latimes--2020-09-13--Winds complicate firefighting efforts as blazes bring fresh anxiety across state

For days , smoke has suffused California ’ s skies , replacing a bright yellow sun with something akin to a hazy red orb .
There could be some relief from the stagnant smoke beginning Sunday , as gusty winds are expected in parts of the state , forecasters said .
Winds could provide some respite from poor air quality , but the forecast is unwelcome news for firefighters still battling the massive North Complex fire in Northern California .
The blaze , which began with a bolt of lightning in mid-August , has burned ferociously since then , killing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to evacuate during a deadly pandemic , and chewing through more than 258,000 acres in Butte , Plumas and Yuba counties .
As of Sunday morning , it was 26 % contained .
Over the next few days , firefighters will have to deal with breezier southerly winds , said Cory Mueller , a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento .
“ That ’ s the big concern , ” Mueller said .
“ We are expecting increased fire-weather concerns given the gusts.
” Usually , onshore winds bring higher humidity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forecast is expected to stay dry until at least Wednesday , Mueller said .
There ’ s a chance of showers in the region Thursday and Friday , he added .
As the North Complex fire burns into its 25th day , people with friends and relatives who live within the evacuation zones continue to deal with anxiety .
For Michelle Rancour-Aldridge , the panic began on Tuesday night .
After she left her pottery class that evening , she heard that residents of Berry Creek — a hilly area not far from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flames in 2018 — had been ordered to evacuate .
She immediately dialed her sister ’ s landline .
“ I ’ m going to go up there , ” Rancour-Aldridge , 50 , said she thought to herself .
She was determined to find her little sister , Kelly Burke , 49 .
She hopped in her truck and drove to the base of a nearby mountain , but a sheriff ’ s deputy stopped her .
The only direction they wanted to see traffic moving , the official said , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought , given the history of the area — the way Paradise turned into a deathtrap during the Camp fire in 2018 .
Even as she evacuated her own home in Palermo , about an hour south , around midnight on Wednesday , her mind raced with thoughts of her sister .
“ All kind of scenarios were playing out in my head , ” she said .
“ But I know my sister really well .
If she is told to leave , she leaves.
” Eventually , Rancour-Aldridge got hold of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who told her she ’ d seen Burke evacuating the area with a friend .
By Thursday , still without word from her sister , Rancour-Aldridge decided to return to pottery class to distract her racing mind but couldn ’ t stop thinking about her free-spirited sister .
She thought about the Berry Creek home her sister had lived in for 25 years .
The home in the mountains that she loved — the home where she had raised seven children .
When she returned from her class , she asked her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ updates .
Still nothing .
Desperate for news , Rancour-Aldridge signed into her Facebook account .
She uploaded a photo of herself and her sister , both smiling with their foreheads touching .
She typed out a plea .
“ A shout out to all my praying friends , ” she wrote , “ please if you know where my sister is please .
Tell us say something let us know , that she ’ s alive , pray everyone , pray for my little sister and help us to find her please @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The next day , Rancour-Aldridge ’ s daughter had an epiphany : They had forgotten to call local hospitals .
When she dialed Oroville Hospital , she learned that Burke had been admitted a few hours earlier , not for smoke inhalation or burns , but for kidney stones .
Rancour-Aldridge rushed to the hospital to visit her sister , who , she later learned , had helped other neighbors prepare to evacuate before fleeing down the mountain in her own car , which hadn ’ t been working for months but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few days earlier .
Her sister told her an unpaid phone bill was the reason the landline wasn ’ t working .
But Burke has larger worries as her home , as well as the homes of two of her children , were ultimately lost to the fire , aid Rancour-Aldridge , who started a GoFundMe account to raise money toward rebuilding .
When she told her sister she ’ d started the account , Burke said she would do anything to return to her home in the mountains .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a tent , ” her sister said .
“ Oh , Kelly , you can ’ t go back , ” she told her , sadly .
“ That place is cooked.
” The North Complex is just one of several massive wildfires that have devastated the region in recent weeks .
The death toll from the fires will likely continue to climb as authorities eventually get into areas now blocked by heat and flames .
Meanwhile , Southern California — where residents are also struggling with poor air quality — is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday , said Kathy Hoxsie , meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard .
The Bobcat fire , burning in the Angeles National Forest , has torn through nearly 32,000 acres and sent thick , unhealthful smoke into the Los Angeles Basin .
It also has prompted the evacuation of some Arcadia residents , who gathered for shelter at the Santa Anita racetrack .
But the winds , expected to be from 10 to 15 mph , perhaps with gusts of up to 25 , won ’ t be as strong as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have predicted gusts of up to at least 30 mph over the next few days .
The light winds in Southern California could mean some areas will see slightly thinned-out smoke , and others will get thicker smoke , Hoxsie said , adding that no big change is expected until at least the middle of the week .
“ We have that big high pressure over us and as long as that ’ s there it ’ s kind of a cap on the smoke , ” she said .
The South Coast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air for a large swath of the region , including central Los Angeles and the San Gabriel and San Fernando valleys .
Conditions are expected to be somewhat better along the coast and in Orange County .
Poor air quality contributed to the weekend closure of : Eaton Canyon , Devil ’ s Punchbowl , Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park , Lario Staging Area , Marshall Canyon , Peck Road Water Conservation Park , San Dimas Canyon Natural Area and Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area .
The Los Angeles County Department of Public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much as possible and limit physical exertion , indoors or out .
“ If you can see smoke , soot or ash , or you can smell smoke , pay attention to your immediate environment and take precautions to safeguard your health , ” said county Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis .
“ These precautions are particularly important for children , older adults , and people with heart or lung diseases .
”

Haze from the Bobcat fire looms over Kare Park in Irwindale. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Los Angeles skyline is shrouded in smoke from the Bobcat fire as seen from the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Haze from the Bobcat fire looms over Azusa as it burns in Angeles National Forest. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
A bicyclist travels along the 1st Street Bridge as smoke hovers east of downtown Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
Despite the unhealthful air quality, Fabian Ortez of Riverside enjoys an afternoon of fishing off the pier in Seal Beach. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
A hazy sun is seen behind the Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
An upbeat message on the South Coast Cinemas marquee in Laguna Beach is dimmed by the smoky air. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
A man walks his dog past the historic lifeguard tower in Laguna Beach as the sun is obscured by smoke from wildfires. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
The sky is gray over the Santa Monica Pier as a family plays in the breakwater. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
A crow on a cypress tree in Garden Grove is silhouetted by a sun obscured by ash from Southland wildfires. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Smoke from the Bobcat fire burning in the Angeles National Forest blankets the Southland. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Two people get ready to surf as a hazy red sun sets off Hermosa Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
Visitors check their photos at Griffith Observatory with a smoky view of the Hollywood sign behind them. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
An aerial view of Dodger Stadium and the downtown Los Angeles skyline at sunset is obscured by smoke, ash and smog on Sept. 14. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
Elijah Simpson practices shooting hoops against a backdrop of smokey skies from the Bobcat Fire at Angel’s Gate Park in the San Pedro on September 16, 2020. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Brooks Hubbard with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers takes photos from the historic North Broadway Bridge over the Los Angeles River Tuesday morning as smoke and ash from the Bobcat fire cloak the area. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Smoke has suffused the sky for days, replacing a bright yellow sun with a hazy red orb and raining down flakes of ash on much of the West Coast, where four cities on Sunday were among the 10 most polluted places in the world.
Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle ranked eighth, sixth and third, respectively, but the dubious honor of worst air of any big city on the globe went to Portland, Ore., where smoke was blowing in from more than 30 blazes burning across the state.
