latimes--2020-09-16--Water company withdraws desalination proposal as battle over environmental justice heats up

Amid mounting controversy and concerns over environmental justice , California American Water on Wednesday withdrew its application for a desalination project in the small Monterey Bay town of Marina .
The proposal had become one of the most fraught issues to come before the California Coastal Commission , which was set to vote Thursday .
The decision would have been the first major test of the commission ’ s new power to review not only harm to the environment when making decisions but also harm to underrepresented communities .
At stake was the contentious future of water on the Monterey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should play in addressing issues of environmental inequity .
Water demand projections , local groundwater impacts and other water supply concerns have been hotly disputed across the region , but one looming question was whether it was fair to continue burdening some coastal communities with industrial projects while others are gentrified .
The water project itself , many pointed out , would not even supply the residents of Marina .
Others questioned the cost of this major infrastructure project , which could burden ratepayers with $ 1 billion more over the next 30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks we heard serious environmental justice concerns from residents of Marina , and cost concerns from our customers , ” Catherine Stedman , a spokeswoman for Cal Am , said in a statement .
“ We would like to have further discussions with the residents of Marina ( or City of Marina ) and also spend more time explaining our proposed enhancements to our low income program for Monterey customers before seeking a vote by the Commission.
” “ We are hoping to be back in front of the Commission in a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We still believe this is the right project in the right location , but want to build bridges to the extent possible.
” Cal Am is under a decades-old order from the State Water Resources Control Board to stop overpumping the Carmel River by December 2021 .
Since 1995 , the company has made numerous efforts to develop an alternative supply for such a water-challenged region .
( The Monterey Peninsula is isolated from state and federal aqueducts and has limited water options . )
The river , where 10,000 steelhead trout once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region ’ s water demands .
No trout were observed during the last drought , and the lower 9.5 miles of the river are seasonally dry in most years because of continued illegal diversions , water officials said .
The project has the support of steelhead conservationists , major farming and business groups , as well as hotels and developers in the region who for years have been unable to expand without more water .
Cal Am has also met privately with some of Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s top officials , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who says it ’ s imperative to save the Carmel River .
Desalination opponents have urged Cal Am to instead consider a public recycled water project , Pure Water Monterey , that went online this year .
Expanding that project , Coastal Commission staff recently agreed in a 154-page report , would be a cheaper , more equitable and environmentally conscious way of meeting Cal Am ’ s needs for at least the next few decades .
Jonas Minton , a former deputy director of the California Department of Water Resources who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ force , welcomed the news Wednesday and said it ’ s time for everyone , including Cal Am , to work together to expand the recycling project rather than continue the back-and-forth .
“ It is past time for Cal Am to realize that impacts of the proposed desal plant on disadvantaged residents , the coast and the environment can never be eliminated .
These can not be explained or negotiated away , ” said Minton , who is now a water policy advisor for the Planning and Conservation League .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ water recycling project to move ahead .
This will provide ample water for current and future residents and allow Cal Am to cease its illegal diversions from the Carmel River.
” Marina ’ s mayor , Bruce Delgado , called Cal Am ’ s withdrawal a huge win for his community , which has been affected for decades by a sand mine and other industrial facilities .
Having an open space by the coast for all to enjoy is a top priority for his town , where one-third of the residents are low-income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reflected proudly on the many members of his community who have spent years standing up to Cal Am ’ s lawyers and polished campaigns .
“ This is one of the happiest days of my life , and one of the most important days for the city , ” Delgado said .
“ It feels like we got our water and our future back .
”

A proposed desalination project would be located on the coast of Marina, where a sand mine has operated for decades.
Amid mounting controversy and concerns over environmental justice, California American Water on Wednesday withdrew its application for a desalination project in the small Monterey Bay town of Marina.
The proposal had become one of the most fraught issues to come before the California Coastal Commission, which was set to vote Thursday. The decision would have been the first major test of the commission’s new power to review not only harm to the environment when making decisions but also harm to underrepresented communities.
At stake was the contentious future of water on the Monterey Peninsula as well as the role government should play in addressing issues of environmental inequity.
Advertisement
Water demand projections, local groundwater impacts and other water supply concerns have been hotly disputed across the region, but one looming question was whether it was fair to continue burdening some coastal communities with industrial projects while others are gentrified.
The water project itself, many pointed out, would not even supply the residents of Marina. Others questioned the cost of this major infrastructure project, which could burden ratepayers with $1 billion more over the next 30 years.
“Over the last several weeks we heard serious environmental justice concerns from residents of Marina, and cost concerns from our customers,” Catherine Stedman, a spokeswoman for Cal Am, said in a statement. “We would like to have further discussions with the residents of Marina (or City of Marina) and also spend more time explaining our proposed enhancements to our low income program for Monterey customers before seeking a vote by the Commission.”
“We are hoping to be back in front of the Commission in a few months,” Stedman said. “We still believe this is the right project in the right location, but want to build bridges to the extent possible.”
Cal Am is under a decades-old order from the State Water Resources Control Board to stop overpumping the Carmel River by December 2021. Since 1995, the company has made numerous efforts to develop an alternative supply for such a water-challenged region. (The Monterey Peninsula is isolated from state and federal aqueducts and has limited water options.)
The river, where 10,000 steelhead trout once spawned, has suffered greatly from the region’s water demands. No trout were observed during the last drought, and the lower 9.5 miles of the river are seasonally dry in most years because of continued illegal diversions, water officials said.
The project has the support of steelhead conservationists, major farming and business groups, as well as hotels and developers in the region who for years have been unable to expand without more water. Cal Am has also met privately with some of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s top officials, including Secretary for Environmental Protection Jared Blumenfeld, who says it’s imperative to save the Carmel River.
Desalination opponents have urged Cal Am to instead consider a public recycled water project, Pure Water Monterey, that went online this year.
Advertisement
Expanding that project, Coastal Commission staff recently agreed in a 154-page report, would be a cheaper, more equitable and environmentally conscious way of meeting Cal Am’s needs for at least the next few decades.
Jonas Minton, a former deputy director of the California Department of Water Resources who led the state’s desalination task force, welcomed the news Wednesday and said it’s time for everyone, including Cal Am, to work together to expand the recycling project rather than continue the back-and-forth.
“It is past time for Cal Am to realize that impacts of the proposed desal plant on disadvantaged residents, the coast and the environment can never be eliminated. These cannot be explained or negotiated away,” said Minton, who is now a water policy advisor for the Planning and Conservation League. “It is time for the Pure Water Monterey water recycling project to move ahead. This will provide ample water for current and future residents and allow Cal Am to cease its illegal diversions from the Carmel River.”
Marina’s mayor, Bruce Delgado, called Cal Am’s withdrawal a huge win for his community, which has been affected for decades by a sand mine and other industrial facilities. Having an open space by the coast for all to enjoy is a top priority for his town, where one-third of the residents are low-income and many speak little English.
He reflected proudly on the many members of his community who have spent years standing up to Cal Am’s lawyers and polished campaigns.
“This is one of the happiest days of my life, and one of the most important days for the city,” Delgado said. “It feels like we got our water and our future back.”


latimes--2020-09-16--Rules proposed by state insurance commissioner offer discount for reducing wildfire risks

