L.A. Times - Environment

Restaurant workers face hidden dangers from gas stoves, including pollution and extreme heat

Tony Briscoe — Tue, 6 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Restaurants with gas stoves and ovens are exposing workers to harmful air pollution and unsafe levels of heat, according to a new study led by California researchers.

Supreme Court sounds wary of state-based climate change suits against oil producers

David G. Savage — Mon, 5 Oct 2026 17:23:46 GMT

Oil and gas producers hope the Supreme Court will shut down scores of lawsuits over the effects of climate change.

Supreme Court to weigh whether oil companies can be forced to pay for climate damage

David G. Savage — Sun, 4 Oct 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The outcome of the Colorado case could affect California's 2023 lawsuit against the five largest oil companies and other similar litigation.

Jackie 'brought us together': Fans say goodbye to beloved Big Bear bald eagle

Lila Seidman — Sun, 4 Oct 2026 01:13:14 GMT

After a rollercoaster year, fans gathered in Big Bear to say goodbye to the beloved eagle who brought them together.

L.A. considers the rare closure of an active oil site in Jefferson Park

Blanca Begert — Sat, 3 Oct 2026 10:00:00 GMT

In a city that was built on oil and remains home to over 2,000 active wells, zoning officials are considering a first: shutting down an active oil production site.

LAFD acknowledges missteps involving Palisades fire following independent investigation

Noah Haggerty — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 23:57:09 GMT

A new investigation detailed L.A. Fire Department missteps leading up to the Palisades fire and in its initial response to the blaze. "We accept those findings," the LAFD said.

Effort to save California's iconic Joshua trees scrapped after Trump administration blocks funding

Alex Wigglesworth — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 23:39:28 GMT

A slate of projects aimed at preserving the future of California's iconic Joshua tree in has been scrapped after the Trump administration blocked more than $25 million in funding for national parks this year.

California leads lawsuit challenging Trump's rollback of fuel economy rules

Hayley Smith — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 20:41:34 GMT

Three lawsuits filed Friday challenge the Trump administration's rollback of vehicle mileage rules as illegal, including one led by California.

Botched Altadena evacuations, dysfunction in Pacific Palisades: Long-awaited fire investigation identifies missteps

Noah Haggerty, Grace Toohey, Terry Castleman, Alene Tchekmedyian — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 16:00:02 GMT

The report provides the most frank and in-depth review of the Eaton and Palisades fires, and points out multiple shortcomings in governmental planning and response.

'Super' El Niño could overwhelm L.A.'s aging Hyperion sewage treatment plant

Sandra McDonald — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 10:00:00 GMT

On the shores of Playa del Rey sits L.A.'s last line of defense against sewage streaming into the Santa Monica Bay — and a jacked El Niño this winter threatens to be more than a match for it.

California moves to limit utility profits and tap more power from homes

Hayley Smith — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 10:00:00 GMT

One of several bills signed this week is a law to advance the use of virtual power plants to make greater use of clean energy at home.

Native tribes denied greater say in water decisions with Newsom veto

Ian James — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 23:58:53 GMT

Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that would have given Native tribes greater say on decisions about water. One tribal leader said it shows that the governor "doesn't care about tribes."

California gets a new eye in the sky to track planet-warming methane

Blanca Begert — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 19:06:07 GMT

A second satellite, launched Thursday, will double California's chances of detecting climate-changing methane releases.

A California river has dried up. Critics say the state should do more to protect its salmon

Ian James — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Portions of Northern California's Scott River have dried up. Critics say state regulators should do more to keep the river flowing for salmon.

New bill in Congress seeks to investigate toxic dump off California coast

Rosanna Xia — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The bill was prompted by Los Angeles Times reporting that revealed as many as half a million barrels of toxic waste had been dumped into the ocean off Southern California.

Your guide to Proposition 45: Faster CEQA review for housing and infrastructure

Lila Seidman — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Prop 45 seeks to overhaul the law often blamed for delaying construction and driving up its cost: the California Environmental Quality Act.

