Melted plastic pipes and drastic water-pressure drops are potentially leaching toxic chemicals and contaminants into local supplies. Multiple water authorities in north Los Angeles have issued Do Not Drink notices.
In early January, soil moisture in much of Southern California was in the bottom 2 percent of historical records.
The arrival of La Niña is starving California of rain, and more high Santa Ana winds could be on the way.
As he prepares to leave the White House, Ali Zaidi is sober about what’s coming—but says too much has already been built and invested for Donald Trump to undo it.
In 2024, natural disasters related to variations in the water cycle caused more than 8,700 deaths and at least $550 billion of economic loss.
With wind speeds falling, firefighting reinforcements arriving from out of state, and more water sources online, authorities now have a critical window to take control of the situation.
The state’s insurance industry was reformed in late 2024 to promote coverage in disaster-prone areas. Tens of billions in fire damage will stress-test the new regime.
More than 130,000 people have been evacuated from their homes, with the fires—which are still uncontained—having been declared a major disaster by President Biden.
As hurricane-force winds fan the most destructive wildfires in California history across bone-dry foothills, communities face the dual threat of natural forces and a warming world.
Two eyes in the sky are now trained on Earth, locating the worst offenders for releasing methane, wherever they may be.