After multiple years of insurers dropping homeowners ’ policies in areas hard-hit by wildfires , the state insurance commissioner is pushing for regulations that would offset rising premiums with discounts for mitigating wildfire risks .
On Oct. 19 , the Department of Insurance will host an investigatory hearing where homeowners , industry experts and insurance providers , among others , can give their input into regulations Commissioner Ricardo Lara plans to initiate that would probably accelerate premium increases for some homeowners while giving them a chance to learn how their property ’ s risk is calculated and opportunities to reduce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The reality is climate change is going to continue to disrupt communities through extreme heat and weather and affect our insurance markets , ” Lara said .
“ Using my authority as a regulator to look at these key areas is really going to be critical.
” For several years now , the housing market in California ’ s expanding wildland-urban interface , the area where suburbia blends with the wildlands , has been rocked by wind-driven fires that have wiped out housing stock and years of insurers ’ profits along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been dropping policies in those at-risk areas by the thousands , pushing people into the secondary market , and dramatically raising the premiums for many others , arguing that the tandem moves are meant to limit their financial risks .
But at the same time , consumer advocates say , insurers have been slow-rolling the rate increases across the rest of their portfolio , keeping the increases overall below 7 % annually so it doesn ’ t open them up for a public inspection , enabled under Proposition 103 , approved in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would push for insurers to seek rate increases more reflective of the risks the companies ’ actuaries spell out , which means probably higher than 7 % , but it would also require insurers provide more information to homeowners on what they can do to reduce those risks .
“ Time and time again we heard from consumers , ‘ How do I appeal my score ?
How do I know what I need to do to lower that score ?
’ And right now there ’ s nothing , ” Lara @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Lara said his office will require that insurers provide and explain the reasoning behind a homeowner ’ s particular fire risk score .
Thousands of homeowners in the last few years have received notices when their policies ended telling them they were suddenly uninsurable because of fire risks , or conversely , that it would cost prohibitively more to remain covered and there was nothing they could do to change it .
“ We ’ re saying , ‘ Let ’ s promote transparency and recognize that home-hardening , that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To that end , insurers have been working with the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety to outline a standard approach to home hardening on an individual and communitywide scale , which wildfire experts say is key to limiting the loss of life and property .
Lara said he ’ ll work with those groups to determine what types of strategies homeowners can take to reduce their risks and get a discount .
A failed Assembly bill that Lara endorsed earlier this year would have required insurers to cover homes whose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Californians have a spotty track record of mitigating their wildfire risks on a large scale , and with few exceptions , local governments have done a poor job of enforcing the standards that already exist .
Both consumers and local governments will have a role in seeing the proposed regulations bear fruit after statewide mitigation standards are set .
“ We ’ re incentivizing the consumer and incentivizing the local community to bring down the risk and keeping the insurance market vibrant where they ’ re competing for people ’ s businesses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the American Property Casualty Insurance Assn.
, which represents about 60 % of the property casualty insurance market , welcomed the upcoming hearing as an opportunity to revisit the rate-making process overall .
Insurers have complained that California ’ s laws don ’ t allow them to price in the increasing risks linked to climate change because they can set rates based only on past losses .
“ APCIA applauds the commissioner ’ s interest in improving the regulatory system to encourage more insurers to write insurance in high-risk wildfire areas and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group said in a statement .
“ Clearly , California is facing dramatically different conditions with five of the state ’ s largest fires occurring just this year .
Climate change is altering conditions in California and we expect this to be the ‘ new normal .
’ ”

After multiple years of insurers dropping homeowners’ policies in areas hard-hit by wildfires, the state insurance commissioner is pushing for regulations that would offset rising premiums with discounts for mitigating wildfire risks.
On Oct. 19, the Department of Insurance will host an investigatory hearing where homeowners, industry experts and insurance providers, among others, can give their input into regulations Commissioner Ricardo Lara plans to initiate that would probably accelerate premium increases for some homeowners while giving them a chance to learn how their property’s risk is calculated and opportunities to reduce it, Lara’s office said.
“The reality is climate change is going to continue to disrupt communities through extreme heat and weather and affect our insurance markets,” Lara said. “Using my authority as a regulator to look at these key areas is really going to be critical.”
Advertisement
For several years now, the housing market in California’s expanding wildland-urban interface, the area where suburbia blends with the wildlands, has been rocked by wind-driven fires that have wiped out housing stock and years of insurers’ profits along with it. In response, insurers have been dropping policies in those at-risk areas by the thousands, pushing people into the secondary market, and dramatically raising the premiums for many others, arguing that the tandem moves are meant to limit their financial risks.
But at the same time, consumer advocates say, insurers have been slow-rolling the rate increases across the rest of their portfolio, keeping the increases overall below 7% annually so it doesn’t open them up for a public inspection, enabled under Proposition 103, approved in 1988.
Lara’s office said it would push for insurers to seek rate increases more reflective of the risks the companies’ actuaries spell out, which means probably higher than 7%, but it would also require insurers provide more information to homeowners on what they can do to reduce those risks.
“Time and time again we heard from consumers, ‘How do I appeal my score? How do I know what I need to do to lower that score?’ And right now there’s nothing,” Lara said.
To soften the rate-increase impact, Lara said his office will require that insurers provide and explain the reasoning behind a homeowner’s particular fire risk score. Thousands of homeowners in the last few years have received notices when their policies ended telling them they were suddenly uninsurable because of fire risks, or conversely, that it would cost prohibitively more to remain covered and there was nothing they could do to change it.
“We’re saying, ‘Let’s promote transparency and recognize that home-hardening, that’s science-based, works,” Lara said.
Advertisement
Climate & Environment Want to fireproof your home? It takes a village Elaborate sprinkler systems could be a waste of money in protecting your home from wildfire. A better strategy, experts say, is to team up with neighbors to fireproof your entire community.
To that end, insurers have been working with the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety to outline a standard approach to home hardening on an individual and communitywide scale, which wildfire experts say is key to limiting the loss of life and property. Lara said he’ll work with those groups to determine what types of strategies homeowners can take to reduce their risks and get a discount. A failed Assembly bill that Lara endorsed earlier this year would have required insurers to cover homes whose owners reduced their risks.
Historically, Californians have a spotty track record of mitigating their wildfire risks on a large scale, and with few exceptions, local governments have done a poor job of enforcing the standards that already exist. Both consumers and local governments will have a role in seeing the proposed regulations bear fruit after statewide mitigation standards are set.
“We’re incentivizing the consumer and incentivizing the local community to bring down the risk and keeping the insurance market vibrant where they’re competing for people’s businesses,” Lara said.
One insurance group, the American Property Casualty Insurance Assn., which represents about 60% of the property casualty insurance market, welcomed the upcoming hearing as an opportunity to revisit the rate-making process overall. Insurers have complained that California’s laws don’t allow them to price in the increasing risks linked to climate change because they can set rates based only on past losses.
“APCIA applauds the commissioner’s interest in improving the regulatory system to encourage more insurers to write insurance in high-risk wildfire areas and give consumer more choices,” the group said in a statement. “Clearly, California is facing dramatically different conditions with five of the state’s largest fires occurring just this year. Climate change is altering conditions in California and we expect this to be the ‘new normal.’”


latimes--2020-09-16--KCRW announces layoffs and executive salary cuts following news of buyouts

One day after news broke that Santa Monica-based NPR affiliate KCRW ( 89.9 FM ) had accepted buyout offers from 24 employees , KCRW station manager Jennifer Ferro has confirmed those departures and announced an additional four workers will be laid off .
Ferro announced the cuts during a staff-wide meeting on Wednesday afternoon .
In a statement issued shortly after , she acknowledged that “ the past six months have been a test for all of us ” before confirming the damage the pandemic has done to KCRW ’ s bottom line .
“ Unfortunately , like so many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not escape the long-term effects of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis , ” she wrote .
“ We are projecting a 30 % loss to our operating budget this fiscal year , primarily due to a large dip in sponsorship revenue from categories worst hit by the pandemic.
” In addition , KCRW ’ s senior leadership team will take what Ferro describes in the statement as “ an aggregate of 20 % salary cuts with me taking the largest portion.
” The cuts represent a loss of 18 % of the NPR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 127 full- and part-time employees .
It comes less than two years after the station began moving into its $ 38-million media center on the campus of Santa Monica Community College .
Ferro ’ s statement went into further detail about efforts to address the shortfall .
Management secured a Paycheck Protection Program loan from the federal government and cut nonpersonnel budget items .
Those efforts , she explained , “ allowed us to keep our staff whole through August .
However , the extended nature of the economic ramifications of COVID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action to preserve the financial sustainability of the station and the services we provide.
” Among those who accepted buyout offers are Liza Richardson , Mario Cotto and Mathieu Schreyer , longtime producer Frances Anderton and “ Morning Becomes Eclectic ” producer Mary Chellamy .
Acknowledging the loss , Ferro tried to strike a tone of optimism , noting that KCRW ’ s digital traffic has grown during the pandemic , the station is currently the No .
1 public radio station in the market and “ membership numbers and dollars are strong.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of “ Morning Becomes Eclectic , ” the station ’ s flagship music show , have been awaiting since Jason Bentley departed at the end of 2019 — and which might disappoint those who swear by DJ and music director Anne Litt ’ s playlists .
The station , Ferro wrote , will soon announce a new “ Morning Becomes Eclectic ” host .

