolution of South County Fire District

A Santa Clara County commission will hold a hearing on May 7 to receive written protests regarding a proposal to dissolve the South Santa Clara County Fire Protection District.

California Local Pin Marker From Los Altos Town Crier...

04/15/2025
Following the publishing of updated CalFire fire severity maps, Los Alto Hills is moving to update new local file severity zones.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

04/14/2025
Six conservancies throughout the state will oversee work largely in Southern California and the Sierra Nevada.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

04/10/2025
After a three day hearing this week, State Farm is one step closer to approval for a rate hike on its California customers.

California Local Pin Marker From The Mercury News...

04/09/2025
Following several years of effort, the Los Gatos Creek Watershed Collaborative announced the completion of wildfire mitigations and forest health treatment to over 1,000 acres of open space in Los Gatos and Saratoga.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

04/09/2025
California’s Public Advocate has been pressing for new utility fire maps since 2023. Utilities are on board — but regulators turned them down.

San Jose Spotlight logo From San Jose Spotlight...

04/03/2025
Image for display with article titled Silicon Valley Firefighters Clash Over Territory

Silicon Valley officials want to extinguish their feud with state firefighters over regional fire protection territory. But their vote to expand Santa Clara County Fire Department coverage threatens to fan the flames.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

03/28/2025
At 90% of the state historical average, the Sierra Nevada snowpack is far better than last year. But it’s nothing like the record-smashing 2023.

California Local Pin Marker From The Union...

03/27/2025
Applications are open for $43 million in PG&E grant funding to develop microgrids in vulnerable communities in central and southern California.

San Jose Spotlight logo From San Jose Spotlight...

03/19/2025
Image for display with article titled North San Jose Business Takes Hit as Insurance Bails

San Jose small businesses dependent on liability insurance have fallen on hard times as insurance carriers exit California or increase premiums by double digits.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

03/18/2025
Evacuating the Tahoe basin in summer could take 14 hours, and 99% of properties are at risk — yet new resorts are being built in high-danger fire areas.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

03/14/2025
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said today he will grant State Farm’s request to raise home insurance premiums by 22% on average if the company agrees to certain conditions — and wins approval at a public rate hearing next month.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

03/14/2025
To cover a budget gap in Medi-Cal — which provides health insurance for roughly 15 million disabled and low-income Californians — Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration is borrowing $3.4 billion from the state’s general fund.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

03/13/2025
California is spending more than it expected on Medi-Cal and Republican lawmakers are pointing to coverage expansions that benefited immigrant households.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

03/12/2025
The governor’s planned $20 billion tunnel to divert more water south and bypass the Delta would bring years of construction noise, pollution and traffic. Residents worry their rural farm towns will never be the same.

California Local Pin Marker From Los Angeles Times...

03/11/2025
California Assembly Bill 247 would significantly raise the hourly wage of inmate firefighters. Read on to learn more.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

03/06/2025
Five years ago, as COVID-19 hit the state, legislators cancelled a hearing to discuss a state audit that found the state’s office of emergency services and at least three California counties weren’t prepared to help vulnerable people during natural disasters.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

02/27/2025
The governor has proposed spending climate bond money dedicated to wildfire mitigation in various ways. Some lawmakers think a focused strategy would be more effective.

California Local Pin Marker From Daily Post...

02/26/2025
Concerned about response times, the Palo Alto City Council is working to add a fire engine and staffing to the Mitchell Park fire station. Read on for details.