An image from September 2020 of Lake Tenaya in Yosemite National Park, with sunlight and shadows cast in the wildfire smoke hanging over the lake water.
Image credit: Chris Neklason contributed
Fire Season Begins with a Roar
A whiff of smoke on the breeze the other day had me thinking back to 2020.
I was up at our family cabin outside Yosemite that August, and one night watched the most intense thunderstorm of my life take place off to the east over the Sierra. Lightning lit up the sky and thunder crashed and boomed for hours, though little or no rain fell.
It was the same up and down California, and the next day, the state was on fire.
I was back up at the cabin a month later in September, and the smoke was so thick I donned goggles and an industrial respirator and headed up into the Yosemite high contry in search of breathable air. After driving a couple hours I found some up in Tuolumne Meadows, and remember hiking to the river and wondering if I should camp out for a few days.
That summer there were so many fires buring in the state, I'd found the best air in California and was loathe to leave.
Since then, more communities have become firewise certified, more homeowners have embraced defensible space, and more funding has been directed toward clearing beetle-killed trees in forests.
Hopefully, this summer won't see the return of the lurid yellow and orange skies of 2020.
Summer arrived this year on June 20, but fire season got here first with the ignition of the Corral Fire south of Tracy in San Joaquin County on June 1. Now 100% contained, the fire burned over 14,000 acres of grasslands and led to evacuations of some neighborhoods.
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.
The UC San Diego-managed ALERTCalifornia network of mountaintop cameras act as remote eyes for fire fighters, and the public.
Yolo County's Homepage
Direct your browser to https://yolo.californialocal.com/ to catch up on the latest news in California and Yolo County. Bookmark the link and visit often, there's a lot happening in your community!
Recipe of the Week
Our friends at Sacramento Digs Gardening publish a recipe from their gardens every Sunday, which we feature here so you can start your week with some yum.
Big Brother Big Sisters provides children facing adversity with strong, enduring, professionally supported mentorship. The chapter serves Sacramento and Yolo counties, as well as southern Placer County.
A Folsom Assemblyman is pushing legislation that calls for more transparency on how the state is spending money on homelessness. The bill is in response to a state audit report which revealed the state spent $24 billion on homelessness, yet …
• Mayor is Guest Speaker at Woodland State of the City Dinner
Woodland Mayor Tania Garcia-Cadena delivered remarks as a special guest speaker at the annual Woodland Chamber of Commerce State of the City dinner held on June 20.
The Woodland and Davis Area League of Women Voters groups voted to form a single Yolo County League of Women Voters with a goal in increasing local voter education and participation.
• What You Need to Know About the California Budget Deal
Gov. Newsom and legislative leaders announce an agreement to bridge the state budget deficit by dipping into reserves and reducing some spending. The deal also calls for a bill in August to set aside more money and a 2026 constitutional amendment to grow the state’s rainy day fund.
• Environmental Groups Appeal Sites Reservoir Ruling
A new round of litigation began when environmental groups opposed to the Sites reservoir in Colusa County filed an appeal on a ruling which dismissed their suit seeking to halt the project from proceeding.
• In Rain, Snow and Drought, California’s Fights Over Water Rights, Supplies Persist
Legal rights to use water — particularly those obtained prior to 1914 — lie at the heart of California’s perpetual wrangling over the allocation of increasingly limited water supplies.
Vitakraft Sun Seed Inc. of Weston, OH, is voluntarily recalling one lot of Sun Seed Vita Prima Hedgehog Food because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is also a risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products,
Friday, June 21, 2024SACRAMENTO Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, today announced his legislation has advanced that would grant power wheelchair users the right to have their own equipment repaired, eliminating delays that could leave them immobilized while reducing costs to one of Californias most vulnerable populations.
The focus of this bill is enhancing quality of life for people with mobility issues, …
Thursday, June 20, 2024
SACRAMENTO Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, today announced legislation has advanced that would allow the state of California to sell land at Napa State Hospital known as Camp Coombs to the County of Napa for inclusion in Skyline Wilderness Park.
Adding this incredible piece of land to Skyline Wilderness Park will be a huge benefit to the …
Thursday, June 20, 2024SACRAMENTO Sen. Dodd, D-Napa, today announced his legislation has advanced to expand his previous relief for struggling restaurants and bars by broadening provisions of his 2021 law allowing the sale and delivery of to-go cocktails.
Simply put, this measure gives a boost to small businesses and our local economy, helping to keep doors open and people employed, …
Tuesday, June 18, 2024SACRAMENTO El Senador Bill Dodd, D-Napa, anuncio hoy que ha avanzado su legislacion que ayudaria a proteger a los californianos de los incendios forestales y proteger el medio ambiente al agilizar el proceso de limpieza de maleza y arboles combustibles a lo largo de las carreteras.
Las igniciones en las carreteras son una fuente importante de incendios …
Wednesday, June 19, 2024SACRAMENTO Legislation advanced today from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, that would help address chronic police staffing shortages in Vallejo by allowing qualified retired officers to work up to full-time for the Solano County Sheriffs Office, providing the additional deputies needed to aid Vallejo during this staffing emergency.
Retired police officers bring a wealth of training and experience, …
Wednesday, June 19, 2024SACRAMENTO Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, today announced his legislation advanced that would build on efforts to safeguard students from sexual misconduct and violence on California college campuses by adopting new requirements recommended in a California State Auditor report and by extending those rules to the University of California, California State University and community college systems.
This bill …
Tuesday, June 18, 2024SACRAMENTO Legislation advanced today from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, to enhance consumer protection for California restaurant patrons by clarifying state law on the disclosure of hidden fees and other service charges.
Restaurant customers shouldnt be surprised when they get their checks by a slew of extra charges they were not expecting, Sen. Dodd said. Many restaurants are …
Hudson Harvest of Germantown, NY, is voluntarily recalling Hudson Harvest Tomato Basil Sauce because of reported swelling, leaking, or bursting jars. There is a possibility that the product has been under processed, which could lead to the potential for spoilage organisms or pathogens.
An image from September 2020 of Lake Tenaya in Yosemite National Park, with sunlight and shadows cast in the wildfire smoke hanging over the lake water.
