Santa Cruz County Public Safety Digest

The Moss Landing Battery Storage facility will resume operation on June 1, after being shut down in January due to a fire.

As the warm weather season begins, a warning to beware of jumping into lakes, rivers and streams.

A conversation with State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant about the new fire hazard maps and how local communities are preparing for widfires.

As the Los Angeles fires raged in January, about 1,000 inmate firefighters labored on hand crews alongside professional firefighters battling the blazes.

Ryan Matlock died of a fentanyl overdose after seeking addiction treatment. Today, his mother is urging lawmakers to get tougher on health insurance plans.

A California law empowers state investigators to check on conditions at ICE detention centers. A new report raises concerns about health care inside them.

Local agricultural giant Martinelli & Co. is voluntarily recalling more than 170,000 bottles of apple juice due to possible contamination.

Groups that support California crime victims and attempt to reduce gun violence lost millions of dollars in grants when the Trump administration pulled funding.

Residents living near farms can now sign up to be alerted when pesticides will be applied by the a new system recently launched by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation.

In an April 24 press conference. CalFire unveiled the latest addition to their fleet of firefighting aircraft, a new C-130 Hercules.

Three local fire districts in the county are partnering to conduct a feasibility study focusing on consolidation.

Against the backdrop of a rise in vaccine skepticism, California reported a drop in the rate of kindergartners immunized against measles last year, fueling fears that there may be a resurgence of the once-vanquished disease amid the deadly outbreak in West Texas.

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

The California DMV routinely allows dangerous drivers with horrifying histories to continue to operate on our roadways. Too often they go on to kill. Many keep driving even after they kill. Some go on to kill again.

In their April 10 meeting, the Capitola City Council voted unanimously to send a letter to local state elected representatives with suggestions for e-bike legislation to increase public safety.

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

Residents in the local wildland urban interface can register through April 30 to participate in the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County Spring 2025 No-Cost Community Chipping Program to help dispose of yard waste or cut brush and trees ahead of the upcoming fire season.

Hundreds of pile burns to reduce the fuel load will be taking place though April as Santa Cruz County prepares for fire season.

Santa Cruz County residents are encouraged to attend upcoming community natural disaster preparedness events, visit the online guide to natural disaster preparedness and take the public survey.

CalFire released its fourth and final round of color-coded hazard maps. Different colors come with different rules.

After the Trump administration threw out policies dating back to 2011 limiting immigration arrests at “sensitive locations,” California colleges and universities are providing resources to support students, but can’t stop immigration enforcement from entering public spaces. Some advocates say more must be done.

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 public health officials are closely monitoring two residents who recently tested positive for measles. Officials are on high alert given ongoing measles outbreaks in Texas, New Mexico and abroad.

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

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.

Read on for more information about the risk and safety considerations of a battery storage facility being proposed near Watsonville.

In the wake of past devastating fires, Santa Cruz County residents in vulnerable "one-way-out" are taking the lead in preparing safe evacuation routes in case of future fires. Read on to learn more.

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.

Phase 1 of the clean up following the fires at the Moss Landing battery storage facility has begun. Read on to learn more about the process and how long it is expected to take.

Each year, legislation aimed at better wildfire mitigation fails – often due to cost or conflict with environmental regulations.

Following multiple fire at the Moss Landing battery storage facility, Santa Cruz County residents are voicing opposition to a proposed battery storage facility outside Watsonville. Read on to learn more.

THE RECENT SPREAD of devastating wildfires in Los Angeles has underscored the importance of Watch Duty, the wildfire mapping app that provides early warning of fires and tracks their spread. And it is also casting a spotlight on the work of two volunteers, Danilla Sands of Mendocino County and Sara Paul of Sonoma County, both of whom play critical roles in ensuring the app has the latest fire information.