Before President Trump’s scheduled arrival in Northern California on Monday, the immediate weather forecast — dry air and whipping winds — seems to suggest that even more devastating days lie ahead in what has already become a record-breaking fire season in the American West, where wildfires have killed at least 35 people and charred nearly 4.9 million acres.
On Sunday morning, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon went on an ABC news show to discuss the fires, and both described the situation in their states as apocalyptic.
Merkley told the host he’d recently driven 600 miles up and down the coast and never once escaped the smoke. Inslee, donning a cloth mask, said that after visiting with a woman who had lost her home to flames, it dawned on him that her tears were among the only moisture anywhere in the state.
1 / 42 Lance Georgeson of Mammoth Lakes paddleboards on Tenaya Lake on Sept. 13 in Yosemite National Park. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 42 Thick smoke from multiple forest fires shrouds iconic El Capitan, right, and the walls of Yosemite Valley. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 42 Benjamin Lewis takes a photo for a group of San Diego firefighters in Yosemite. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 42 A deer grazes in Cook’s Meadow as thick smoke shrouds the iconic landmarks of Yosemite Valley. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times) 5 / 42 Thick smoke shrouds iconic Half Dome towering over Yosemite Valley in a view from Sentinel Bridge over the Merced River on Sept. 13. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 42 Thick smoke shrouds Tenaya Lake on Sept. 13 in Yosemite National Park. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 42 A Cal Fire truck passes a burned-out vehicle on Stringtown Road on Friday in Oroville, Calif. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 42 Propane gas burns Friday at the ruins of a home on Zink Road in the Berry Creek area of Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 42 Melted goggles lie on the ground next to the burned-out truck on Stringtown Road. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 42 A crew from Trinity River Conservation Camp, a prison facility, does mop-up work on Stringtown Road on Friday, the day after a flare-up in the area. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 42 Scorched cars in Brush Creek, Calif. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 42 A firefighter battles the Creek fire as it threatens homes in Madera County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 13 / 42 Flames from the Bear fire in Oroville, Calif. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 42 A horse in a field in Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 42 Frank Martinez, left, and Rick Wolfe with their nine dogs in Oroville, Calif. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 42 A fox pauses amid burned brush in Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 42 A statue is singed in Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 42 Lake Oroville in Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 42 Firefighters work to save a home in Butte County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 20 / 42 A burned truck in Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 42 A firefighter battles the Creek fire in Madera County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 22 / 42 A plume rises from the Bear fire as it burns along Lake Oroville in Butte County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 23 / 42 A table stands outside the destroyed Cressman’s General Store in Fresno County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 24 / 42 A vehicle streaks by as Fresno County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeffery Shipman stands along California 168, with the Creek fire in the background on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 42 The Laguna Hotshots Crew out of the Cleveland National Forest battles the Creek fire as it approaches the Southern California Edison Big Creek Hydroelectric Plant on Sept. 6 in Big Creek, Calif. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 42 Members of the Laguna Hotshots Crew walk down Huntington Lake Road to battle the Creek fire on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 42 A member of the Laguna Hotshots Crew is silhouetted against a background of flames. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 42 The Creek fire burns along Huntington Lake Road on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 42 A vehicle streaks along California 168 as the Creek fire creeps closer to Shaver Lake, Calif., on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 42 A member of the Laguna Hotshots Crew battles the Creek fire on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 42 A firefighter conducts a back-burn operation along California 168 as the Creek fire approaches the Shaver Lake Marina. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 42 Firefighter Ricardo Gomez sets a back burn amid the Creek fire near Shaver Lake Marina on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 42 A firefighter works on the back-burn operation near Shaver Lake Marina. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 42 A duck swims in Shaver Lake as the Creek fire approaches on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 42 Firefighter Ricardo Gomez battles the Creek fire with a back burn. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 42 The sky glows orange around Shaver Lake on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 42 A firefighter conducts a back-burn operation amid the Creek fire near Shaver Lake on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 42 Flames leap into the sky as fire engulfs trees near Shaver Lake. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 42 The Creek fire approaches the Shaver Lake Marina on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 42 Firefighter Ricardo Gomez sets a back burn amid the Creek fire near Shaver Lake Marina on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 42 A man stands on a dock at the Shaver Lake Marina as the Creek fire approaches on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 42 Flames consume dry brush around Santa Barbara firefighters as they set a backfire along Oro Quincy Highway in the aftermath of the Bear fire in Oroville. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
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“We have a blowtorch over our states in the West, which is climate change,” said Inslee, who expressed frustration with Trump, who he said wasn’t focusing enough on how a warming climate lays the groundwork for such catastrophic fires. Trump has called climate change a hoax, although at other times he has acknowledged it.
On Monday, Trump — who drew criticism last week for not having addressed the deadly fires charring millions of acres — is expected to visit with emergency officials in Sacramento County and receive a briefing on the fires, including the massive North Complex fire in Northern California.
The blaze, which began with a bolt of lightning in mid-August, has burned ferociously since then, killing at least 14 people, causing thousands to evacuate during a deadly pandemic and chewing through more than 261,000 acres in Butte, Plumas and Yuba counties.
As of Sunday night, it was 26% contained.
Over the next few days, firefighters will have to deal with breezier southerly winds, said Cory Mueller, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento.
“That’s the big concern,” Mueller said. “We are expecting increased fire-weather concerns given the gusts.”
Usually, onshore winds bring higher humidity — welcomed by firefighters — but the forecast is expected to stay dry until at least Wednesday, Mueller said. There’s a chance of showers in the region Thursday and Friday, he added.
As the North Complex fire burns into its 25th day, people with friends and relatives who live within the evacuation zones continue to deal with anxiety.
Fire fuels worry and a search for a relative
For Michelle Rancour-Aldridge, the panic began Tuesday night.
After she left her pottery class that evening, she heard that residents of Berry Creek — a hilly area not far from Paradise, the town largely destroyed by flames in 2018 — had been ordered to evacuate. She immediately dialed her sister’s landline.
The phone was disconnected.
“I’m going to go up there,” Rancour-Aldridge, 50, said she thought to herself. She was determined to find her sister, Kelly Burke, 49.
She hopped into her truck and drove to the base of a nearby mountain, but a sheriff’s deputy stopped her. It made sense, Rancour-Aldridge thought, given the history of the area — the way Paradise turned into a deathtrap during the Camp fire in 2018.
Still, Rancour-Aldridge was terrified.
Even as she evacuated from her own home in Palermo, about an hour south, around midnight Wednesday, her mind raced with thoughts of her sister.
“All kinds of scenarios were playing out in my head,” she said. “But I know my sister really well. If she is told to leave, she leaves.”
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Eventually, Rancour-Aldridge got hold of one of her sister’s neighbors, who told her she’d seen Burke evacuating from the area with a friend.
By Thursday, still without word from her sister, Rancour-Aldridge decided to return to pottery class to distract her racing mind but couldn’t stop thinking about her free-spirited sister. She thought about the Berry Creek home her sister had lived in for 25 years, where she had raised seven children.
California Essential California: Climate change’s psychological toll An environmental philosopher coined the term solastalgia to describe the pain “experienced when there is recognition that the place where one resides and that one loves is under immediate assault.”
The next day, Rancour-Aldridge’s daughter had an epiphany: They had forgotten to call local hospitals. When she dialed Oroville Hospital, she learned that Burke had been admitted a few hours earlier, not for smoke inhalation or burns, but for kidney stones.
Rancour-Aldridge rushed to the hospital to visit her sister, who, she later learned, had helped other neighbors prepare to evacuate before fleeing down the mountain.
Her sister told her an unpaid phone bill was the reason the landline wasn’t working. But Burke has larger worries as her home, as well as the homes of two of her children, were ultimately lost to the fire, said Rancour-Aldridge, who started a GoFundMe account to raise money toward rebuilding. When she told her sister she’d started the account, Burke said she would do anything to return to her home in the mountains.