Want solar but don't own a roof? California just legalized plug-in panels, no permission required

Blanca Begert — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 02:49:15 GMT

A new California law legalizes the plug-in solar panels that are becoming popular in other states and in Europe.

California revives Wildlife Coexistence Program amid record wolf pup boom

Lila Seidman — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill that restores California's Wildlife Coexistence Program in an effort to resolve rising conflicts with wolves, bears and mountain lions.

Trump-backed Oakland coal terminal would be far bigger and dirtier than promised, report says

Hayley Smith — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Up to 12 million tons of coal per year would be shipped to a Trump-backed Oakland terminal with open-air storage, defying promises of an enclosed facility.

Jaco Muller, who turned his 15-year-old son's idea into 197 rhino births, has died

Rhett Ayers Butler, Mongabay — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 00:59:32 GMT

The idea for breeding rhinos came from his son, then 15. In 2010, Muller converted the family's antelope-breeding operation into what became the Rhino Momma Project.

Can California stop Trump from drilling off its coast? A new law tries

Hayley Smith — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 22:53:47 GMT

Gov.

California on track to conserve 30% of its land, but is lagging on coastal waters

Noah Haggerty — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 17:30:00 GMT

The state added more than 1 million acres this last year toward its goal of conserving 30% of it land by 2030. It made no progress toward conserving 30% of its coastal waters in the same time frame.

Lower mileage standards, higher pump costs: What Trump's auto move means for California

Hayley Smith — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Experts say Trump's new fuel standards could complicate California's efforts to address climate change at a time when drivers face some of the nation's highest gas prices.

An eroding California beach and the fight over driving on the sand

Hailey Branson-Potts — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

If the California Coastal Commission has its way, vehicular access soon will be nixed at Centerville Beach County Park — one of just a handful of beaches where driving is allowed.

Poaching suspects caught with bloody hands, decapitated deer in Angeles National Forest

Lila Seidman — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 19:52:26 GMT

Wildlife officers arrested three suspects who confessed to illegal hunting after loaded firearms and deer carcasses were found in their vehicles, authorities said.

Coast Guard rescues sailor after boat runs aground on Santa Rosa Island

Melody Petersen — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 18:51:27 GMT

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a sailor after a 25-foot sailboat ran aground on Santa Rosa Island off the Southern California coast.

Wrightwood residents fight a quarry they never saw coming

Alex Wigglesworth — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

By the time residents learned about the quarry, it had long ago received a key approval.

Hurricanes bring heavy surf to Southern California, rain to parts of the Southwest

Ian James — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 02:35:45 GMT

As Hurricane Polo approaches Mexico, parts of Southern California are forecasted to get heavy surf and high tides.

Will El Niño have an upside? California tries to capitalize on big storms

Ian James — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

El Niño could unleash major storms and flooding. It also could bring precious water to drought-afflicted California.

El Niño threatens the beloved Pacific Surfliner. Can the iconic train survive the winter?

Summer Lin — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 18:14:37 GMT

Sections of railway in coastal Orange County have repeatedly shut down for landslides, coastal erosion and rockfalls. Another stormy winter is coming.

This JPL satellite mission is burning through its funding. One reason: the Eaton fire

Noah Haggerty, Ian James — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The mission is the newest generation of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment, or GRACE. The satellites measure water mass across the planet.

In blow to tribes, Newsom vetoes bill that would have remade little-known state forests

Lila Seidman — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 21:06:06 GMT

Gov. Gavin Newsom said AB 2494 could have hampered research in demonstration forests, dealing a setback to tribes and environmentalists pushing to curb commercial logging.

California and Washington state to join forces on carbon markets, aiming to cut pollution and raise billions

Hayley Smith — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 18:32:02 GMT

Linking California and Washington state's carbon markets will cut more pollution and increase revenue for key state programs, officials said.

