These 5 Stats Show Just How Devastating California’s Wildfires Have Been—So Far
The Bobcat Fire burns in the Angeles National Forest in Los Angeles, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020.Ringo Chiu/Zuma For indispensable reporting on the coronavirus crisis, the election, and more, subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily newsletter.In mid-August, the most destructive wildfire season in California history seemed to peak over a deadly 48-hour period. Between the evenings of…
2 Years Ago, Scientists Warned Us Dead Trees Would Fuel Unpredictable Wildfires. Now It’s Happening.
Smoke from the Creek Fire billows beyond a ridge as seen from Huntington Lake on Sept. 5, 2020, at Huntington Lake, Calif.Eric Paul Zamora/AP For indispensable reporting on the coronavirus crisis, the election, and more, subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily newsletter.Nearly 150 million trees died in California between 2010 and 2018, officials estimated last…
Trump’s Understanding of California Wildfires Is Way Off—Even for Him
President Donald Trump meets with California Gov. Gavin Newson and officials to discuss recent wildfires in the western states at Sacramento McClellan Airport on Monday, Sep 14, 2020.Paul Kitagaki Jr./Zuma For indispensable reporting on the coronavirus crisis, the election, and more, subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily newsletter.As wildfires blazed across the American West, causing…
Those Orange Western Skies and the Science of Light
The almost red orange sky that stains the atmosphere in the city of San Francisco, California, USA, 09 September 2020.Marc Arcas/Zuma For indispensable reporting on the coronavirus crisis, the election, and more, subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily newsletter.This piece was originally published in Wired and appears here as part of our Climate Desk Partnership. The…
“Good Morning, Hell”—Californians Awake to Apocalyptic Skies as Wildfires Rage
Driving across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California.David McIntyre/Zuma For indispensable reporting on the coronavirus crisis, the election, and more, subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily newsletter.This piece was originally published in The Guardian and appears here as part of our Climate Desk Partnership. People in the San Francisco Bay Area and across California…
A California Wildfire Nearly Destroyed This 130-Year-Old Observatory
The Lick Observatory at the top of Mount Hamilton, in the Diablo Range just east of San Jose, California.Marty Bicek/Zuma For indispensable reporting on the coronavirus crisis and more, subscribe to Mother Jones’ newsletters.This piece was originally published in Wired and appears here as part of our Climate Desk Partnership. On the morning, of Sunday, August…