“I don’t care if I live in a tent,” her sister said.
“Oh, Kelly, you can’t go back,” she told her, sadly. “That place is cooked.”
Twenty miles north of the hospital, at Roost Café in Chico, owner Linda Juanarena spent Sunday considering just how much her life had changed in recent months.
If not for the fires and the pandemic, her restaurant would be bustling with customers this time of year. Instead, she sat alone at a table inside her quiet restaurant, which is surviving off takeout orders and catering. When the pandemic hit and she had to close the café to indoor dining, Juanarena, 62, ended up giving away food and lost an estimated $18,000 in merchandise.
“We’re getting hit on all sides,” she said.
In Oregon, a firefighter shortage and swirling rumors
South of Portland, in Clackamas County, emergency officials spent Sunday grappling with a now-familiar problem: a firefighter shortage.
During an afternoon news briefing, Ralph Lucas, an operation section chief managing one of the fires in the region, said many of his recent requests to other agencies to send back-up firefighters were coming back with the same response: UTF — Unable to fill.
“We’re literally out of firefighters and equipment due to the sheer magnitude of fires that are occurring in the Western United States,” Lucas said.
In many rural canyons and valleys, residents have stepped in to fill the need, driving around with massive water tanks and makeshift fire hoses, dousing spot fires despite orders to evacuate.
At the briefing, Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts said that, in response to rumors on social media about people stealing from evacuation zones, some residents had also armed themselves and begun illegally patrolling the area.
“Please stop that,” he said. “It’s illegal to stop people at gunpoint.”
Smoke persists in Southern California
In Southern California, firefighters faced an increasingly tough situation Sunday, as onshore winds gusted to around 15 to 20 mph, said Kathy Hoxsie, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. The Bobcat fire, burning in the Angeles National Forest, had torn through more than 33,000 acres by Sunday evening and sent thick, unhealthful smoke into the Los Angeles Basin. It also prompted the evacuation of some Arcadia residents, who gathered for shelter at the Santa Anita racetrack.
And yet, the winds weren’t as bad as in Northern California, where officials have predicted gusts of up to at least 30 mph over the next few days.
The light winds in Southern California meant some areas could see slightly thinned-out smoke, and others will get thicker smoke, Hoxsie said, adding that no big change is expected until at least the middle of the week.
“We have that big high pressure over us, and as long as that’s there it’s kind of a cap on the smoke,” she said.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District has forecast moderate to unhealthful air for a large swath of the region, including central Los Angeles and the San Gabriel and San Fernando valleys. Conditions are expected to be somewhat better along the coast and in Orange County.
Poor air quality contributed to the weekend closure of eight parks in L.A. County : Eaton Canyon, Devil’s Punchbowl, Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park, Lario Staging Area, Marshall Canyon, Peck Road Water Conservation Park, San Dimas Canyon Natural Area and Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health warned residents to stay indoors as much as possible and limit physical exertion, indoors or out.
“If you can see smoke, soot or ash, or you can smell smoke,” said county Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis, “pay attention to your immediate environment and take precautions to safeguard your health.”


latimes--2020-09-13--L.A. County deputies arrest radio reporter covering protest outside hospital

Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputies arrested a public-radio reporter as she covered protests that had erupted outside a hospital where two deputies were being treated for gunshot wounds suffered Saturday evening in an “ ambush ” attack .
The incident drew widespread condemnation from journalism organizations and prompted the sheriff ’ s chief watchdog to launch an investigation .
The reporter , Josie Huang , of KPCC and LAist , was taken into custody outside St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood and released hours later .
She received a citation for allegedly violating the obstruction law , Penal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s what surprises me the most is that once she was identified as a reporter that they transported her , that they cited her , ” L.A. County Inspector Gen. Max Huntsman said Sunday .
The independent monitor oversees investigations into actions by the Sheriff ’ s Department .
The incident came a day after sheriff ’ s deputies in riot gear surrounded a news conference being held by activists .
The speakers were condemning the department ’ s use of force against demonstrators who have been gathering regularly to protest the killing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles last month .
At Friday ’ s event , one sheriff ’ s official grabbed a legal observer who had been filming him .
When the news conference ended , the deputies ordered those attending , including reporters , to leave the area .
The inspector general ’ s office has opened investigations into the department ’ s conduct at the news conference , as well as its arrest of Huang , Huntsman said .
“ Those two incidents are of concern to us because 1st Amendment rights are absolutely critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law enforcement , ” he said .
“ And so we feel that requires immediate investigation.
” The office doesn ’ t have the power to prosecute or bring a lawsuit against the department , but its purpose is to provide information to the public .
How long that may take is uncertain , Huntsman said .
“ We have requested information from the Sheriff ’ s Department , ” he said .
“ They have of late not cooperated in investigations of themselves so we do not anticipate their cooperation , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote in a series of tweets that she had been trailing behind deputies as they followed a man down the street when she saw a commotion ahead of her .
The deputies had pinned the man down in the street and were arresting him .
As she filmed the arrest , deputies shouted at her to back up and then shoved her , she said .
Video posted by KABC-TV Channel 7 showed multiple deputies then pinning Huang to the ground and handcuffing her .
“ We saw one of the radio reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she had rushed up to the police line there to see what was going on when she was suddenly taken down by the deputies , ” said ABC7 reporter Leanne Suter .
“ We are not exactly sure what happened there , why they tackled her and put her into a patrol car , but that happened.
” Demonstrators had gathered outside the hospital where two Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputies were recovering from surgery .
Both were critically wounded after being shot Saturday evening in Compton in what authorities described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surveillance video .
The Sheriff ’ s Department ’ s relationship with the community has remained tense in the wake of several deputy-involved shootings , including the killing of Kizzee as he rode a bicycle in the Westmont neighborhood of South L.A. An attorney for Kizzee ’ s family has said he was shot at 15 times as he ran away .
On Thursday , sheriff ’ s detectives shot and killed a man who they said opened fire on them as they served a search warrant in Compton .
In June , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deputies beating a man who was handcuffed and lying face down on the pavement , sparking outrage and prompting Compton city leaders to call for the deputies ’ “ immediate removal.
” “ We are tired of dodging sheriff ’ s cars that have no regard for traffic laws or personal property , being snatched out of our cars , having our vehicles illegally searched , being threatened and intimidated , beaten and in some cases murdered , ” Compton Mayor Aja Brown said at a news conference .
In the wake of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was “ devastated to learn of the tragedy ” and that the city would be working with the Sheriff ’ s Department to find and arrest those responsible .
The Sheriff ’ s Department said on Twitter that some of the protesters blocked entrances and exits of the hospital Saturday , but that could not be independently verified .
Video from the scene shows a small group of people approaching a driveway leading to the hospital before security officers block them from entering the campus .
The security officers are then replaced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least one of whom points a weapon at the group while some of those gathered shout obscenities and call the deputies names .
Huang can also be seen approaching the group and asking for an interview .
The situation becomes more tense as sheriff ’ s deputies order people to back up and then begin shoving them .
One deputy appears to strike a man with a baton .
Deputies were trying to arrest a protester who refused to comply with an order to disperse , the department tweeted , when Huang “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commands to stay back as they struggled with the male and interfered with the arrest.
” The department said that Huang did not identify herself as a member of the media and lacked “ proper ” press credentials .
That account was directly contradicted by videos Huang shared on Twitter , which showed that she did not intervene in the man ’ s arrest but instead was filming from a distance .
As deputies take her to the ground , she can clearly be heard identifying herself as a reporter with KPCC and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone drops , it keeps recording and it captures two deputies damaging my phone by kicking and stepping on it , ” she wrote .