One day after news broke that Santa Monica-based NPR affiliate KCRW (89.9 FM) had accepted buyout offers from 24 employees, KCRW station manager Jennifer Ferro has confirmed those departures and announced an additional four workers will be laid off.
Ferro announced the cuts during a staff-wide meeting on Wednesday afternoon. In a statement issued shortly after, she acknowledged that “the past six months have been a test for all of us” before confirming the damage the pandemic has done to KCRW’s bottom line.
“Unfortunately, like so many media organizations across the country, KCRW cannot escape the long-term effects of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis,” she wrote. “We are projecting a 30% loss to our operating budget this fiscal year, primarily due to a large dip in sponsorship revenue from categories worst hit by the pandemic.” In addition, KCRW’s senior leadership team will take what Ferro describes in the statement as “an aggregate of 20% salary cuts with me taking the largest portion.”
Advertisement
The cuts represent a loss of 18% of the NPR affiliate’s staff, reducing it to 127 full- and part-time employees. It comes less than two years after the station began moving into its $38-million media center on the campus of Santa Monica Community College.
Ferro’s statement went into further detail about efforts to address the shortfall. Management secured a Paycheck Protection Program loan from the federal government and cut nonpersonnel budget items. Those efforts, she explained, “allowed us to keep our staff whole through August. However, the extended nature of the economic ramifications of COVID has now required us to take further action to preserve the financial sustainability of the station and the services we provide.”
Among those who accepted buyout offers are Liza Richardson, Mario Cotto and Mathieu Schreyer, longtime producer Frances Anderton and “Morning Becomes Eclectic” producer Mary Chellamy.
Acknowledging the loss, Ferro tried to strike a tone of optimism, noting that KCRW’s digital traffic has grown during the pandemic, the station is currently the No. 1 public radio station in the market and “membership numbers and dollars are strong.”
Ferro also hinted at news fans of “Morning Becomes Eclectic,” the station’s flagship music show, have been awaiting since Jason Bentley departed at the end of 2019 — and which might disappoint those who swear by DJ and music director Anne Litt’s playlists. The station, Ferro wrote, will soon announce a new “Morning Becomes Eclectic” host.


latimes--2020-09-16--A 'pop,' a 'crackle,' then 'fire!': NTSB records show dramatic moments as flames swept Conception di

A 'pop,' a 'crackle,' then 'fire!': NTSB records show dramatic moments as flames swept Conception dive boat

Late on the eve of Labor Day 2019 , as the crew of the Conception buttoned up the 75-foot dive boat , galley hand Ryan Sims plugged in his cellphone and saw sparks fly from the socket , just before he headed to bed .
He later told investigators that “ while still in a sleep-like state , he had heard a pop and then a crackle downstairs , ” followed by a crew member yelling , “ Fire !
Fire !
” according to National Transportation Safety Board records released Wednesday .
Sims and four other crew members who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make their way down from the wheelhouse atop the three-deck boat , but it was too late .
By then flames had engulfed the Conception ’ s main deck , blocked stairways and trapped 33 divers and one crew member in the bunk room in the belly of the wood-hulled boat , killing all of them in one of California ’ s worst maritime disasters .
The only survivors were the five crew members who managed to jump into the water near Santa Cruz Island .
They included Capt .
Jerry Boylan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the situation .
“ The second galley hand recalled that when the captain came to the surface of the water , he said , ‘ Oh my God , all those people , ’ ” the records state .
Autopsies later determined that all died of smoke inhalation .
The NTSB records , which include factual reports , transcripts of witness interviews and statements by the crew , provide the fullest account yet of the Sept. 2 , 2019 , accident off the Ventura County coast , but they do not pinpoint a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physical evidence was recovered that could be identified as an ignition source or indicate a specific ignition location within that area , ” the NTSB said .
“ Therefore , the cause of the fire is undetermined.
” The most intense area of the blaze appeared to be in the salon , on the main level of the boat , where “ numerous electronic devices ” were being charged , the records noted .
Lithium-ion batteries commonly used for computers , cameras and other devices had caused other maritime and aviation fires , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crew members told investigators wet equipment was often placed next to the charging stations .
“ It is therefore reasonable to include lithium-ion battery failure as a possible ignition source in this fire scenario , ” the report stated .
“ Another potential source of ignition is the vessel ’ s electrical system in the salon compartment.
” The NTSB reports also identified “ potential fire safety issues , ” including flammable interior materials , size and accessibility of emergency exits , and the fact that both exits from the bunk room led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ engulfed in fire .
The NTSB also has questioned the U.S. Coast Guard ’ s regulation of small boats , including not requiring smoke detectors .
The newly released records underscored the findings of an earlier preliminary investigation by the NTSB that determined all five crew members were asleep on the top deck when the blaze broke out about 3 a.m. , despite a requirement that the boat have a roving night watch .
Glen Fritzler , the owner of Truth Aquatics Inc. , which operated the Conception , has denied wrongdoing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fire was detected .
His attorney has said that a crew member was in the salon less than half an hour before the fire was discovered .
Crew members offered harrowing accounts in handwritten statements to the Coast Guard the day it happened .
Some said they tried in vain to reach the doomed passengers .
“ I opened both doors and smoke filled the wheelhouse , ” Boylan wrote , noting that he made one mayday call before he was forced to leap into the water .
“ Flames were coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said and recalled his view of the Conception from the water as he tried to climb back aboard .
“ I could see the entire inside of the galley , flames coming out all windows.
” Galley hand Michael Kohls said he was asleep when he heard what sounded like a chair moving across the deck and then , about five minutes later , a scream .
“ I came out of my room and tried to enter the galley which was completely engulfed in flames , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone on board .
I had to jump over the side railings to reach the galley because the flames had surrounded the wheelhouse ... .
We could not reach any of the passengers who were cut off to us on the other side of the galley.
” Kohls said he and others then tried to break a window on the bow of the boat , “ but the smoke and heat were too intense.
” He had no choice but to swim away , he said , “ since the entire boat was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sims said he was awakened when someone yelled , “ Fire , ” but was unable to get to the wheelhouse .
“ Heard ‘ get off the boat , ’ ” he wrote .
“ Jumped out of a window .
Hit deck and broke leg.
” Sims made it into the water and then joined other crew members on a skiff that headed to another boat for help .
He recalled hearing “ a pop ” earlier from the main deck of the Conception — and something else .
“ Remembered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing sparks , ” he wrote .
Sims and other crew members said they were not trained to handle such an emergency .
Built in 1981 , the Conception was one of three dive boats operated out of Santa Barbara Harbor by Fritzler .
Its design was similar to other dive vessels : stacked bunks in sleeping quarters below deck , a main deck that includes a covered galley toward the bow with an open-air dive area at the stern , and the wheelhouse with the captain ’ s controls at the top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members from other Truth Aquatics vessels , and all stated that the practices on their vessels were the same as those on the Conception .
No roving watches were set while in port or at anchor , according to the report .
Last October , when the Coast Guard examined the Vision , a nearly identical vessel , it found 19 electrical deficiencies .
The NTSB report noted on the Vision “ cable runs were not enclosed in protective conduit , were often not supported , and did not have the appearance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electrical work was sometimes done by Vision crew members , who were not licensed electricians .
“ Although examination of the Conception ’ s electrical system was not possible , the examination of the Vision and the similarity of the two vessels would suggest similar electrical installations and condition , ” the NTSB reported .
Fritzler previously told The Times he suspects that lithium-ion batteries were a source of the fire .
He said he was never warned about the potential dangers by the Coast Guard .
Fritzler ’ s lawyer , Hilary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request for comment on the NTSB documents .
The disaster remains under investigation by the NTSB .
It also is under criminal investigation by the Coast Guard and the FBI under the supervision of the U.S. attorney .
The Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives told The Times this month it was completing its report on the cause of the fire .
After the disaster , Coast Guard criminal investigators and the FBI served a search warrant on Truth Aquatics as part of what a Coast Guard spokesman called a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation that carries up to 10 years in prison .
In July , Boylan met with federal prosecutors supervising the investigation in Los Angeles .
They presented the captain with evidence from the investigation — a move usually done when “ there is sufficient evidence to bring criminal charges , ” according to a recent civil filing by attorneys for the owners of Truth Aquatics .
Jeff Goodman , an attorney for nine of the families who lost loved ones in the fire , called it a “ preventable tragedy ” and said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We will hold those responsible for this disaster fully responsible , ” he said .
“ It is premature to reach conclusions .
We are going to be analyzing it in the days ahead with legal and technical experts.
” Goodman ’ s firm has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles , alleging that the boat ’ s owners and crew were negligent in their training and operation of the vessel .
The NTSB has said it will hold a public hearing Oct. 20 to announce its @ @ @ @