Sea turtles laying eggs at Huntington Beach and Seal Beach are first known cases of nesting on West Coast

Corinne Purtill — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 16:32:57 GMT

Two olive ridley sea turtles have laid eggs on the sand on Southern California beaches.

This major California river has gotten too warm for its salmon

Ian James — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The Sacramento River has gotten too warm for salmon eggs. Environmental advocates blame the Trump administration for taking too much water out of Shasta Lake.

Newsom signs bills to regulate data center industry, criticizes Trump for inaction

Blanca Begert, Dakota Smith, Ian James — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 16:31:03 GMT

California's growing data center industry will have more oversight after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed seven bills to regulate the industry's electricity costs and track water consumption.

Lopez: We don't need AI to threaten the future of humanity. We've got Trump's climate policies

Steve Lopez — Sat, 19 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Trump's ambitious assault on the planet is fueling climate activism.

California is losing its oaks. One man is planting 10,000, including in tree-scarce Altadena

Jessie Schiewe — Sat, 19 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

For years, he'd been a classroom science teacher in suburban San Diego County. Now he hopes to meaningfully contribute to the regrowth of oaks in burned Altadena.

Newsom rejects effort to roll back CEQA exemptions for advanced manufacturing

Hayley Smith — Sat, 19 Sep 2026 04:34:44 GMT

Senate Bill 954 would have rolled back parts of last year's controversial overhaul of CEQA that allowed for advanced manufacturing facilities to be sited in communities without environmental review.

Wanted: Notorious Lake Tahoe tree poisoner. Reward? $147,000

Alex Wigglesworth — Sat, 19 Sep 2026 01:23:05 GMT

A question has bedeviled a wealthy Lake Tahoe enclave for years: Who is poisoning the towering trees that stand sentry on the lake's North Shore?

Another battery fire erupts at Moss Landing, where some units are still charged

Blanca Begert — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 21:21:36 GMT

Almost two years after a massive battery fire south of Santa Cruz displaced 1,200 people and smoldered for days, the same facility is burning again.

For the first time, scientists link heavy snow to groundwater in California

Ian James — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 18:12:58 GMT

Scientists are finding that snowfall is more connected to water underground than we knew. Using satellite data, they found groundwater levels actually rise during big snow years, in contrast to most years, when it continues to fall.

Commentary: The approaching El Niño is scary, but L.A.'s starred in this horror movie before

Patt Morrison — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The thousands of square miles of mountain watershed around L.A. -- the San Gabriels and the San Bernardinos -- are as steep as roller coasters, and the rain funnels off them in tumults.

A wave of dead seabirds washes ashore in Venice

Noah Haggerty, Caroline Petrow-Cohen — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 21:05:05 GMT

More than 40 cormorants, black pelican-like seabirds, washed ashore at Venice Beach this weekend. The cause is a mystery.

Newsom signs first-in-nation standards for homes damaged by wildfire smoke

Nicole Nixon, Noah Haggerty — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 19:23:30 GMT

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed legislation to create new standards to test and remediate homes damaged by wildfire smoke, and to require insurance companies to pay for the associated costs.

EPA scraps power plant emissions limits in sweeping rollback

Hayley Smith, Blanca Begert — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 20:44:40 GMT

The Trump administration is rolling back the majority of Biden-era limits on greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to remove "red tape" that drives up energy costs, agency officials said.

As the coast begins to crumble, the clock ticks on moving San Onofre's radioactive waste

Blanca Begert — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Storms and sea level rise threaten San Onofre's beachside nuclear waste pad as California officials search for long-term storage solutions.

California's biggest lake is in crisis. Now tribes are coming back to save its sacred fish

Noah Haggerty — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 19:00:00 GMT

An agreement signed Friday formalizes seven tribes as co-managers of the Clear Lake watershed. Mercury contamination, toxic algal blooms and invasive fishes have threatened a rare and revered local fish.