“ I can hear myself in the background shouting : ‘ You guys are hurting me ’ and ‘ Stop it.
’ ” As Huang was being put into the patrol car , she could be seen wearing a lanyard around her neck with a badge attached to it .
The Greater Los Angeles Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists said in a statement that it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on-the-scene video that details what clearly seems to be inappropriate use of force to subdue and arrest ” Huang .
“ SPJ/LA takes special note that this is at least the second time that a journalist of color from this news organization was mistreated and injured while reporting on civil protests , ” the statement said .
In June , a Long Beach police officer shot KPCC reporter Adolfo Guzman-Lopez in the neck with a rubber bullet while he was covering an anti-police-brutality protest .
The department later apologized and pledged an investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Department demands attention both for what appears to be an excessive use of force , and as a serious threat to the First Amendment , which protects the press , free speech , and the right to protest , ” SPJ/LA said .
Herb Scannell , chief executive of Southern California Public Radio , said in a statement that the charge against Huang should be dropped .
“ Her arrest is the latest in a series of troubling interactions between our reporters and some local law enforcement officers , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service , providing fair , accurate and timely journalism , and without them , our democracy is at risk.
” Huntsman described the events as the latest turn in a polarizing cycle that had seen law enforcement officers and civilians spinning further away from each other .
“ I think we have a feedback loop going on where law enforcement feels under assault , where members of the public feel under assault and as a result you ’ re having protests … and there ’ s violent confrontations between police and members of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ And that convinces all parties that members of the other party are violent .
And it gets worse and worse.
” To break the pattern , Huntsman said , it ’ s crucial to stress the importance of following the law , and that applies to members of the public and sworn officers .
“ As long as law enforcement doesn ’ t follow the law as to itself , it ’ s difficult to convince the public it ’ s legitimate and maintain the best protection law enforcement officers have against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that feeling they are legitimate , that they ’ re not an enemy of the public but are representing the public , ” he said , adding that the Sheriff ’ s Department should respond to questions from his office and the media with enthusiasm rather than anger .
“ I hope we can get through this process of yelling at each other and get to a point where the government is more responsive to the laws and the desires of the public .
”

A large number of L.A. County sheriff’s deputies converged on the area surrounding St. Francis Medical Center, where two sheriff’s deputies are being treated after being shot.
Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies arrested a public-radio reporter as she covered protests that had erupted outside a hospital where two deputies were being treated for gunshot wounds suffered Saturday evening in an “ambush” attack.
The incident drew widespread condemnation from journalism organizations and prompted the sheriff’s chief watchdog to launch an investigation.
The reporter, Josie Huang, of KPCC and LAist, was taken into custody outside St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood and released hours later. She received a citation for allegedly violating the obstruction law, Penal Code Section 148.
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“That’s what surprises me the most is that once she was identified as a reporter that they transported her, that they cited her,” L.A. County Inspector Gen. Max Huntsman said Sunday. The independent monitor oversees investigations into actions by the Sheriff’s Department.
The incident came a day after sheriff’s deputies in riot gear surrounded a news conference being held by activists. The speakers were condemning the department’s use of force against demonstrators who have been gathering regularly to protest the killing of Dijon Kizzee by deputies in South Los Angeles last month. At Friday’s event, one sheriff’s official grabbed a legal observer who had been filming him. When the news conference ended, the deputies ordered those attending, including reporters, to leave the area.
The inspector general’s office has opened investigations into the department’s conduct at the news conference, as well as its arrest of Huang, Huntsman said.
“Those two incidents are of concern to us because 1st Amendment rights are absolutely critical to the public’s respect of law enforcement,” he said. “And so we feel that requires immediate investigation.”
The office doesn’t have the power to prosecute or bring a lawsuit against the department, but its purpose is to provide information to the public. How long that may take is uncertain, Huntsman said.
“We have requested information from the Sheriff’s Department,” he said. “They have of late not cooperated in investigations of themselves so we do not anticipate their cooperation, and that makes things more difficult.”
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Huang wrote in a series of tweets that she had been trailing behind deputies as they followed a man down the street when she saw a commotion ahead of her. The deputies had pinned the man down in the street and were arresting him. As she filmed the arrest, deputies shouted at her to back up and then shoved her, she said.
Video posted by KABC-TV Channel 7 showed multiple deputies then pinning Huang to the ground and handcuffing her.
“We saw one of the radio reporters that was here at the scene, she had rushed up to the police line there to see what was going on when she was suddenly taken down by the deputies,” said ABC7 reporter Leanne Suter. “We are not exactly sure what happened there, why they tackled her and put her into a patrol car, but that happened.”
Demonstrators had gathered outside the hospital where two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies were recovering from surgery. Both were critically wounded after being shot Saturday evening in Compton in what authorities described as an ambush that was captured on surveillance video.
The Sheriff’s Department’s relationship with the community has remained tense in the wake of several deputy-involved shootings, including the killing of Kizzee as he rode a bicycle in the Westmont neighborhood of South L.A. An attorney for Kizzee’s family has said he was shot at 15 times as he ran away.
On Thursday, sheriff’s detectives shot and killed a man who they said opened fire on them as they served a search warrant in Compton.
In June, video surfaced of three sheriff’s deputies beating a man who was handcuffed and lying face down on the pavement, sparking outrage and prompting Compton city leaders to call for the deputies’ “immediate removal.”
“We are tired of dodging sheriff’s cars that have no regard for traffic laws or personal property, being snatched out of our cars, having our vehicles illegally searched, being threatened and intimidated, beaten and in some cases murdered,” Compton Mayor Aja Brown said at a news conference.
In the wake of Saturday’s shooting, Brown said she was “devastated to learn of the tragedy” and that the city would be working with the Sheriff’s Department to find and arrest those responsible.
The Sheriff’s Department said on Twitter that some of the protesters blocked entrances and exits of the hospital Saturday, but that could not be independently verified.
Video from the scene shows a small group of people approaching a driveway leading to the hospital before security officers block them from entering the campus. The security officers are then replaced by sheriff’s deputies, at least one of whom points a weapon at the group while some of those gathered shout obscenities and call the deputies names. Huang can also be seen approaching the group and asking for an interview.
The situation becomes more tense as sheriff’s deputies order people to back up and then begin shoving them. One deputy appears to strike a man with a baton.
Deputies were trying to arrest a protester who refused to comply with an order to disperse, the department tweeted, when Huang “ran towards the deputies, ignored repeated commands to stay back as they struggled with the male and interfered with the arrest.”
The department said that Huang did not identify herself as a member of the media and lacked “proper” press credentials.
That account was directly contradicted by videos Huang shared on Twitter, which showed that she did not intervene in the man’s arrest but instead was filming from a distance. As deputies take her to the ground, she can clearly be heard identifying herself as a reporter with KPCC and screaming for help.
“After my phone drops, it keeps recording and it captures two deputies damaging my phone by kicking and stepping on it,” she wrote. “I can hear myself in the background shouting: ‘You guys are hurting me’ and ‘Stop it.’”
As Huang was being put into the patrol car, she could be seen wearing a lanyard around her neck with a badge attached to it.
The Greater Los Angeles Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists said in a statement that it was “deeply troubled by news reports and on-the-scene video that details what clearly seems to be inappropriate use of force to subdue and arrest” Huang.
“SPJ/LA takes special note that this is at least the second time that a journalist of color from this news organization was mistreated and injured while reporting on civil protests,” the statement said.
In June, a Long Beach police officer shot KPCC reporter Adolfo Guzman-Lopez in the neck with a rubber bullet while he was covering an anti-police-brutality protest. The department later apologized and pledged an investigation.
