A bipartisan bill introduced on Jan. 28 by three California lawmakers would direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to maintain a program that improves wildfire forecasting and detection.

The mountains and foothills of Los Angeles County are in “extreme drought” conditions, about 36% of the county, explained Pugh. That’s one category shy of hitting the highest level, “exceptional drought,” and three higher than the lowest, “abnormally dry.” The rest of the county is in severe drought.

Smoke and ash could poison plankton and other organisms that form the foundation of the marine food chain, biologists say.

Rain and cooler temperatures will bring relief to Southern California this weekend, after a prolonged stretch of dry, breezy weather that allowed wildfires to thrive.

An air quality alert was issued on Wednesday at 4:14 p.m. in effect until Thursday at 6 p.m. The alert is for San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-The Inland Empire, Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills and Orange County Inland.

California is investing $15 million to offset climate change threats to salmon and steelhead trout in river and stream habitats through watershed projects.

Windy and dry conditions have returned to Southern California, raising the risk of new wildfires sparking as firefighters continue to battle two major blazes in the Los Angeles area that started in similar weather nearly two weeks ago.

In less than a week, Southern California’s weather has gone from unseasonably dry and warm – to wet and now bitterly cold. The National Weather Service says

California's insurance crisis risks triggering broader financial instability, an expert in economics and the environment warned.

Wildfires in Southern California have prompted major discussions about water in the state. Here's an overview of where water comes from in the region.

Onlookers got a special treat when hundreds and hundreds of sea creatures propelled themselves from the water in California. A “super pod” of over 1,500 Risso’s dolphins were spotted by a boat in Carmel Bay, according to a Jan. 25 Instagram post by the Monterey Bay Whale Watch.