Late on the eve of Labor Day 2019, as the crew of the Conception buttoned up the 75-foot dive boat, galley hand Ryan Sims plugged in his cellphone and saw sparks fly from the socket, just before he headed to bed.
He later told investigators that “while still in a sleep-like state, he had heard a pop and then a crackle downstairs,” followed by a crew member yelling, “Fire! Fire!” according to National Transportation Safety Board records released Wednesday.
Sims and four other crew members who’d been jolted awake tried to make their way down from the wheelhouse atop the three-deck boat, but it was too late.
By then flames had engulfed the Conception’s main deck, blocked stairways and trapped 33 divers and one crew member in the bunk room in the belly of the wood-hulled boat, killing all of them in one of California’s worst maritime disasters.
Advertisement
The only survivors were the five crew members who managed to jump into the water near Santa Cruz Island. They included Capt. Jerry Boylan, who apparently quickly realized the gravity of the situation.
“The second galley hand recalled that when the captain came to the surface of the water, he said, ‘Oh my God, all those people,’” the records state.
Autopsies later determined that all died of smoke inhalation.
The NTSB records, which include factual reports, transcripts of witness interviews and statements by the crew, provide the fullest account yet of the Sept. 2, 2019, accident off the Ventura County coast, but they do not pinpoint a cause of the fire.
“No physical evidence was recovered that could be identified as an ignition source or indicate a specific ignition location within that area,” the NTSB said. “Therefore, the cause of the fire is undetermined.”
The most intense area of the blaze appeared to be in the salon, on the main level of the boat, where “numerous electronic devices” were being charged, the records noted. Lithium-ion batteries commonly used for computers, cameras and other devices had caused other maritime and aviation fires, it said. The reports noted that crew members told investigators wet equipment was often placed next to the charging stations.
“It is therefore reasonable to include lithium-ion battery failure as a possible ignition source in this fire scenario,” the report stated. “Another potential source of ignition is the vessel’s electrical system in the salon compartment.”
Advertisement
The NTSB reports also identified “potential fire safety issues,” including flammable interior materials, size and accessibility of emergency exits, and the fact that both exits from the bunk room led to the same compartment — which was engulfed in fire.
The NTSB also has questioned the U.S. Coast Guard’s regulation of small boats, including not requiring smoke detectors.
The newly released records underscored the findings of an earlier preliminary investigation by the NTSB that determined all five crew members were asleep on the top deck when the blaze broke out about 3 a.m., despite a requirement that the boat have a roving night watch.
Glen Fritzler, the owner of Truth Aquatics Inc., which operated the Conception, has denied wrongdoing and insisted that the crew was awake when the fire was detected. His attorney has said that a crew member was in the salon less than half an hour before the fire was discovered.
Crew members offered harrowing accounts in handwritten statements to the Coast Guard the day it happened. Some said they tried in vain to reach the doomed passengers.
“I opened both doors and smoke filled the wheelhouse,” Boylan wrote, noting that he made one mayday call before he was forced to leap into the water.
“Flames were coming up to the side doors,” he said and recalled his view of the Conception from the water as he tried to climb back aboard. “I could see the entire inside of the galley, flames coming out all windows.”
Galley hand Michael Kohls said he was asleep when he heard what sounded like a chair moving across the deck and then, about five minutes later, a scream.
“I came out of my room and tried to enter the galley which was completely engulfed in flames,” he said. “I called out ‘FIRE’ to everyone on board. I had to jump over the side railings to reach the galley because the flames had surrounded the wheelhouse.... We could not reach any of the passengers who were cut off to us on the other side of the galley.”
Kohls said he and others then tried to break a window on the bow of the boat, “but the smoke and heat were too intense.” He had no choice but to swim away, he said, “since the entire boat was in flames.”
In his statement, Sims said he was awakened when someone yelled, “Fire,” but was unable to get to the wheelhouse.
“Heard ‘get off the boat,’ ” he wrote. “Jumped out of a window. Hit deck and broke leg.”
Sims made it into the water and then joined other crew members on a skiff that headed to another boat for help. He recalled hearing “a pop” earlier from the main deck of the Conception — and something else.
“Remembered plugging in cell phone at night and seeing sparks,” he wrote.
Sims and other crew members said they were not trained to handle such an emergency.
Built in 1981, the Conception was one of three dive boats operated out of Santa Barbara Harbor by Fritzler. Its design was similar to other dive vessels: stacked bunks in sleeping quarters below deck, a main deck that includes a covered galley toward the bow with an open-air dive area at the stern, and the wheelhouse with the captain’s controls at the top.
The NTSB interviewed captains and crew members from other Truth Aquatics vessels, and all stated that the practices on their vessels were the same as those on the Conception. No roving watches were set while in port or at anchor, according to the report.
Last October, when the Coast Guard examined the Vision, a nearly identical vessel, it found 19 electrical deficiencies. The NTSB report noted on the Vision “cable runs were not enclosed in protective conduit, were often not supported, and did not have the appearance of a professional installation.”
Interviews revealed that electrical work was sometimes done by Vision crew members, who were not licensed electricians.
“Although examination of the Conception’s electrical system was not possible, the examination of the Vision and the similarity of the two vessels would suggest similar electrical installations and condition,” the NTSB reported.
Fritzler previously told The Times he suspects that lithium-ion batteries were a source of the fire. He said he was never warned about the potential dangers by the Coast Guard.
Fritzler’s lawyer, Hilary Potashner, has not replied to a request for comment on the NTSB documents.
The disaster remains under investigation by the NTSB. It also is under criminal investigation by the Coast Guard and the FBI under the supervision of the U.S. attorney. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives told The Times this month it was completing its report on the cause of the fire.
After the disaster, Coast Guard criminal investigators and the FBI served a search warrant on Truth Aquatics as part of what a Coast Guard spokesman called a “potential seaman’s manslaughter” investigation that carries up to 10 years in prison.
In July, Boylan met with federal prosecutors supervising the investigation in Los Angeles. They presented the captain with evidence from the investigation — a move usually done when “there is sufficient evidence to bring criminal charges,” according to a recent civil filing by attorneys for the owners of Truth Aquatics.
Jeff Goodman, an attorney for nine of the families who lost loved ones in the fire, called it a “preventable tragedy” and said he would review the voluminous NTSB records.
“We will hold those responsible for this disaster fully responsible,” he said. “It is premature to reach conclusions. We are going to be analyzing it in the days ahead with legal and technical experts.”
Goodman’s firm has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, alleging that the boat’s owners and crew were negligent in their training and operation of the vessel.
The NTSB has said it will hold a public hearing Oct. 20 to announce its findings and recommendations.


latimes--2020-09-16--Civic group says L.A. Council met illegally when federal judge held court in City Hall

By any account , the Aug. 7 hearing convened in Los Angeles City Hall by U.S. District Judge David O. Carter was unusual .
“ This is a rather historic occasion that the federal court would gather in the City Council chamber , ” Carter , who took the chair usually reserved for the council president , said .
“ I hope it ’ s very positive.
” But Ground Game LA , a group that describes itself as a nonprofit dedicated to increasing civic engagement , contends the meeting was illegal .
At the status conference , Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one to brief the judge on the progress of their efforts to create more shelter for homeless people camped near freeways and underpasses .
That , Ground Game LA contends in a letter to City Atty .
Mike Feuer , was , in effect , a meeting held without an agenda , notice to the public or the required opportunity for public comment .
Feuer ’ s office in a statement Wednesday said the hearing was not a council meeting because “ the council members attended the hearing individually or in small groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Council in the Council chamber at the same time .
Nor were the Members able to hear the meeting except when inside the Council chamber , either physically or via Zoom.
” The letter of complaint contends that the meeting was what is known as a serial meeting , which is expressly prohibited by the state ’ s open meeting law .
A legislative body shall not “ use a series of communications of any kind , directly or through intermediaries , to discuss , deliberate , or take action on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lieu of a formally noticed meeting , the letter said , quoting the Ralph M. Brown Act , which sets out open-meeting requirements for government bodies in the state .
Feuer spokesman Rob Wilcox said it was not a serial meeting because “ council members were instructed to not communicate anything said at the hearing between the small groups , ” and Carter “ did not transmit council members ’ communications between the small groups.
” Carter has called another status conference for Thursday , and the group is threatening to file a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The group ’ s letter , delivered Tuesday by the law firm Davis Wright Tremaine LLP , also demands that the council publish any action taken during the Aug. 7 meeting , a status conference for an agreement reached by the city and county to find alternate shelter for about 7,000 people living on the sidewalks under freeway overpasses .
Some news media were invited to the hearing , which was otherwise not open to the public .
There was no agenda , and no time was set aside for public comment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the letter does not identify any specific action , Bill Przylucki , the group ’ s executive director , said the council members ’ testimony sent a clear “ vibe ” that they were discussing policy that could lead to homeless people being forcibly removed from encampments once more shelters are opened .
“ This opens a pathway for them to start doing enforcement and clearing encampments in exchange for housing , ” Przylucki said .
“ That would be a new policy that was never voted on in light of day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ house people .
We don ’ t think a consent decree is needed to do that .
We also don ’ t think the civil rights of unhoused people have to be the payoff .
”