“This action by the Sheriff’s Department demands attention both for what appears to be an excessive use of force, and as a serious threat to the First Amendment, which protects the press, free speech, and the right to protest,” SPJ/LA said.
Herb Scannell, chief executive of Southern California Public Radio, said in a statement that the charge against Huang should be dropped. “Her arrest is the latest in a series of troubling interactions between our reporters and some local law enforcement officers,” he said. “Journalists provide an essential service, providing fair, accurate and timely journalism, and without them, our democracy is at risk.”
Huntsman described the events as the latest turn in a polarizing cycle that had seen law enforcement officers and civilians spinning further away from each other.
“I think we have a feedback loop going on where law enforcement feels under assault, where members of the public feel under assault and as a result you’re having protests … and there’s violent confrontations between police and members of the public,” he said. “And that convinces all parties that members of the other party are violent. And it gets worse and worse.”
To break the pattern, Huntsman said, it’s crucial to stress the importance of following the law, and that applies to members of the public and sworn officers.
“As long as law enforcement doesn’t follow the law as to itself, it’s difficult to convince the public it’s legitimate and maintain the best protection law enforcement officers have against violence from the public, which is that feeling they are legitimate, that they’re not an enemy of the public but are representing the public,” he said, adding that the Sheriff’s Department should respond to questions from his office and the media with enthusiasm rather than anger.
“I hope we can get through this process of yelling at each other and get to a point where the government is more responsive to the laws and the desires of the public.”
Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-09-13--Bobcat fire grows to 33,000 acres; evacuations in Arcadia, Sierra Madre

Residents in portions of Arcadia and Sierra Madre were told to evacuate Sunday morning as the Bobcat fire in the Angeles National Forest posed new dangers .
People living north of Elkins Avenue and east of Santa Anita Avenue should leave because of “ dangerous wildfire conditions , ” the city said .
“ Residents in the area are advised to use Santa Anita Ave. to leave the area.
” The orders affected about 350 households , officials said .
Other foothill cities , including Monrovia , Bradbury , Altadena , Duarte and Pasadena , remained under evacuation warnings .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ been set up at the Santa Anita race track .
Water-dropping helicopters pounded the fire through the day , with hand crews on the front lines as the blaze inches closer to some structures at the edge of the forest .
The fire was burning north and east toward Highways 2 and 39 and southwest toward the cities of Arcadia and Sierra Madre .
The southwestern flank was ripping through steep terrain and dry fuels in an area that hadn ’ t burned in 60 to 80 years , said David Dantic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Firefighters were scrambling to keep the blaze from reaching the foothill communities to the south .
“ That is the plan and that is our main objective right now , ” Dantic said .
“ We do not want that fire to reach those communities.
” The fire had burned more than 33,000 acres as of Sunday and was 6 % contained .
Fire officials said Sunday morning the fire was “ active throughout the night , continuing to burn downhill toward Monrovia and north toward Route 2 in the Buckhorn Flat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wilson.
” Arcadia is one of several foothill communities where hillside residents have been on evacuation warning because of the fire for several days .
Many of those warnings remain in effect .
The blaze continues to create poor air quality across the Los Angeles Basin .
The South Coast Air Quality Management District forecast moderate-to-unhealthful air for a large swath of the region , including central Los Angeles and the San Gabriel and San Fernando valleys .
Conditions will be somewhat better along the coast and in Orange County .
Although that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , officials said the smoke was still a major concern .
Weather conditions are expected to be stable over the next couple days , with winds remaining light to moderate , said Kathy Hoxsie , meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard .
“ That ’ s because we have high pressure over the area so we don ’ t have an air mass trying to move from one place to another or squeeze through canyons , ” Hoxsie said .
That ’ s good news for the firefight but it also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the area until at least Wednesday , when winds are expected to start picking up , she said .
The Los Angeles Zoo announced Saturday that it would not open Sunday or Monday because of the unhealthful air quality but hoped to reopen Tuesday .
A statement from the zoo said that anyone who had tickets or a reservation for a closed date could request a refund or reschedule .
Poor air quality also contributed to the closure of : Eaton Canyon , Devil ’ s Punchbowl , Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Peck Road Water Conservation Park , San Dimas Canyon Natural Area and Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area .
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health warned residents to stay indoors as much as possible and limit physical exertion , indoors or out .
“ If you can see smoke , soot or ash , or you can smell smoke , pay attention to your immediate environment and take precautions to safeguard your health , ” said county Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis .
“ These precautions are particularly important for children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heart or lung diseases.
” Davis also advised day camps in smoke-affected areas to suspend outside activities , such as hiking or picnics .

The Bobcat fire rages above Rincon Fire Station on Highway 39 on Wednesday in the San Gabriel Mountains.
Residents in portions of Arcadia and Sierra Madre were told to evacuate Sunday morning as the Bobcat fire in the Angeles National Forest posed new dangers.
People living north of Elkins Avenue and east of Santa Anita Avenue should leave because of “dangerous wildfire conditions,” the city said. “Residents in the area are advised to use Santa Anita Ave. to leave the area.”
The orders affected about 350 households, officials said. Other foothill cities, including Monrovia, Bradbury, Altadena, Duarte and Pasadena, remained under evacuation warnings.
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An American Red Cross evacuation site has been set up at the Santa Anita race track.
Water-dropping helicopters pounded the fire through the day, with hand crews on the front lines as the blaze inches closer to some structures at the edge of the forest.
The fire was burning north and east toward Highways 2 and 39 and southwest toward the cities of Arcadia and Sierra Madre. The southwestern flank was ripping through steep terrain and dry fuels in an area that hadn’t burned in 60 to 80 years, said David Dantic, public information officer for the Bobcat fire.
Firefighters were scrambling to keep the blaze from reaching the foothill communities to the south.
“That is the plan and that is our main objective right now,” Dantic said. “We do not want that fire to reach those communities.”
The fire had burned more than 33,000 acres as of Sunday and was 6% contained. Fire officials said Sunday morning the fire was “active throughout the night, continuing to burn downhill toward Monrovia and north toward Route 2 in the Buckhorn Flat area. Significant western growth toward Mt Wilson.”
Arcadia is one of several foothill communities where hillside residents have been on evacuation warning because of the fire for several days. Many of those warnings remain in effect.
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The blaze continues to create poor air quality across the Los Angeles Basin.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District forecast moderate-to-unhealthful air for a large swath of the region, including central Los Angeles and the San Gabriel and San Fernando valleys. Conditions will be somewhat better along the coast and in Orange County.
Although that forecast marks an improvement in some areas, officials said the smoke was still a major concern.
Weather conditions are expected to be stable over the next couple days, with winds remaining light to moderate, said Kathy Hoxsie, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
“That’s because we have high pressure over the area so we don’t have an air mass trying to move from one place to another or squeeze through canyons,” Hoxsie said.
That’s good news for the firefight but it also means that the smoke will linger over the area until at least Wednesday, when winds are expected to start picking up, she said.
The Los Angeles Zoo announced Saturday that it would not open Sunday or Monday because of the unhealthful air quality but hoped to reopen Tuesday. A statement from the zoo said that anyone who had tickets or a reservation for a closed date could request a refund or reschedule.
Poor air quality also contributed to the closure of eight parks in L.A. County : Eaton Canyon, Devil’s Punchbowl, Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park, Lario Staging Area, Marshall Canyon, Peck Road Water Conservation Park, San Dimas Canyon Natural Area and Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health warned residents to stay indoors as much as possible and limit physical exertion, indoors or out.
