KQED's The California Report

Private Firefighters Accused of Allegedly Setting Illegal Backfires State fire officials are investigating several private firefighters for allegedly setting illegal backfires to protect some structures threatened by the Glass Fire in the wine country. Jackie Lacey and George Gascón Square Off in LA County District Attorney Race The candidates to lead the largest prosecutor’s office in the country...

Harris and Pence Spar Over Forest Management and Wildfires During Debate Issues important to California, like climate change and wildfires came up in Wednesday’s Vice Presidential debate. The candidates started off discussing the COVID pandemic and the administration’s handling of it, but the conversation soon turned to the environment.  Reporter: Katie Orr, KQED Facebook Bans Political Ads Until...

Before Reopening, Counties Must Increase COVID-19 Testing, Reduce Positive Cases Starting this week in order to qualify to reopen more industries and loosen restrictions, California will require its 35 largest counties to bring down coronavirus rates in hard-hit neighborhoods. That means hitting goals both for overall testing and in lowering the percentage of new positive cases. Reporter: Jackie F...

First Openly Gay Justice Nominated to State Supreme Court Governor Gavin Newsom has nominated veteran Judge Martin Jenkins as his first appointee to the California Supreme Court. If he's appointed Jenkins will be the first openly gay justice on the California Supreme court. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED California Physicists Awarded Nobel Prize Two Californians have been awarded the Nobel Prize in...

Record Four Million Acres Scorched in California, With Months of Fire Season Remaining State fire officials announced yesterday that wildfires have burned a record four million acres this year in California. That’s more than double the previous record year of 2018 when 1.8 million acres burned in the state. Elder Care Homes Keep Familiar Routines While Evacuated California’s wildfires have forced...

After Positive COVID-19 Test, Trump's Swing Through Southern California Likely On Hold News that President Trump and first lady Melania Trump have tested positive for COVID-19 is expected to end a swing through Southern California that had been planned for next week. This diagnosis has been confirmed this morning by White House doctors. Guest: Jessica Levinson, Loyola Law School professor Republic...

Firefighters Deploy Emergency Shelters Amid Intense Conditions Cal Fire is reporting a close call for two crew members who were forced to deploy emergency shelters while fighting the Glass Fire. The incident occurred Sunday night as gusty northeasterly winds created chaotic conditions on the fire. Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED New State Law Considers Slavery Reparations Governor Gavin Newsom made the...

Immigrant Workers Hit Hard by WildfiresThe Glass Fire is just the latest blow to low-wage immigrant workers in Sonoma and Napa counties, who were already struggling during the pandemic. Many of them don't have the option to stay home from work.  Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Local Businesses Step Up Support to Firefighters Fighting the Glass FireSmall businesses in Napa and Sonoma countie...

Heartbreaking Toll of Wildfires Continues to Grow Three people have died in the Zogg Fire burning in Shasta County outside of Redding. The Glass Fire has burned at least 36,000 acres, tripling in size in just 24 hours in Napa and Sonoma counties, and destroying homes. It’s also forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate. California's Emergency Alert System is in Shambles Making sure people get...

Wildfires Burning in Napa and Sonoma Counties Hit Santa Rosa Wildfires burning in Napa and Sonoma counties north of San Francisco have reached the city of Santa Rosa where homes in a residential neighborhood on the city’s eastern edge have been destroyed. Newsom Signs Law to Expand Access to Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new law on Friday that gives Californi...

Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration from Ending Census Early A federal judge in San Jose has barred the Trump Administration from putting a halt to counting for the 2020 U.S. Census a month early. Judge Lucy Koh issued a preliminary injunction preventing the administration from doing so. Biden's Massive Lead Against Trump Continues in California Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden cont...

Governors Executive Order Bans Gas-Burning Car Sales by 2035 California is the largest automobile market in the country, but those cars we love so much are big contributors to climate change. That’s why Governor Newsom signed a historic executive order yesterday banning the sale of new gas-powered cars in the state by the year 2035, replacing them with zero emission vehicles.  Reporter Kevin Stark...