The surprising reason California survived record summer heat without blackouts

Clara Harter — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

California has quietly, but dramatically, increased the resiliency of its electrical grid through a significant expansion in battery energy storage.

California coast braces for another battering as new El Niño-related wave emerges in Pacific

Rong-Gong Lin II — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 23:12:14 GMT

Another El Niño-influenced phenomenon — a "coastally trapped Kelvin wave" — is moving up the coast of Mexico and will soon hit the U.S. West Coast.

Trump administration wants to revise the latest National Climate Assessment — three years after publication

Hayley Smith — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 22:11:04 GMT

Experts said amending the finalized federal climate report would be unprecedented.

L.A. County probes Farmers Insurance Company's handling of wildfire claims

Melody Petersen — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 19:49:02 GMT

Los Angeles County launched a probe into Farmers Insurance Company's handling of claims by policyholders impacted by last year's devastating Eaton and Palisades wildfires, after a growing number of residents complained of delays, denials and underpayments

Becerra backers with business in Sacramento spend tens of millions boosting his gubernatorial bid

Seema Mehta, Gabrielle LaMarr LeMee — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Companies and special interest groups with some of the diciest issues expected to land on California's next governor's desk are among the top financial backers of Democrat Xavier Becerra, the gubernatorial front-runner.

With support from loggers and (some) environmentalists, Congress unites on major wildfire bill

Noah Haggerty — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Congress seems poised to pass the Fix Our Forests Act, which would expedite forest thinning work, test new firefighting tech and build up homes' wildfire armor.

'The whole beach is gone': Big waves bring destruction to SoCal coast. It's a warning

Grace Toohey — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 18:25:42 GMT

Strong surf across Southern California this weekend blasted through a seawall in Long Beach, caused a massive sinkhole at a celebrity's Malibu home and damaged several Dana Point homes, among other issues.

Trump administration tells California its key water plan is 'unworkable'

Ian James — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The Trump administration and Westlands Water District are objecting to California's water plan for the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

L.A.'s 'perfect' Mediterranean weather is a birthright. Why did it disappear this summer?

Rong-Gong Lin II — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

It's been hot in SoCal, but at least it's a dry heat. Wait. It's not dry — at all. Locals' favorite summertime cliche has been brutally terminated by the worst humidity we've ever seen.

California water agencies may get a new defense in lawsuits over hydrants running dry in wildfires

Ian James — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A bill that would help California water agencies avoid being sued when hydrants run dry in wildfires is awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom's signature.

El Niño could bring waves of starving sea lion pups to California beaches. It's happened before

Lila Seidman — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

As El Niño and a marine heatwave threaten mass strandings along California beaches, the release of one rescued seal pup offers a window into the possible crisis.

Intense heat, oppressive humidity approach as Tropical Storm Marie's dangerous surf lingers

Rosanna Xia — Mon, 7 Sep 2026 22:50:20 GMT

Intense heat and high humidity will hit Southern California this week as dangerous high surf and coastal flooding from Tropical Storm Marie continue to linger.

Rare sighting of endangered gray wolf in Lake County brings hope of California comeback

Queenie Wong — Sat, 5 Sep 2026 22:33:30 GMT

Wildlife officials say that people spotted the wolf in late August, and a biologist confirmed the animal has been in the California area.

Global warming is ruining their way of life. These Colorado ranchers demand accountability

Ian James — Sat, 5 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Colorado ranchers struggling with severe drought and heat have filed a friend-of-the-court brief in a climate case that soon will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.

U.S. hits diesel fuel milestone as prices slam California economy from trucks to crops

Clara Harter, Suhauna Hussain — Fri, 4 Sep 2026 21:56:49 GMT

Record-high diesel prices are squeezing California's economy, driving up fuel and operational costs for local farmers, trucking fleets and supply chains.

Celebrate California Wildlife Day in honor of iconic Big Bear bald eagle Jackie

Grace Toohey — Fri, 4 Sep 2026 16:29:05 GMT

Admirers of Jackie the bald eagle, who became an internet sensation from her perch overlooking Big Bear Lake, will have yet another chance to celebrate the bird's legacy.