Air Quality Forecast (Sunday, September 13th): https://t.co/szsyGAFunD
🏖 Coastal: Moderate
🏙 LA: Moderate -to- Unhealthy
🌅 OC: Moderate
🌄 Inland Empire: Moderate -to- Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
🌴 Coachella Valley: Moderate pic.twitter.com/EPQRc0b9zN — South Coast AQMD (@SouthCoastAQMD) September 13, 2020
“If you can see smoke, soot or ash, or you can smell smoke, pay attention to your immediate environment and take precautions to safeguard your health,” said county Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis. “These precautions are particularly important for children, older adults, and people with heart or lung diseases.”
Davis also advised day camps in smoke-affected areas to suspend outside activities, such as hiking or picnics.


latimes--2020-09-13--Column: There's actually a word for the climate change-induced despair you've been feeling

In a sunny Australian city known for being one of the world ’ s largest coal export ports , an environmental philosopher would often field pleading calls from residents .
As they spoke , their distress over the sheer scale of the impacts from open-pit mines and other heavy industry in the area was palpable .
Sitting at the dinner table with his wife , the philosopher struggled to characterize the specific nature of their pain — a pain “ experienced when there is recognition that the place where one resides and that one loves is under immediate assault.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and his wife , Jill , first thought of the concept of nostalgia — because , as Albrecht writes , the term was once linked to “ a diagnosable illness associated with the melancholia of homesickness for people who were distant from their home.
” But the distressed residents of Australia ’ s Hunter Valley weren ’ t émigrés in exile longing for home .
Quite the contrary , they had remained in place , even as the landscape that had once brought them solace became unrecognizable .
Eventually , Albrecht coined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neologism that combines the words nostalgia , solace and desolation — to describe their profound sense of loss and isolation , and the overwhelming feelings of powerlessness that came with it .
Solastalgia , as Albrecht defined it in a 2004 essay , is “ manifest in an attack on one ’ s sense of place , in the erosion of the sense of belonging ( identity ) to a particular place and a feeling of distress ( psychological desolation ) about its transformation.
” In short , it is “ a form @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still at ‘ home.
’ ” It ’ s a word that has started to be , particularly in the context of climate change .
Perhaps it describes some of the destabilizing sorrow you ’ ve experienced as the ash rains down and fire burns in every direction .
We Californians have long defined ourselves against an unforgiving landscape of grand beauty and destruction .
But it ’ s never been quite like this before .
On Thursday , the massive August Complex fire burning in and around Tehama County officially became the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first , third and fourth largest fires in California history are all burning right now .
It ’ s difficult not to wonder what our state will look like when and if the flames subside .
Or if we will ever feel fully safe here again .
“ We have relationships to places , ” explains Dr. Susan Clayton , a professor of psychology and environmental studies at the College of Wooster in Ohio .
“ They ’ re very significant to our history and our sense of who we are.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change .
It ’ s a relatively new area of focus in the field of psychology , which makes it difficult to speak definitively about the longer-term impacts .
But researchers believe that climate change will have both chronic and acute impacts on mental health .
According to a 2017 American Psychological Assn .
report Clayton coauthored , the acute impacts will probably include more trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder in the wake of climate change-induced extreme weather and other major destabilizing events .
Chronic impacts could manifest as a heightened sense of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reckon with profound changes to their environment or what they see as their lack of control over what ’ s happening .
But Clayton says some of the more incremental impacts of climate change could damage our psychological well-being .
“ There is very good evidence that , for example , hot weather actually is bad for our mental health , ” she explained .
“ You see increases in suicide rates , increases in aggression and increases in psychiatric hospitalization.
” The overhanging existential threat of climate change can also create a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to as “ eco-anxiety ” or “ climate anxiety.
” As Clayton explains , some level of anxiety can be a motivating force , spurring action and change — but too much can be debilitating , paralyzing us .
Humans are creatures capable of incredible levels of cognitive dissonance .
We light cigarettes knowing smoking kills , rebuild homes in burn zones and wake up every morning knowing that someday — several billion years from now — the sun will likely engulf the earth .
The question has always been what we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of dissonance actually behooves us .
The inevitable fate of our solar system surely falls into that latter category .
But the ravages of climate change are here now .
So what is the middle ground between sticking our heads in the sand and becoming psychologically overwhelmed by what we know ?
Say you are lucky enough to be outside the path of acute danger , at least for today .
How can we lead a meaningful life with these threats looming , knowing so much is beyond our control ?
“ For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find this way of thinking — There is something I can do , ” Clayton said .
Maybe you can ’ t save the world , but you can exert some small sense of control over your corner of it , even with something as simple as readying your own evacuation plans .
She also mentioned pressing local officials on certain issues , or voting to address the matter at hand .
I worry that invoking these small steps might sound glib or Pollyanna-ish , particularly in the face of such flagrant destruction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of greed and ineptitude .
We obviously need large-scale , sustained action from every level of leadership .
But if you are feeling profound grief and despair , personal action can at least help repair your own sense of powerlessness .
Writing recently about his own reckoning with climate despair , my colleague Sammy Roth , an energy reporter at The Times , quoted a line from the rabbinic teachings of Pirkei Avot that I have thought about often in the weeks since : “ It is not your responsibility to finish the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you are not free to desist from it either .
”

Amy Scott takes in the view from the Embarcadero as wildfire smoke mixes with the marine layer, blanketing San Francisco in darkness and an orange glow on Sept. 9, in San Francisco. Over 2 million acres have burned this year.
In a sunny Australian city known for being one of the world’s largest coal export ports, an environmental philosopher would often field pleading calls from residents.
As they spoke, their distress over the sheer scale of the impacts from open-pit mines and other heavy industry in the area was palpable.
Sitting at the dinner table with his wife, the philosopher struggled to characterize the specific nature of their pain — a pain “experienced when there is recognition that the place where one resides and that one loves is under immediate assault.”
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Glenn Albrecht, the philosopher in question, and his wife, Jill, first thought of the concept of nostalgia — because, as Albrecht writes, the term was once linked to “a diagnosable illness associated with the melancholia of homesickness for people who were distant from their home.”
But the distressed residents of Australia’s Hunter Valley weren’t émigrés in exile longing for home. Quite the contrary, they had remained in place, even as the landscape that had once brought them solace became unrecognizable.
Eventually, Albrecht coined the term “solastalgia” — a neologism that combines the words nostalgia, solace and desolation — to describe their profound sense of loss and isolation, and the overwhelming feelings of powerlessness that came with it.
Solastalgia, as Albrecht defined it in a 2004 essay, is “manifest in an attack on one’s sense of place, in the erosion of the sense of belonging (identity) to a particular place and a feeling of distress (psychological desolation) about its transformation.” In short, it is “a form of homesickness one gets when one is still at ‘home.’”
It’s a word that has started to be used more frequently in recent years , particularly in the context of climate change.
Perhaps it describes some of the destabilizing sorrow you’ve experienced as the ash rains down and fire burns in every direction. We Californians have long defined ourselves against an unforgiving landscape of grand beauty and destruction. But it’s never been quite like this before.
On Thursday, the massive August Complex fire burning in and around Tehama County officially became the largest blaze in California history — meaning the first, third and fourth largest fires in California history are all burning right now. It’s difficult not to wonder what our state will look like when and if the flames subside. Or if we will ever feel fully safe here again.
“We have relationships to places,” explains Dr. Susan Clayton, a professor of psychology and environmental studies at the College of Wooster in Ohio. “They’re very significant to our history and our sense of who we are.”
Advertisement
Clayton studies the psychological effects of climate change. It’s a relatively new area of focus in the field of psychology, which makes it difficult to speak definitively about the longer-term impacts. But researchers believe that climate change will have both chronic and acute impacts on mental health.
According to a 2017 American Psychological Assn. report Clayton coauthored, the acute impacts will probably include more trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder in the wake of climate change-induced extreme weather and other major destabilizing events. Chronic impacts could manifest as a heightened sense of helplessness, hopelessness or fatalism as people reckon with profound changes to their environment or what they see as their lack of control over what’s happening.
