Environment Content

LA Fires: Chemicals From the Smoke Lingered Inside Homes Long After the Wildfires Were Out

Katherine E Kerlin — January 06, 2026 - 12:16pm

When wildfires began racing through the Los Angeles area on Jan. 7, 2025, the scope of the disaster caught residents by surprise. Forecasters had warned about high winds and exceptionally dry conditions, but few people expected to see smoke and fires for weeks in one of America’s largest metro areas.

Lessons from the Caldor Fire’s Christmas Valley ‘Miracle’

Katherine E Kerlin — December 19, 2025 - 9:00am

The Lake Tahoe communities of Christmas Valley and Meyers were spared during 2021's Caldor Fire. A �鶹��ý study reveals which pre-fire fuel treatments worked best to bring about the Christmas Valley "miracle."

Record Returns: 2,100 Salmon Spawned in Putah Creek

Katherine E Kerlin — December 17, 2025 - 10:32am

A record-breaking 2,100 Chinook salmon returned to spawn in restored Putah Creek this fall. �鶹��ý fish biologists and partners are tracking and monitoring the run.

2025 Arctic Report Card Released

Katherine E Kerlin — December 16, 2025 - 2:00pm

Bright orange rivers, a greening tundra, the “Atlantification” of the Arctic and record-breaking temperatures on both land and sea are among the emerging concerns highlighted in the 2025 Arctic Report Card from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA.) Now in its 20th year, the peer-reviewed report includes chapters by 112 authors from 13 countries, each dedicated to monitoring changes in the Arctic.

Rising Heat Leads to Minimal Losses for California Processing Tomatoes

Katherine E Kerlin — December 02, 2025 - 9:00am

California’s $1 billion processing tomato industry is highly efficient and likely will be able to withstand higher temperatures from climate change, as well as traffic.

New Field of Ecological Medicine Emphasizes Health Benefits of Connectedness

Andy Fell — November 25, 2025 - 10:48am

Ecological medicine is a new approach to health science that draws on a very old idea: connecting with each other, with animals and plants, and with the natural world fosters health and well-being for people and the planet.

A Microbial Blueprint for Climate-Smart Cows

Amy M Quinton — November 17, 2025 - 6:00am

�鶹��ý research reveals which gut microbes in a cow could reduce methane, bringing them a step closer to engineering microbes to create climate-smart cows.

How California’s State and Federal Water Projects Can Better Protect Fish

Katherine E Kerlin — November 14, 2025 - 4:32pm

At least two thirds of California's population and more than 4 million acres of California farmland rely on water delivered by the federal Central Valley Project and the State Water Project, two of the largest multipurpose water management projects in the world.

Fossil Fuel CO2 Emissions Hit Record High in 2025

Katherine E Kerlin — November 13, 2025 - 3:27pm

Global carbon emissions from fossil fuels are projected to rise by 1.1% in 2025 – reaching a record high, according to new research by the Global Carbon Project.

�鶹��ý Chancellor May Leads Delegation to Kenya to Advance California–Kenya Climate and Trade Partnership

Katherine E Kerlin — November 13, 2025 - 1:06pm

�鶹��ý Chancellor Gary S. May led a delegation to Kenya this week to advance a landmark partnership between the State of California and the Government of Kenya focused on climate action, clean transportation, climate smart agriculture, public health and innovation. Chancellor May was joined by Samuel Assefa, director of the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, as well as several university representatives. The delegation was jointly organized by �鶹��ý Global Affairs, Institute of Transportation Studies and the Office of the Special Envoy on Climate of Kenya.