Audit Finds UC Campuses Favor Wealthy Students “Who you know” can be a big advantage in life, getting you that new job or investment tip. But it’s not supposed to help you get a spot in a University of California school. A new state audit found that four UC campuses improperly admitted dozens of wealthy students over the past six years as favors to donors, family, and friends.   Reporter: Chloe Ve...

Hotshot Firefighter Dies in El Dorado Blaze A firefighter died last week fighting the El Dorado fire in San Bernardino County. Charlie Morton was a squad boss of a hotshot crew in the San Bernardino National Forest. The Bobcat Fire burning in the San Gabriel Mountains is about 13% contained. It has damaged about 30 structures. California's COVID-19 Numbers Continue To Fall Though more than 15,000...

California to Temporarily Halt Accepting Unemployment Claims California’s Employment Development Department plans to stop accepting unemployment claims until October 5 while it tackles a massive backlog of 600,000 cases. This comes as an investigative strike team set up by Governor Gavin Newsom released a report saying the agency needs a massive overhaul. Reporter: Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, KQED ...

State Prison Officials Meet with Inmate Advocates to Discuss Efforts to Contain COVID-19 Outbreaks What started as a handful of coronavirus cases early last month at Folsom State Prison has ballooned to over 500. Further south, Avenal State Prison in Kings County has had 22 hundred cases. That’s more than any prison in California, including San Quentin. Reporter: Kate Wolffe, KQED  Adelanto Immigr...

How Some Families are Coping with Unhealthy Air Quality in Southern CaliforniaAir quality may finally be improving in the Bay Area, but things are still smoky down in Southern California. That’s especially true in in the foothill communities of the San Gabriel Valley, where the Air Quality Index has hit 500 this week.  Reporter: KCRW’s Benjamin Gottlieb, KCRW New Poll Shows Tough Fight for Proposi...

Kamala Harris Visits Fresno to Meet with Emergency Personnel Battling Wildfires Democratic Vice Presidential hopeful Kamala Harris met Tuesday with emergency service personnel who have been battling the Creek Fire in the mountains near Fresno.  Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED Women's Groups Vow to Defend Kamala Harris from Racist, Sexist Attacks As the first woman of color on a major party’s presidentia...

Trump Blames Forest Management, Dismisses Climate Change During California VisitBoth presidential nominees turned their attention Monday to the wildfires roaring across the west coast. President Donald Trump landed in Sacramento to receive a wildfire briefing. In his own address on climate issues, across the country, Democratic nominee Joe Biden said four more years of Trump would lead to more fir...

President Trump Expected to Visit California as Wildfires Rage President Donald Trump is set to visit California in Sacramento as fire fighters make progress containing wildfires. Before this Friday, President Trump went three weeks without saying anything about the wildfires   Unprecedented Fire Conditions Continue to Strain Resources Firefighters in California are battling nearly 30 major blazes...

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Three Dead and a Dozen Missing in Massive North Complex Fire Driven by high winds the North Complex fire in Butte County exploded across more than 230,000 acres over the last two days. It’s claimed the lives of three people and 12 are reported missing. The blaze also brings back painful memories for the residents of Paradise. Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED Clearer Skies Above the Bay Area Mean Worseni...

Santa Ana Winds Threaten Communities Burning East of Los Angeles Residents in several foothill communities east of Los Angeles are being warned to prepare for possible evacuations due to the Bobcat Fire burning in the Angeles National Forest. The blaze started on Sunday, and firefighters fear it might grow quickly because of forecast Santa Ana winds. Evacuees from Creek Fire Number 30,000 and Coun...

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200 People Airlifted to Safety from Creek Fire Near Fresno the Creek Fire broke out Friday night near Fresno trapping around 200 people at the Mammoth Pool Reservoir. They were airlifted out to safety by helicopter. Officials say 20 people had injuries, including burns. The Creek Fire spread quickly and has now burned more than 73,000 acres. Extreme Behavior of Creek Fire Baffles Fire Scientists D...