But Clayton says some of the more incremental impacts of climate change could damage our psychological well-being.
“There is very good evidence that, for example, hot weather actually is bad for our mental health,” she explained. “You see increases in suicide rates, increases in aggression and increases in psychiatric hospitalization.”
The overhanging existential threat of climate change can also create a background level of worry, often referred to as “eco-anxiety” or “climate anxiety.” As Clayton explains, some level of anxiety can be a motivating force, spurring action and change — but too much can be debilitating, paralyzing us.
Humans are creatures capable of incredible levels of cognitive dissonance. We light cigarettes knowing smoking kills, rebuild homes in burn zones and wake up every morning knowing that someday — several billion years from now — the sun will likely engulf the earth. The question has always been what we can bear to ignore, and what kind of dissonance actually behooves us. The inevitable fate of our solar system surely falls into that latter category. But the ravages of climate change are here now.
So what is the middle ground between sticking our heads in the sand and becoming psychologically overwhelmed by what we know? Say you are lucky enough to be outside the path of acute danger, at least for today. How can we lead a meaningful life with these threats looming, knowing so much is beyond our control?
“For all of us, we need to find this way of thinking — There is something I can do,” Clayton said. Maybe you can’t save the world, but you can exert some small sense of control over your corner of it, even with something as simple as readying your own evacuation plans. She also mentioned pressing local officials on certain issues, or voting to address the matter at hand.
I worry that invoking these small steps might sound glib or Pollyanna-ish, particularly in the face of such flagrant destruction, made possible by so many years of greed and ineptitude. We obviously need large-scale, sustained action from every level of leadership. But if you are feeling profound grief and despair, personal action can at least help repair your own sense of powerlessness.
Writing recently about his own reckoning with climate despair, my colleague Sammy Roth, an energy reporter at The Times, quoted a line from the rabbinic teachings of Pirkei Avot that I have thought about often in the weeks since: “It is not your responsibility to finish the work of perfecting the world, but you are not free to desist from it either.”


latimes--2020-09-13--During pandemic, trash and crime increased on Whittier Boulevard. Lowrider clubs said: Enough

As a boy growing up in East Los Angeles , Juan “ Spanky ” Ramirez lived for the weekends when his uncles would leave the family ’ s carne asada parties and invite him to cruise down Whittier Boulevard in East Los Angeles .
From the passenger seat , Ramirez saw the regular parade of chrome and florid paint jobs that brought worldwide fame to the street .
And when the tíos flipped their hydraulic switches , and their shiny sedans rose high in the air , “ it was the greatest feeling in the world.
” Now that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cruise down Whittier in his white 1970 Cadillac Coupe de Ville takes him back to those old-school days .
“ I ’ ll be at work all stressed out and I could just get in the car and take off , ” the Baldwin Park resident said .
“ It ’ s like therapy.
” But over the summer , his asphalt Eden was shattered .
On Aug. 2 , a man hit another man over the head with a blunt object during a brawl in a parking lot off Whittier Boulevard and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rounds of gunshots into the air .
It was the lowlight of a summer on the boulevard that saw it crowded with cruising like it hadn ’ t seen in years .
The doldrums of the pandemic , which had turned so many people into shut-ins , seemed to have brought others to the boulevard .
Not all behaved ; empty parking lots were stained with graffiti or littered with trash .
The smell of urine permeated the air .
For Ramirez and his friends , that was enough .
Two days later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aficionados to stage a boycott of sorts : No more cruising on the street for a month .
“ It ’ s sad because we are the last of the generation that can keep this culture alive , ” he wrote .
“ So in an effort to save Whittier Boulevard , we ’ re going to put a pause on it.
” It was a crucial test for Ramirez and the Los Angeles Lowrider Community , a coalition of 15 car clubs in the region .
The group formed about a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their scene , a place frequented by those who liked their rides low and slow that was long perceived by law enforcement and the public as somehow sketchy .
“ We ’ re not forcing anyone to do anything they don ’ t want to do , ” said 47-year-old Jesse Flores of the Elegants Montebello car club .
“ All we did is ask , ‘ Hey don ’ t come out and stay away for a little.
’ It ’ s a free country , they can do what they want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much how we ’ re running it.
” On Aug. 29 , the Los Angeles Lowrider Community ended its voluntary exile from Whittier Boulevard with a cruise to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium and the killing of L.A. Times columnist Ruben Salazar .
Flores said he ’ d taken a cruise once in a while in his “ regular ” car during August to see if people respected the group ’ s request , and saw one or two stragglers at most .
“ We don ’ t need law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s wrong , ” Ramirez said .
“ Whatever happens on Whittier Boulevard , it ’ s our history.
” The Los Angeles Lowrider Community ’ s effort may have been the first self-imposed ban on cruising in the boulevard ’ s history , but it ’ s certainly not the first time East L.A. has seen a stop in the pastime .
In 1979 , police barricaded the streets along a mile-long stretch of Whittier Boulevard between Atlantic Boulevard and Eastern Avenue every Friday , Saturday and Sunday .
Nine years later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordinance to tighten restrictions on cruising , limiting cars to one round trip every six hours on the same street .
As recently as 2017 , L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis passed a motion to look into increased enforcement for nonpermitted cruising events .
But the lowriders always came back .
“ The approach has always been enforce , enforce , enforce , ” said Capt .
Salvador Suárez , commander of the California Highway Patrol ’ s East L.A. station .
“ Well , if that ’ s the approach that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s still going on , is there another approach we could possibly take ?
I don ’ t know the answer , but I ’ m willing to listen to people.
” Suárez has allowed the Los Angeles Lowrider Community to meet at his station .
In a room with chairs six feet apart and tables with hand sanitizer , the group has meet with the CHP , the L.A. County Sheriff ’ s Department , a county lawyer , the county Department of Public Works and others .
During the first meetings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed the lowrider group pictures and video of private parking lots along Whittier Boulevard being trashed .
Suárez said the Los Angeles Lowrider Community members voiced concerns that they had no other outlet to gather because the pandemic had closed beaches , parks and other recreational spaces .
He said that he understood that the people who had littered and vandalized local businesses in recent months might not be part of the car clubs , but “ it doesn ’ t matter .
It ’ s people coming to the boulevard because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did appear to wane after the Los Angeles Lowrider Community ’ s proclamation , Suárez said .
Local officials and law enforcement are expected to meet with Eastside merchants soon to hear them out .
The hope is for the cruisers and the shop owners to converge and go from there .
Though this may be a new generation , it ’ s not the first time L.A. lowriders have tried to formally organize .
In the early 1980s , the West Coast Lowrider Assn .
brought a group of about six car @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said 65-year-old Gloria Ruelas , a member of the Dukes car club , one of Los Angeles ’ first lowrider clubs .
The group was instrumental in organizing car shows for MEChA — Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán — at universities such as UCLA and East L.A. College .
Ramirez didn ’ t know about attempts by the West Coast Lowrider Assn .
or any other group to unify lowrider clubs in the area .
But he ’ s excited to see his community come together like never before .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Ramirez said .
“ We ’ re just trying to get a vote of , ‘ What do you think is best for the rest of the community ?
’ And if we do it together willingly , then everything works out a lot better.
” But for Los Angeles Lowrider Community members , a ban on cruising Whittier Boulevard didn ’ t mean a ban on cruising everywhere .
Still needing to satisfy their lowrider itch , clubs held a private , invitation-only event on 15th Street in downtown Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was announced .
“ Whittier is our culture , ” said Rene “ Sir .
Chato ” Castellano , a member of the Elegants car club .