Bass, Raman tout their environmental bona fides at L.A. forum

Noah Haggerty — Fri, 4 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

In a forum at L.A. Trade-Tech, the two mayoral candidates differed sharply over the city's environmental performance under Bass's leadership

As world braces for 'super' El Niño, research suggests global warming has increased its punch

Hayley Smith — Fri, 4 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

New research suggests that human activity is making El Niño even more extreme and globally disruptive.

Trump is trying to terminate EVs in California. Is that even possible?

Hayley Smith — Fri, 4 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The Trump administration's efforts to erode California's emissions authority are slowing the state's EV transition, but not stopping it.

From $300,000 EVs to dancing bots: The El Segundo firm sliding into Tesla's slipstream

Caroline Petrow-Cohen — Thu, 3 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Faraday Future, a high-end electric vehicle company, is moving its focus to AI and humanoid robots that could aid in education, housework and companionship.

Tribes could co-manage ancestral forests under bill heading to Newsom's desk

Lila Seidman — Wed, 2 Sep 2026 17:28:45 GMT

Assembly Bill 2494 aims to pivot state demonstration forests away from commercial logging toward ecotourism and Indigenous stewardship. It now heads to Newsom's desk.

Killing of Catalina Island deer will go forward despite last-minute appeals

Alex Wigglesworth — Wed, 2 Sep 2026 16:53:25 GMT

A judge tentatively rejected a request for a temporary halt to the eradication of all mule deer on Catalina Island. Meanwhile, a Los Angeles County supervisor has asked the governor to step in.

One fewer barrier for farmers who want to cover fields with solar panels

Ian James — Wed, 2 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Converting farmland to solar farms would become easier under a California bill awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom's signature.

Sweeping climate and energy legislation goes to Newsom's desk

Hayley Smith — Wed, 2 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT

New laws aim to rework California's climate spending, close an environmental review loophole and rein in electricity rates, among other measures.

Contributor: Let livestock clear hard-to-reach shrubs and grasses before the next wildfire

Briana Swette and Kelly Hopping — Wed, 2 Sep 2026 10:01:00 GMT

Using targeted grazing at the scale needed to address widespread wildfire risk across federal lands would be difficult, but it should be part of the solution.

California lawmakers kill wildfire bill after utility complaints

Melody Petersen, Dakota Smith — Tue, 1 Sep 2026 21:59:58 GMT

Legislation that would have helped wildfire victims receive compensation more quickly, but that utilities said didn't do enough to reduce their financial risks, died in Sacramento after the Assembly declined to vote on it.

Contributor: To stop Trump's pillaging, 'vote the ocean' this fall

David Helvarg — Tue, 1 Sep 2026 10:02:00 GMT

Research which lawmakers have been consistent ocean and climate champions and which candidates plausibly promise better policies for our public seas.

Could a hurricane send floods to Southern California for Labor Day weekend?

Rong-Gong Lin II — Tue, 1 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

There's a chance Hurricane Marie, now a tropical storm, will head north over Southern California, bringing with it risks of flooding.

L.A. County sues State Farm over its handling of wildfire claims

Melody Petersen — Tue, 1 Sep 2026 00:15:25 GMT

L.A. County announced Monday that it had filed a lawsuit against State Farm General after hundreds of victims of last year's devastating wildfires complained that their policy claims had been delayed, denied or underpaid.

Flash flood in Grand Canyon left two dead. Extreme weather fueled the deluge

Karen Garcia, Ruben Vives — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 23:05:41 GMT

A catastrophic flash flood tore through the Grand Canyon's Bright Angel Canyon, killing at least two, leaving more than a dozen missing and wrecking trails and bridges.

Solar power for renters would get easier with two bills now on the governor's desk

Blanca Begert, Ian James — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 16:48:16 GMT

Renters could get access to solar panels if the governor signs two bills just passed by the Legislature.

