Santa Clara County Resilience Digest

A number of climate researchers say recent storms appear to be typical of the deluges the state has experienced periodically and not the result of global warming.

The foundation will work not only in its core counties of Santa Clara and San Mateo, but also with the other Bay Area counties and Santa Cruz to address the devastation left by recent storms.

The bureau's tips include taking a cautious approach when choosing a business or contractor to do repairs and checking insurance policies for coverage.

Cell phones buzzed 10 seconds ahead of shaking in Northern California.

On Election Day, a tornado with wind gusts of up to 70 mph touched down in a rural area of Sacramento County near Galt. The Bee looks at how common tornadoes are in California, what causes them and how dangerous they can be.

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, trying to ease an insurance crisis that’s hurt rural California, has announced that all carriers active in fire-prone communities must incorporate his “Safer from Wildfires” program into their premiums.

According to the first in a series of reports to come from a consulting firm hired by California officials, PG&E’s efforts to improve wildfire safety are hindered by aging equipment, damaged power poles and hazardous trees that went undetected by the utility’s crews.

For those living in wildfire-ravaged regions, help might be on the way. Covered California recently announced an application window for victims of wildfires, as well as those who live in fire-prone regions, to apply for assistance.

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors this week unanimously approved $29 million to fund three housing projects which will add 332 homes to San Jose, Morgan Hill and Sunnyvale.

California faces the prospect of a drought-fueled summer of power shortages, hydroelectric plant shutdowns and rising electricity costs, a new report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration warns.

Some Californians have spent thousands of dollars trying to fireproof their homes to reduce their risk of burning. But taking those steps doesn’t prevent their premiums from ballooning, or keep them from being dropped by their insurance company.

Santa Clara will hold a virtual community meeting on June 1 to hear about potential bicycle and intersection improvements near the Civic Center.

The perimeter of Los Altos Hills’ Byrne Preserve added temporary residents to its habitat last week with an annual visit from a herd of approximately 400 grazing goats.

The state of California has released an Extreme Heat Action Plan outlining a comprehensive set of state actions to adapt and strengthen resilience to extreme heat.

Aerosols carried in wildfire smoke plumes that are hundreds of hours old can still affect climate, according to a study out of the University of California, Davis.

Winery owner and UC Santa Cruz chemistry professor Phil Crews teamed up with a group of researchers to conduct a study on how the taste of wine was affected by wildfire smoke.

The Mount Umunhum radar tower, an 85-foot-tall landmark in the hills south of San Jose, has gotten a $2 million renovation.

Despite spending nearly $4.9 billion last year to prevent wildfires, PG&E Corp. still found itself responsible for the second-largest fire in California history. This year it promises to shell out almost $6 billion on its 2022 “wildfire mitigation plan.”

California’s wildfires have been burning hotter and longer. Cal Fire keeps records of acres burned, structures destroyed and human lives lost, but there are no records of how many animals die or are injured by wildfires.

Some plants and patches of Earth withstand heat and dry spells better than others. A new Stanford University study shows those different coping mechanisms are closely linked to wildfire burn areas.

To address the growing need for a competitive insurance market for farm owners, wineries, ranchers and other outdoor agricultural businesses, California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has approved the FAIR Plan starting Feb. 1.

If your cell phone is more than a few years old, it might be time for an upgrade, as providers are phasing out 3G service.

With residents and local government divided on a solution, Palo Alto works to solidify its rules and guidelines in regards to wireless equipment.

Between earthquakes and floods over the past several decades, the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Community Emergency Response Team likes to be prepared. Members will hold a drive-through water distribution practice drill on Nov. 3.

With a historic storm landing in the Bay Area this week, many residents have experienced damage to their homes and vehicles. In preparation for future storms, several locations throughout the Peninsula are offering free sandbags to residents.

Over 310,000 Santa Clara County residents are participating in the 2021 Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill. This annual event is a coordinated earthquake drill between K-12 schools all over the region.

A change to Pacific Gas & Electric’s power lines has dramatically reduced the risk of sparking wildfires. But as a result, hundreds of rural residents often lose power for hours, sometimes days. “It’s like camping,” said Barbara Melchin, a Santa Cruz Mountains resident.

Even though not a single structure burned in the city of South Lake Tahoe, a preliminary estimate shows that the Caldor Fire cost tens of millions in lost economic activity to the region. But is that really the total? Experts believe it’s not clear how much fires cost the state each year.

Riyani Patel has already authored two books about the negative effects of bullying, and now she will head up an event in Morgan Hill to support National Bullying Prevention Month.

Santa Clara County Fire and other emergency services are presenting free emergency preparation workshops for county residents. Watch them online on Sept. 29, Oct. 21, Nov. 2, Jan. 11, Feb. 3 and March 9. All sessions will run 6:30-7:30 p.m.

With temperatures reaching the 90s in the valley this week, summer cooling centers are reopening to help people escape the heat.

After racist views of Huff Elementary’s namesake surfaced, the Mountain View Whisman community opted to rename the school after longtime Japanese American resident Amy Imai.