“ But unfortunately right now there ’ s a lot of negativity going on [ there ] .
” As the sun set behind the palm trees and downtown L.A. skyline , cars rolled through and sunk to the ground .
Sparks flew as bumpers scratched the street .
Sitting on lawn chairs lined on each side of the street , attendees ate barbecue as their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cars .
Kids pedaled slowly on bikes , their seats low and handlebars high above their shoulders .
Many weren ’ t wearing masks , though some quickly pulled them out when crossing the street to greet members of other car clubs with fist bumps .
A Los Angeles Police Department vehicle slowed its pace when it passed , eyeing the group .
Castellano said he told the cops that they ’ d move if they wanted them to .
They ’ re not trying to cause any trouble .

Juan “Spanky” Ramirez of Baldwin Park poses next to his lowrider in East Los Angeles.
As a boy growing up in East Los Angeles, Juan “Spanky” Ramirez lived for the weekends when his uncles would leave the family’s carne asada parties and invite him to cruise down Whittier Boulevard in East Los Angeles.
From the passenger seat, Ramirez saw the regular parade of chrome and florid paint jobs that brought worldwide fame to the street. And when the tíos flipped their hydraulic switches, and their shiny sedans rose high in the air, “it was the greatest feeling in the world.”
Now that he’s a 39-year-old father, a cruise down Whittier in his white 1970 Cadillac Coupe de Ville takes him back to those old-school days.
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“I’ll be at work all stressed out and I could just get in the car and take off,” the Baldwin Park resident said. “It’s like therapy.”
But over the summer, his asphalt Eden was shattered.
On Aug. 2, a man hit another man over the head with a blunt object during a brawl in a parking lot off Whittier Boulevard and then punched a woman before firing three rounds of gunshots into the air. It was the lowlight of a summer on the boulevard that saw it crowded with cruising like it hadn’t seen in years.
The doldrums of the pandemic, which had turned so many people into shut-ins, seemed to have brought others to the boulevard. Not all behaved; empty parking lots were stained with graffiti or littered with trash. The smell of urine permeated the air.
For Ramirez and his friends, that was enough.
Juan Ramirez’s father, left, and a family friend in the late 1970s. (Juan Ramirez)
Two days later on Facebook, he urged fellow lowrider aficionados to stage a boycott of sorts: No more cruising on the street for a month.
“It’s sad because we are the last of the generation that can keep this culture alive,” he wrote. “So in an effort to save Whittier Boulevard, we’re going to put a pause on it.”
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It was a crucial test for Ramirez and the Los Angeles Lowrider Community, a coalition of 15 car clubs in the region. The group formed about a year ago to clean up the image of their scene, a place frequented by those who liked their rides low and slow that was long perceived by law enforcement and the public as somehow sketchy.
“We’re not forcing anyone to do anything they don’t want to do,” said 47-year-old Jesse Flores of the Elegants Montebello car club. “All we did is ask, ‘Hey don’t come out and stay away for a little.’ It’s a free country, they can do what they want to do. That’s pretty much how we’re running it.”
“And surprisingly,” he added, “it worked.”
On Aug. 29, the Los Angeles Lowrider Community ended its voluntary exile from Whittier Boulevard with a cruise to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium and the killing of L.A. Times columnist Ruben Salazar. Flores said he’d taken a cruise once in a while in his “regular” car during August to see if people respected the group’s request, and saw one or two stragglers at most.
Cars arrive for a lowrider event near East 15th Street and Hooper Avenue in downtown L.A. (Josie Norris / Los Angeles Times)
“We don’t need law enforcement to tell us when something’s wrong,” Ramirez said. “Whatever happens on Whittier Boulevard, it’s our history.”
The Los Angeles Lowrider Community’s effort may have been the first self-imposed ban on cruising in the boulevard’s history, but it’s certainly not the first time East L.A. has seen a stop in the pastime.
In 1979, police barricaded the streets along a mile-long stretch of Whittier Boulevard between Atlantic Boulevard and Eastern Avenue every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Nine years later, the L.A. City Council passed an ordinance to tighten restrictions on cruising, limiting cars to one round trip every six hours on the same street.
As recently as 2017, L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis passed a motion to look into increased enforcement for nonpermitted cruising events.
But the lowriders always came back.
“The approach has always been enforce, enforce, enforce,” said Capt. Salvador Suárez, commander of the California Highway Patrol’s East L.A. station. “Well, if that’s the approach that’s been taken, and it’s still going on, is there another approach we could possibly take? I don’t know the answer, but I’m willing to listen to people.”
Suárez has allowed the Los Angeles Lowrider Community to meet at his station. In a room with chairs six feet apart and tables with hand sanitizer, the group has meet with the CHP, the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, a county lawyer, the county Department of Public Works and others.
During the first meetings in early August, law enforcement officials showed the lowrider group pictures and video of private parking lots along Whittier Boulevard being trashed.
Suárez said the Los Angeles Lowrider Community members voiced concerns that they had no other outlet to gather because the pandemic had closed beaches, parks and other recreational spaces. He said that he understood that the people who had littered and vandalized local businesses in recent months might not be part of the car clubs, but “it doesn’t matter. It’s people coming to the boulevard because of you.”
Joey Gallardo of Boyle Heights relaxes in his car, with the roof removed, during a gathering of Los Angeles lowrider groups in downtown Los Angeles. (Josie Norris / Los Angeles Times)
Bad activity on Whittier Boulevard did appear to wane after the Los Angeles Lowrider Community’s proclamation, Suárez said. Local officials and law enforcement are expected to meet with Eastside merchants soon to hear them out. The hope is for the cruisers and the shop owners to converge and go from there.
Though this may be a new generation, it’s not the first time L.A. lowriders have tried to formally organize.
In the early 1980s, the West Coast Lowrider Assn. brought a group of about six car clubs together with similar goals in mind, said 65-year-old Gloria Ruelas, a member of the Dukes car club, one of Los Angeles’ first lowrider clubs. The group was instrumental in organizing car shows for MEChA — Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán — at universities such as UCLA and East L.A. College.
Ramirez didn’t know about attempts by the West Coast Lowrider Assn. or any other group to unify lowrider clubs in the area. But he’s excited to see his community come together like never before.
“We don’t apply pressure to nobody,” Ramirez said. “We’re just trying to get a vote of, ‘What do you think is best for the rest of the community?’ And if we do it together willingly, then everything works out a lot better.”
Rene “Sir. Chato” Castellon of the Elegants Montebello car club teases friends from across the street during a gathering of lowrider aficionados in L.A. (Josie Norris / Los Angeles Times)
But for Los Angeles Lowrider Community members, a ban on cruising Whittier Boulevard didn’t mean a ban on cruising everywhere. Still needing to satisfy their lowrider itch, clubs held a private, invitation-only event on 15th Street in downtown Los Angeles about a week after the pause was announced.
“Whittier is our culture,” said Rene “Sir. Chato” Castellano, a member of the Elegants car club. “But unfortunately right now there’s a lot of negativity going on [there].”
As the sun set behind the palm trees and downtown L.A. skyline, cars rolled through and sunk to the ground. Sparks flew as bumpers scratched the street.
Sitting on lawn chairs lined on each side of the street, attendees ate barbecue as their homies bumped hip-hop and rap from their cars. Kids pedaled slowly on bikes, their seats low and handlebars high above their shoulders. Many weren’t wearing masks, though some quickly pulled them out when crossing the street to greet members of other car clubs with fist bumps.
A Los Angeles Police Department vehicle slowed its pace when it passed, eyeing the group.
Castellano said he told the cops that they’d move if they wanted them to. They’re not trying to cause any trouble.
“We’re here,” he said, “for unity.”