By any account, the Aug. 7 hearing convened in Los Angeles City Hall by U.S. District Judge David O. Carter was unusual.
“This is a rather historic occasion that the federal court would gather in the City Council chamber,” Carter, who took the chair usually reserved for the council president, said. “I hope it’s very positive.”
But Ground Game LA, a group that describes itself as a nonprofit dedicated to increasing civic engagement, contends the meeting was illegal. At the status conference, Los Angeles City Council members came forward one by one to brief the judge on the progress of their efforts to create more shelter for homeless people camped near freeways and underpasses. That, Ground Game LA contends in a letter to City Atty. Mike Feuer, was, in effect, a meeting held without an agenda, notice to the public or the required opportunity for public comment.
Advertisement
Feuer’s office in a statement Wednesday said the hearing was not a council meeting because “the council members attended the hearing individually or in small groups. At no point was a majority of the Council in the Council chamber at the same time. Nor were the Members able to hear the meeting except when inside the Council chamber, either physically or via Zoom.”
The letter of complaint contends that the meeting was what is known as a serial meeting, which is expressly prohibited by the state’s open meeting law.
A legislative body shall not “use a series of communications of any kind, directly or through intermediaries, to discuss, deliberate, or take action on any item of business,” in lieu of a formally noticed meeting, the letter said, quoting the Ralph M. Brown Act, which sets out open-meeting requirements for government bodies in the state.
Feuer spokesman Rob Wilcox said it was not a serial meeting because “council members were instructed to not communicate anything said at the hearing between the small groups,” and Carter “did not transmit council members’ communications between the small groups.”
Carter has called another status conference for Thursday, and the group is threatening to file a lawsuit if the council members appear.
Advertisement
The group’s letter, delivered Tuesday by the law firm Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, also demands that the council publish any action taken during the Aug. 7 meeting, a status conference for an agreement reached by the city and county to find alternate shelter for about 7,000 people living on the sidewalks under freeway overpasses. Some news media were invited to the hearing, which was otherwise not open to the public. There was no agenda, and no time was set aside for public comment. No council votes were taken.
Although the letter does not identify any specific action, Bill Przylucki, the group’s executive director, said the council members’ testimony sent a clear “vibe” that they were discussing policy that could lead to homeless people being forcibly removed from encampments once more shelters are opened.
“This opens a pathway for them to start doing enforcement and clearing encampments in exchange for housing,” Przylucki said. “That would be a new policy that was never voted on in light of day. We absolutely think the city needs to house people. We don’t think a consent decree is needed to do that. We also don’t think the civil rights of unhoused people have to be the payoff.”


latimes--2020-09-16--As smoke continues to shroud L.A. County, residents worry about long-term exposure

Smoke from the Bobcat and El Dorado fires continues to blanket Southern California , prompting the South Coast Air Quality Management District to issue its 10th straight day of .
Some residents of Los Angeles County , growing weary of the thick , hazy air , say they ’ re at wit ’ s end .
“ You can barely see to the end of the block , ” Pasadena resident Stewart Pajares said Wednesday .
Pajares said he felt burning in his eyes and lungs , and when asked what concerned him most about the region ’ s poor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breathing.
” Onshore winds will probably begin moving smoke out of the South Coast air basin Wednesday afternoon , the South Coast AQMD said , but “ modest smoke impacts ” from Northern and Central California fires are likely to persist .
Current air quality readings are still lingering in the , which is considered unhealthy by the Environmental Protection Agency .
EPA officials said they are working hard to keep people informed about the risks of the poor air .
“ We do need to learn to live with smoke , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ And it ’ s unfortunate , but we need to be smoke-ready every year.
” Stewart said home improvements such as caulking windows and replacing worn-out weather stripping can help prevent smoke and poor air from entering houses .
She also said residents with HVAC systems can set the air to circulate so it ’ s not being pulled in from outside , and recommended that people without those systems use portable air filters to create “ ” in one or two rooms of their homes .
But after several days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasingly tough to come by : Local hardware stores have seen a run on customers looking for air purifiers .
“ We have some left , ” said Rosie Gonzalez of Virgil Hardware in Glendale , “ but it ’ s down to a really limited quantity.
” Financial factors are also a challenge .
Portable air filters — if you can get your hands on one — typically run between $ 100 and $ 150 , Stewart said .
That has left many low-income residents out of luck , particularly since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for only one day last week and haven ’ t reopened since .
City of Los Angeles spokeswoman Rose Watson said the Department of Recreation and Parks is working with the Emergency Management Division to reopen relief centers this week , but locations and availability haven ’ t yet been announced .
The Parks Department also said Eaton Canyon , Devil ’ s Punchbowl and San Dimas Canyon Natural Area will be closed until further notice because of poor air quality .
An earlier closure of all national forests in California has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimated 66,000 homeless residents also have limited recourse from the unhealthful air .
“ It ’ s going to be worse for them in proportion to the amount of extra pollution they experience , ” said Suzanne Paulson , director of the Center for Clean Air at UCLA , “ because they ’ re not getting any sort of protective effects from being inside.
” Yet staying indoors isn ’ t a catchall for clean air .
Smoke can make its way into buildings , and any exposure — whether for one day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effects .
“ There is no threshold , ” Paulson said .
“ More is always worse.
” In Mammoth Lakes , air quality was so bad Wednesday that it registered a 626 , beyond the AQI ’ s standard 0-500 scale .
Stewart , the air resource manager at the EPA , said readings in that category are considered “ above hazardous ” and are typically seen in areas that are susceptible to smoke settling and surrounded by multiple fires .
The guidance for above hazardous numbers is the same as for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Your best bet is to stay indoors with your doors and windows shut until the air quality improves.
” But in the Bay Area , which saw some of the worst air quality in the world last week , residents are rejoicing as smoke from the nearby fires dissipates .
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District showed readings in the , or “ good , ” range Wednesday .
Southern California has yet to see such clean numbers .
“ Currently , a stench of fire fills the house , ” Mt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Shepherd described the lockdowns — both from COVID-19 and the smoke — as a “ long journey , ” and noted that he hasn ’ t seen or heard any children on his block for some time .
“ This event of climate change won ’ t be the last of huge fires , ” he said .
“ As a veteran , it was our duty to protect the people of America and our landscape .
Tragically ... a smoke-filled sky is perhaps our global future .
”

