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Santa Clara County Resilience Articles



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.

San Jose Inside logo LOCAL NEWS
Rain is Good News, but Doesn’t Change California’s Dire Drought Outllook

Worsening droughts, competition for scarce supplies, sea level rise, groundwater contamination, earthquakes, wildfires and extreme weather all contribute to California water woes.

The post Rain is Good News, but Doesn't Change California's Dire Drought Outllook appeared first on San Jose …

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.

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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.

Image caption: A graph of a social network.
The Genius of Democracy

In which we ponder human self organization.

Image caption: California’s increasingly dangerous wildfire outbreak has led to another crisis, this one in fire insurance.
California’s Fire Insurance Crisis, Explained

Even as California’s wildfires grow more intense seemingly every year, insurers are cancelling policies for homeowners in the path of the fires.

Image caption: California Local Publisher Michael Gelbman talks about his vision for the site’s future.
Tell Us a Story

California Local gives a voice to community volunteers—and the business leaders who make their work possible.

Image caption: It's well known that climate change is making wildfires worse — but how?
How Climate Change is Making Wildfires Worse Than Ever

Climate scientists say that global warming is making wildfire season much worse. Here's how climate change causes fires to be more destructive.

Image caption: Cal Fire personnel engaged in live fire training in Williams, California.
Fighting Fire With Fire

What is California’s Forest Management Task Force and what does it do?

Image caption: The first wave of lightning lit up the Bay Area's late night sky on Aug. 15, 2020.
The Lightning Fires of August

This year's dry lightning storms left the state scrambling to for climate change solutions.

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Cultural Districts Racked by COVID

Shutdowns have hurt business in Little Saigon, Japantown, Little Portugal, and Little Italy.

Image caption: Non-profits throughout Santa Clara County are stepping up to help families who are struggling through the pandemic.
COVID-19 Heroes: 10 Local Nonprofits Helping Silicon Valley’s Neediest

As requests for basic needs grow, including food, shelter, and financial assistance for rent, non-profits move to help those most at risk.

Image caption: At an April 29 press conference, Dr. Sara Cody defended her decision to push for Bay Area-wide shelter-in-place orders.
Merc Interviews Doctor Who Initiated Lockdown

Santa Clara County Health Officer Sara Cody urged continued caution to prevent the coronavirus pandemic from exploding.

Image caption: Gavin Newsom was the first governor in the U.S. to shutter retail businesses and issue stay at-home-orders. That's how he got this halo.
What California Did Right in the Fight Against COVID-19

California remains a leader in limiting the number of COVID-19 deaths, following the March 19 orders to shut down nonessential businesses, close schools, and shelter in place.

Image caption: The revised Bay Area risk assessment is part of a new National Seismic Hazard Model.
USGS: Earthquake Hazard Worse Than We Thought

Tall buildings in San Jose and Walnut Creek are at a greater risk of earthquake damage.

Image caption: <p>The warning system was developed by the California Office of Emergency Services, U.S. Geological Survey, UC Berkeley and Caltech.</p>
Quake Early Warning App Drops

Statewide system launches on 30th anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake,

Featured

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.
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
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.
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.
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
Keep these online resources handy in case of floods, fires, quakes and other disasters.