Bear family rescued from large water tank in La Verne during heat wave

Hayley Smith — Sun, 30 Aug 2026 18:53:34 GMT

Officials speculated that the bear and her cubs may have entered the tank because they were thirsty. The high temperature in La Verne Saturday was 98 degrees.

'Measured in weeks, not days': Plaskett and Timber fires near Big Sur scorch 33,000 acres

Hayley Smith — Sun, 30 Aug 2026 17:01:30 GMT

Crews are continuing to battle two wildfires in Monterey County that have collectively burned more than 33,000 acres and forced more than 600 people to evacuate.

California lawmakers reach deal in high-stakes fight over regulating data centers

Dakota Smith, Blanca Begert — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 21:25:27 GMT

After weeks of intense negotiation, state lawmakers on Friday reached a compromise on legislation to regulate energy use by California's growing data center industry, action triggered by community anger over the facilities and fears of high utility bills in some communities.

Lopez: Gov. Newsom backs off from shameful gambit, and it's a victory for California coast

Steve Lopez — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 21:11:33 GMT

As legislative session closed, Newsom pushed environmental break for donor.

Facing protests, Newsom drops most of plan limiting utility wildfire liabilities

Melody Petersen — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 19:56:32 GMT

In a late-night deal with lawmakers, Gov. Gavin Newsom agreed to drop his push for legislation that would have shifted more of the cost of utility-sparked wildfires to property insurers, which could have sharply raised premiums across the state.

Trump administration considering trading Yosemite land to private developer

Kevin Rector — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 21:26:33 GMT

The Trump administration is considering trading a parcel of Yosemite National Park to a private commercial developer to connect a proposed development on adjacent land to an interior park road, according to administration officials, members of Congress and documents reviewed by The Times.

Forget Florida. L.A. humidity is off the charts this summer. What's going on?

Alex Wigglesworth, Hannah Fry — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 20:33:35 GMT

Southern California's swampy summer continues to set records, with humidity levels creating conditions that feel more like Florida than the West Coast.

Lopez: A coastal development exemption in Santa Monica? Shame on Gov. Newsom

Steve Lopez — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 19:27:25 GMT

Gov. Newsom is pushing a bill that would exempt a donor-developer from normal project review.

California lawmakers crack down on AI used in public comment

Hayley Smith — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 19:00:14 GMT

Senate Bill 1159 will make it easier for public agencies to protect themselves from the rising use of artificial intelligence for civic engagement.

California sues Trump administration, developer over deal to walk away from Morro Bay wind power

Blanca Begert — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 16:58:58 GMT

The Trump administration struck a $120-million agreement with Golden State Wind in April to abandon its wind lease and pursue oil instead.

Is Long Beach ready for a floating nuclear power plant? Here's what to know

Caroline Petrow-Cohen — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

How a tiny startup plans to float nuclear reactors off Long Beach to keep the lights on

Insurance executives warn that Newsom plan to shift utility wildfire liability would raise premiums

Melody Petersen — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 18:45:55 GMT

Insurance company executives warned Gov. Gavin Newsom in a letter Wednesday that his plan to shift utility wildfire liability to property insurers would raise premiums.

California moves to outlaw disposable vapes, a toxic trash plague from beaches to battery fires

Susanne Rust — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 18:09:56 GMT

Lawmakers passed legislation Wednesday that would ban disposable vape cartridges, a scourge to waste haulers and facilities.

This week's heat wave brought record-setting temperatures to SoCal. What comes next?

Iris Kwok — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Record-shattering, triple-digit temperatures baked Southern California on Wednesday, from Woodland Hills' 111 degrees to downtown L.A.'s 98, as the region endured one of summer's most intense heat waves.

Electric heavy-duty trucks will be able to run from Baja to Canada, West Coast leaders pledge

Hayley Smith — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The West Coast is home to one of the busiest freight corridors in the United States, and it's getting cleaner.