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 from the Bobcat and El Dorado fires continues to blanket Southern California, prompting the South Coast Air Quality Management District to issue its 10th straight day of advisories .
Some residents of Los Angeles County, growing weary of the thick, hazy air, say they’re at wit’s end.
“You can barely see to the end of the block,” Pasadena resident Stewart Pajares said Wednesday.
Pajares said he felt burning in his eyes and lungs, and when asked what concerned him most about the region’s poor air quality, he said, “breathing.”
Advertisement
Onshore winds will probably begin moving smoke out of the South Coast air basin Wednesday afternoon, the South Coast AQMD said, but “modest smoke impacts” from Northern and Central California fires are likely to persist. Current air quality readings are still lingering in the 150-200 range , which is considered unhealthy by the Environmental Protection Agency.
EPA officials said they are working hard to keep people informed about the risks of the poor air.
“We do need to learn to live with smoke,” EPA air resource advisor Katie Stewart said. “And it’s unfortunate, but we need to be smoke-ready every year.”
Climate & Environment Your questions about air quality answered The air around Southern California feels like smoke soup because of wildfires. What does that mean for your health and daily routines?
Stewart said home improvements such as caulking windows and replacing worn-out weather stripping can help prevent smoke and poor air from entering houses.
She also said residents with HVAC systems can set the air to circulate so it’s not being pulled in from outside, and recommended that people without those systems use portable air filters to create “ clean air shelters ” in one or two rooms of their homes.
But after several days of smoky air, such filters are increasingly tough to come by: Local hardware stores have seen a run on customers looking for air purifiers.
Advertisement
“We have some left,” said Rosie Gonzalez of Virgil Hardware in Glendale, “but it’s down to a really limited quantity.”
Financial factors are also a challenge. Portable air filters — if you can get your hands on one — typically run between $100 and $150, Stewart said.
That has left many low-income residents out of luck, particularly since the city’s smoke relief centers opened for only one day last week and haven’t reopened since.
City of Los Angeles spokeswoman Rose Watson said the Department of Recreation and Parks is working with the Emergency Management Division to reopen relief centers this week, but locations and availability haven’t yet been announced.
The Parks Department also said Eaton Canyon, Devil’s Punchbowl and San Dimas Canyon Natural Area will be closed until further notice because of poor air quality. An earlier closure of all national forests in California has been extended through Monday.
The county’s estimated 66,000 homeless residents also have limited recourse from the unhealthful air.
“It’s going to be worse for them in proportion to the amount of extra pollution they experience,” said Suzanne Paulson, director of the Center for Clean Air at UCLA, “because they’re not getting any sort of protective effects from being inside.”
Yet staying indoors isn’t a catchall for clean air. Smoke can make its way into buildings, and any exposure — whether for one day or 10 — can increase adverse health effects.
“There is no threshold,” Paulson said. “More is always worse.”
In Mammoth Lakes, air quality was so bad Wednesday that it registered a 626, beyond the AQI’s standard 0-500 scale. Stewart, the air resource manager at the EPA, said readings in that category are considered “above hazardous” and are typically seen in areas that are susceptible to smoke settling and surrounded by multiple fires.
The guidance for above hazardous numbers is the same as for hazardous ones, she said.
“Your best bet is to stay indoors with your doors and windows shut until the air quality improves.”
But in the Bay Area, which saw some of the worst air quality in the world last week , residents are rejoicing as smoke from the nearby fires dissipates. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District showed readings in the 0-50 , or “good,” range Wednesday.
Southern California has yet to see such clean numbers.
“Currently, a stench of fire fills the house,” Mt. Washington resident William Shepherd said Wednesday.
Shepherd described the lockdowns — both from COVID-19 and the smoke — as a “long journey,” and noted that he hasn’t seen or heard any children on his block for some time.
“This event of climate change won’t be the last of huge fires,” he said. “As a veteran, it was our duty to protect the people of America and our landscape. Tragically ... a smoke-filled sky is perhaps our global future.”


latimes--2020-09-16--California smoke headed to Europe as Mammoth Lakes suffers bad air 'beyond index'

Smoke from the West Coast ’ s ferocious firestorms continued to cause pollution problems in California and was expected to waft into Europe this week .
The historic fires have had air quality ramifications far and wide .
The South Coast Air Quality Management District extended for parts of the Southland for a 10th straight day .
Onshore winds will probably begin moving smoke out of the South Coast Air Basin Wednesday afternoon .
But conditions elsewhere remain grim .
Some areas around Bishop and Mammoth Lakes were listed as “ beyond index , ” meaning that “ everyone should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” according to air quality monitors .
The air quality measurements reached 626 , far beyond the 0-500 scale .
The inundation of smoke is severe enough to show up on satellite and is capturing the attention of scientists on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean .
“ The fact that these fires are emitting so much pollution into the atmosphere that we can still see thick smoke over 8,000 kilometers [ about 5,000 miles ] away reflects just how devastating they have been in their magnitude and duration , ” Mark Parrington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service , said in an article the agency posted Wednesday .
According to CAMS forecasts , smoke from the fires chewing through parts of California and the Pacific Northwest “ is starting to cross the Atlantic again and will reach northern Europe later this week , as it did at the end of last week.
” West Coast-originating smoke has previously been reported as far away as the Netherlands and Hamburg , Germany .
With all that smoke comes a tremendous amount of pollution , something to which Californians weary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attest .
Readings taken over the last week have shown high-altitude concentrations of carbon monoxide that are more than 10 times above normal , according to NASA , with plumes originating near fires before entering the jet stream and being carried east .
Smoke from the Bobcat and El Dorado fires burning in Southern California continues to blanket the region , prompting the South Coast Air Quality Management District to issue its 10th straight day of advisories Wednesday .
Onshore winds were expected to begin moving smoke out of the South Coast Air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , but “ modest smoke impacts ” from Northern and Central California fires are likely to persist .
Current air quality readings are lingering in the 150-200 range , which is considered unhealthful by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency .
Downtown Portland , Ore. , which has been subjected to particularly foul air quality because of nearby fires , was virtually deserted Tuesday afternoon .
Todd Piper , a valet at Embassy Suites by Hilton , said he stayed inside the hotel ’ s front door as much as possible to avoid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m more tired at the end of the day from breathing it , ” he said .
Gone was the usual line outside Portland ’ s famous Voodoo Doughnut shop .
That was fine with Brian Shackleford , 48 , a visitor from Phoenix , who ducked in to buy one of its legendary bacon maple bars .
“ I ’ m being cautious about going outside , ” he said , “ but I couldn ’ t pass this up.
” NASA has started flying aircraft over California ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ damaged structures and map fire-stripped landscapes that could be at risk of future landslides or other debris flows .
More than 4,200 structures have been destroyed statewide since Aug. 15 — the first day of a historic lightning siege that sparked some of the largest wildfires the state had seen , according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection .
“ We had a perfect storm of meteorological factors come together that encouraged extreme burning , ” Vincent Ambrosia , associate program manager for wildfire research in NASA ’ s Earth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement .
“ That was layered on top of shifting climate patterns — a long-term drying and warming of both the air and vegetation — that is contributing to the growing trend we are seeing toward larger , higher-intensity fires in the U.S. West.
” The mammoth scale of California ’ s record firestorm speaks to that trend .
So far this year , fires have scorched more than 3.3 million acres statewide — an area larger than the state of Connecticut .
Four of the six largest fires in recorded state history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Cal Fire .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that upkeep was a significant part of the equation — “ we all recognize our responsibility , mutual responsibility , the federal government , the state government , private landowners , all of us doing more and doing better in terms of our vegetation management efforts , our forest management efforts ... and that , of course , is being advanced in ways that we have not seen in the past.
” He reemphasized , though , that climate change had played @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for California ’ s historic fire season .
“ We need to reconcile the fact there are no Democratic thermometers and no Republican thermometers .
There ’ s fact and there ’ s reality , as well as observed evidence , ” he said during a news briefing .
“ It ’ s not a belief system .
It ’ s an acknowledgment .
The facts are the facts.
” That collection of colossal conflagrations includes the August Complex fire burning in Mendocino , Humboldt , Del Norte and Trinity counties — the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acres .
This year has also seen one of California ’ s most deadly fires : the North Complex fire near Oroville , whose death toll now stands at 15 .
Overall , 25 Californians have died in the recent firestorm .
The cost of fighting multiple large-scale fires across California neared $ 580 million as of Tuesday , already surpassing the money approved by the state in July for the entire fiscal year .
State officials this month set aside additional funds and can , if needed , tap into short-term cash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I just want to express our deepest condolences to the families that have lost loved ones and to the heroism of our first responders that have been out there doing their best to support evacuation efforts , ” Newsom said .
Times staff writers Hayley Smith in Los Angeles , John Myers in Sacramento and Richard Read in Portland contributed to this report .

