california

California wildfires are breaking the rules by burning downhill fast

By Allie Weill, KQED Science

Because of the dangers of fighting a fire burning up a hill, crews working in hilly terrain take advantage of the opposite effect, anchoring firefighting operations on the downhill side of a fire and using the slope as a buffer…

Uncontained wildfire destroys 500 structures in California

By Lorin Eleni Gill, Jonathan J. Cooper, Associated Press

Only a handful of homes remain in the small northern California community of Keswick. The so-called Carr Fire roared through Shasta County, so thoroughly eating up homes, that it's difficult to tell how many once stood in the ruins.

Massive Northern California wildfire kills second firefighter

By Jonathan J. Cooper, Amanda Lee Myers, Associated Press

An explosive wildfire raged through several Northern California communities, killing two firefighters and destroying dozens of homes after thousands of terrified residents fled in miles-long traffic jams.

California wines contain Fukushima radiation, and it's not a bad thing

By Amanda Grennell

In the wake of the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster, cesium-137 made its way through the atmosphere to vineyards in Napa Valley. But the small amount of radiation poses more of a threat to wine counterfeiters than to your body.

Police arrest suspect in Oakland train station stabbing

By Lorin Eleni Gill, Olga R. Rodriguez, Associated Press

The hunt for a man police say killed an 18-year-old woman in an unprovoked knife attack in the San Francisco Bay Area ended where it began: In a train station.

A sea urchin army is mowing down California's kelp forests -- but why?

By Amanda Heidt, KQED Science

These oceanic forests are currently under siege from a potent mix of climate anomalies, disease, and predation that have led to declines in kelp forests not seen in decades.

Authorities say 1 killed in LA market standoff

By Michael Balsamo, Christopher Weber, Associated Press

About three hours after he took hostages in a Trader Joe's, located in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles, the suspect surrendered.

Why 96 million plastic 'shade balls' dumped into the LA Reservoir may not save water

By Amanda Grennell

In 2015, officials poured 96 million "shade balls" into the Los Angeles Reservoir to improve water quality and save water. The video went viral, but those shade balls may have used more water than they saved, MIT scientists reported Monday.

Deadly fire shuts down key route to Yosemite National Park

By Associated Press

A wildfire that killed a California firefighter grew quickly and forced the closure of a key route into Yosemite National Park as crews contended with sweltering conditions Sunday, authorities said.