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)
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 from the West Coast’s ferocious firestorms continued to cause pollution problems in California and was expected to waft into Europe this week.
The historic fires have had air quality ramifications far and wide. The South Coast Air Quality Management District extended advisories for parts of the Southland for a 10th straight day. Onshore winds will probably begin moving smoke out of the South Coast Air Basin Wednesday afternoon. But conditions elsewhere remain grim.
Some areas around Bishop and Mammoth Lakes were listed as “beyond index,” meaning that “everyone should stay indoors and reduce activity levels,” according to air quality monitors. The air quality measurements reached 626, far beyond the 0-500 scale.
Advertisement
The inundation of smoke is severe enough to show up on satellite and is capturing the attention of scientists on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
“The fact that these fires are emitting so much pollution into the atmosphere that we can still see thick smoke over 8,000 kilometers [about 5,000 miles] away reflects just how devastating they have been in their magnitude and duration,” Mark Parrington, a senior scientist with the Europe-based Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, said in an article the agency posted Wednesday.
According to CAMS forecasts, smoke from the fires chewing through parts of California and the Pacific Northwest “is starting to cross the Atlantic again and will reach northern Europe later this week, as it did at the end of last week.” West Coast-originating smoke has previously been reported as far away as the Netherlands and Hamburg, Germany.
🔥#Smoke from the unprecedented #USFires is moving back across #NorthAmerica from the #Pacific and is on its way to #Europe.
Find out more about the monitoring of fires and their smoke by the #CopernicusAtmosphere Monitoring Service in our latest article➡https://t.co/st70y5IwUC pic.twitter.com/h7MoM2IBKl — Copernicus ECMWF (@CopernicusECMWF) September 16, 2020
With all that smoke comes a tremendous amount of pollution, something to which Californians weary of hazy conditions and reddened skies can attest.
Readings taken over the last week have shown high-altitude concentrations of carbon monoxide that are more than 10 times above normal, according to NASA, with plumes originating near fires before entering the jet stream and being carried east.
Advertisement
Smoke from the Bobcat and El Dorado fires burning in Southern California continues to blanket the region, prompting the South Coast Air Quality Management District to issue its 10th straight day of advisories Wednesday.
Onshore winds were expected to begin moving smoke out of the South Coast Air Basin during the afternoon, the district said, but “modest smoke impacts” from Northern and Central California fires are likely to persist. Current air quality readings are lingering in the 150-200 range, which is considered unhealthful by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Downtown Portland, Ore., which has been subjected to particularly foul air quality because of nearby fires, was virtually deserted Tuesday afternoon.
Todd Piper, a valet at Embassy Suites by Hilton, said he stayed inside the hotel’s front door as much as possible to avoid the smoke.
“I feel like I’m more tired at the end of the day from breathing it,” he said.
Gone was the usual line outside Portland’s famous Voodoo Doughnut shop. That was fine with Brian Shackleford, 48, a visitor from Phoenix, who ducked in to buy one of its legendary bacon maple bars.
“I’m being cautious about going outside,” he said, “but I couldn’t pass this up.”
NASA is monitoring high-altitude carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations 10x higher than normal amounts as 28 major wildfires burn across California. Carbon monoxide is a pollutant that can persist in the atmosphere for about a month & travel great distances. https://t.co/hwnjwVY2LI pic.twitter.com/Pm0rswyR8O — NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) September 15, 2020
NASA has started flying aircraft over California’s new burn areas, both to identify damaged structures and map fire-stripped landscapes that could be at risk of future landslides or other debris flows.
More than 4,200 structures have been destroyed statewide since Aug. 15 — the first day of a historic lightning siege that sparked some of the largest wildfires the state had seen, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
“We had a perfect storm of meteorological factors come together that encouraged extreme burning,” Vincent Ambrosia, associate program manager for wildfire research in NASA’s Earth Applied Sciences Program, said in a statement. “That was layered on top of shifting climate patterns — a long-term drying and warming of both the air and vegetation — that is contributing to the growing trend we are seeing toward larger, higher-intensity fires in the U.S. West.”
The mammoth scale of California’s record firestorm speaks to that trend. So far this year, fires have scorched more than 3.3 million acres statewide — an area larger than the state of Connecticut.
Four of the six largest fires in recorded state history have ignited in the past month, according to Cal Fire.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that upkeep was a significant part of the equation — “we all recognize our responsibility, mutual responsibility, the federal government, the state government, private landowners, all of us doing more and doing better in terms of our vegetation management efforts, our forest management efforts ... and that, of course, is being advanced in ways that we have not seen in the past.”
He reemphasized, though, that climate change had played a substantial role in setting the stage for California’s historic fire season.
“We need to reconcile the fact there are no Democratic thermometers and no Republican thermometers. There’s fact and there’s reality, as well as observed evidence,” he said during a news briefing. “It’s not a belief system. It’s an acknowledgment. The facts are the facts.”
That collection of colossal conflagrations includes the August Complex fire burning in Mendocino, Humboldt, Del Norte and Trinity counties — the biggest on record at more than 796,000 acres.
This year has also seen one of California’s most deadly fires: the North Complex fire near Oroville, whose death toll now stands at 15. Overall, 25 Californians have died in the recent firestorm.
The cost of fighting multiple large-scale fires across California neared $580 million as of Tuesday, already surpassing the money approved by the state in July for the entire fiscal year.
State officials this month set aside additional funds and can, if needed, tap into short-term cash reserves to cover the remaining costs.
“I just want to express our deepest condolences to the families that have lost loved ones and to the heroism of our first responders that have been out there doing their best to support evacuation efforts,” Newsom said.
Times staff writers Hayley Smith in Los Angeles, John Myers in Sacramento and Richard Read in Portland contributed to this report .


latimes--2020-09-16--She had to flee a fire while trying to free her daughter — a trafficking victim — from prison

Tracey Aldrich and her mother Deborah were forced out of their rural Northern California homes by fire last Tuesday , but that ’ s not their biggest concern .
At night , before she falls asleep , Tracey Aldrich loses control of her thoughts , and they turn to her daughter Keiana , she said .
She wonders how badly she is hurt , or if she is in pain , or even aware that anyone cares .
Nearly three weeks ago , Keiana Aldrich , 25 , an inmate at the California Institution for Women , allegedly slashed her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swallowed two of them .
No one on the outside has spoken to her since and prison officials have denied her attorney a phone call .
Tuesday , prison officials declined to comment on Keiana Aldrich ’ s condition or why communication with her has been cut off .
“ I try to keep myself busy so I don ’ t think , but then I have to think because she is my daughter , ” said Aldrich from Oroville , where the North Complex fire continues to burn , and where she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ house while her own remains under threat .
“ I am just so tired all the time , so tired.
” Deborah Aldrich , 69 , who lives in Berry Creek up the mountain about 10 miles from her daughter , fled just ahead of flames that destroyed the town and killed at least 15 .
The most senior Aldrich is now without a home for the foreseeable future as well , while crews attempt to control the blaze and ensure the area is safe .
It is , said Deborah Aldrich , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aldrich family came to this confluence of crises is a distinctly California story of race , poverty , fire and — they hope — redemption .
Tracey Aldrich , 45 , ran away from home as a teenager , she said , and by 14 was “ eating out of garbage cans ” in Oroville , a Northern California town of 20,000 , founded after gold was discovered in its hills .
Though she was raised in Thermalito , a town of about 7,000 on Oroville ’ s outskirts , her parents moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dirt road in Berry Creek about 25 years ago , she said .
By 18 , she was pregnant with Keiana , her second child , by a Black minister nearly twice her age , she said .
Tracey Aldrich , who is white , said her father was bigoted and having mixed-race children was intolerable to him .
“ I was never raised that way , but he was , ” said Deborah Aldrich of her late husband , who passed away six years ago , and whom she otherwise describes as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was very prejudiced .
That was the way he was raised , ” she said .
“ It was really hard on me , and on Tracey , too .
He didn ’ t want [ Keiana ’ s children ] in his house .
It was redneck.
” Tracey Aldrich split with Keiana ’ s father , but when Keiana was about 5 , he was charged with assaulting the child , Tracey Aldrich said .
Keiana testified against him .
Court records show he pleaded no contest to a battery case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days in jail .
He went to prison a few years later for an unrelated felony count of a sexual act with a minor , according to Butte County Superior Court records , and served more than seven years before he was released in 2008 .
Tracey Aldrich eventually made her way with her kids 70 miles south to Sacramento , where she found herself in a string of abusive relationships , she said .
By the time Keiana was 12 , the young girl began running away — behavior that made Tracey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now sees as her daughter feeling “ helpless ” at seeing her mother being abused .
Often taken by police to juvenile hall , Keiana was returned to her mother with little intervention , said Peggy Fava , a counselor and sex trafficking victims advocate who first met Keiana when she was brought in after one of those police pickups .
In interviews earlier this year , Keiana said she was sexually exploited almost as soon as she began leaving home and at 16 was arrested in a prostitution sting in Sacramento .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hoping prosecutors would help her find counseling and stable housing , she said — but that aid never materialized despite the pimp being convicted .
At 17 , she was back on the streets and another female pimp was selling her through online advertisements .
Responding to one of those ads were two men who wanted to make child pornography with Keiana , according to court documents .
The pimp pulled a gun and Keiana helped her put one of the men in the trunk of a vehicle , the documents say .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and allegedly forced him to buy goods and give them money .
The incident was caught on surveillance video .
Keiana was charged as an adult with false imprisonment and kidnapping , and accepted a plea deal in 2013 for nearly 10 years in prison .
Neither man was charged with attempting to purchase Keiana , as they intended to do when they answered the ad , according to Maggy Krell , a former state prosecutor who has taken Keiana ’ s case pro bono .
Krell points out that California law has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trafficked minors like Keiana are now treated as victims , rather than willing participants in their sale .
A few years after Keiana went to prison , Tracey Aldrich began to rebuild a relationship with her mother after her father died , she said .
Though it has been tentative steps , “ I kind of forgave my dad , ” she said , and is now living in Oroville just down the hill from Deborah Aldrich .
“ Tracey ’ s been wonderful , ” said her mom , who has lung @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ When I need anything , I just call her.
” Last Tuesday , Tracey Aldrich was in her two-story house down a winding dirt road when Deborah Aldrich called to ask her to bring some groceries .
Tracey Aldrich recalls her mother asking for beer .
Deborah Aldrich said it was tuna and bread she was after .
PG & E had cut the power to her trailer the night before .
In the deep dark of the forest , gusting winds kept Deborah Aldrich up all night , she said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my deck.
” Though they were aware that fires had started in the nearby national forest , there had been no indication they were growing close enough to be a danger , both women said .
“ We knew it was smokey , but we didn ’ t know about [ any ] fires , ” said Tracey Aldrich .
But after grabbing the groceries , Tracey found the road up the mountain blocked by law enforcement who told her there was a mandatory evacuation happening .
Deborah Aldrich said she did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though local authorities said they sent them .
Fearing her mom wasn ’ t mobile enough to get out quickly , she asked sheriff ’ s deputies to check on her , then called to warn her she needed to leave .
“ I just started throwing a few clothes in and my oxygen , medication , ” Deborah Aldrich said .
“ I seen what happened in Paradise.
” The senior Aldrich had also been evacuated during the Camp fire in 2018 , when a blaze about five ridges away destroyed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Last week , she was halfway down her driveway when deputies arrived to take her to safety .
By then , hundreds of other people were coming down the narrow , two-lane highway , and uncontrolled fire was about to sweep down on Berry Creek .
By nightfall , the town was nearly completely destroyed .
When the women found each other in the grocery store parking lot , “ I just hugged her and she hugged me , ” Tracey Aldrich said .
If it hadn ’ t been for wanting that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have made it out.
” Before Tracey Aldrich could even return to her own home to gather some belongings , it was also put in an evacuation zone , and the women both found themselves temporarily homeless with few possessions — though Deborah Aldrich ’ s trailer was one of the few structures to survive the blaze , she recently learned , with the flames stopping just feet from her home .
“ I was lucky , ” she said .
“ Cal Fire said my defensive area was perfect .
So what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as they wait for evacuation orders to be lifted , they are anxious and frustrated that there is little word about Keiana .
Keiana applied to Gov .
Gavin Newsom for clemency in July — which she hoped would cut the final eight months off her time .
Tracey Aldrich said she emailed Newsom ’ s office to ask for help , but has not heard back .
Krell , the lawyer , has asked a judge to intervene to force prison officials to allow her a phone call with Keiana , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday night , she received word that Keiana was removed from suicide watch .
“ I think it ’ s very unfair that they won ’ t let us talk to her , or at least let her mother talk to her , ” said Deborah Aldrich .
“ Why not ?
” Tracey Aldrich said she just wants her daughter home , and is holding out hope that she will be granted clemency .
“ She deserves a second chance , ” she said .
“ She deserves a chance , period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you or someone you know is exhibiting warning signs of suicide , seek help from a professional by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at ( 800 ) 273-TALK ( 8255 ) .

Tracey Aldrich and her mother Deborah were forced out of their rural Northern California homes by fire last Tuesday, but that’s not their biggest concern.
At night, before she falls asleep, Tracey Aldrich loses control of her thoughts, and they turn to her daughter Keiana, she said. She wonders how badly she is hurt, or if she is in pain, or even aware that anyone cares.
Nearly three weeks ago, Keiana Aldrich, 25, an inmate at the California Institution for Women, allegedly slashed her neck and wrists with razor blades then swallowed two of them. No one on the outside has spoken to her since and prison officials have denied her attorney a phone call.
Advertisement
Tuesday, prison officials declined to comment on Keiana Aldrich’s condition or why communication with her has been cut off.
“I try to keep myself busy so I don’t think, but then I have to think because she is my daughter,” said Aldrich from Oroville, where the North Complex fire continues to burn, and where she is staying at a cousin’s house while her own remains under threat. “I am just so tired all the time, so tired.”
Keiana Aldrich, a sex trafficking victim, is petitioning Gov. Gavin Newsom for clemency. (Maggy Krell)
Deborah Aldrich, 69, who lives in Berry Creek up the mountain about 10 miles from her daughter, fled just ahead of flames that destroyed the town and killed at least 15. The most senior Aldrich is now without a home for the foreseeable future as well, while crews attempt to control the blaze and ensure the area is safe.
It is, said Deborah Aldrich, “too much tragedy.”
How the Aldrich family came to this confluence of crises is a distinctly California story of race, poverty, fire and — they hope — redemption.
California Suicide prevention resources As part of our Column One story on Kevin Howard’s struggle to build a life beyond the battlefield, here is a list of organizations that provide support, information and resources to veterans and others.
Tracey Aldrich, 45, ran away from home as a teenager, she said, and by 14 was “eating out of garbage cans” in Oroville, a Northern California town of 20,000, founded after gold was discovered in its hills. Though she was raised in Thermalito, a town of about 7,000 on Oroville’s outskirts, her parents moved to a triple-wide trailer up a steep dirt road in Berry Creek about 25 years ago, she said.
By 18, she was pregnant with Keiana, her second child, by a Black minister nearly twice her age, she said. Tracey Aldrich, who is white, said her father was bigoted and having mixed-race children was intolerable to him.
“I was never raised that way, but he was,” said Deborah Aldrich of her late husband, who passed away six years ago, and whom she otherwise describes as a “good husband.”
Advertisement
“He was very prejudiced. That was the way he was raised,” she said. “It was really hard on me, and on Tracey, too. He didn’t want [Tracey’s children] in his house. It was redneck.”
Tracey Aldrich split with Keiana’s father, but when Keiana was about 5, he was charged with assaulting the child, Tracey Aldrich said. Keiana testified against him. Court records show he pleaded no contest to a battery case in 1998 and was sentenced to 120 days in jail. He went to prison a few years later for an unrelated felony count of a sexual act with a minor, according to Butte County Superior Court records, and served more than seven years before he was released in 2008.
Tracey Aldrich eventually made her way with her kids 70 miles south to Sacramento, where she found herself in a string of abusive relationships, she said. By the time Keiana was 12, the young girl began running away — behavior that made Tracey Aldrich angry then, but which she now sees as her daughter feeling “helpless” at seeing her mother being abused.
Often taken by police to juvenile hall, Keiana was returned to her mother with little intervention, said Peggy Fava, a counselor and sex trafficking victims advocate who first met Keiana when she was brought in after one of those police pickups.
In interviews earlier this year, Keiana said she was sexually exploited almost as soon as she began leaving home and at 16 was arrested in a prostitution sting in Sacramento. She testified against her female pimp, hoping prosecutors would help her find counseling and stable housing, she said — but that aid never materialized despite the pimp being convicted.
At 17, she was back on the streets and another female pimp was selling her through online advertisements. Responding to one of those ads were two men who wanted to make child pornography with Keiana, according to court documents. The pimp pulled a gun and Keiana helped her put one of the men in the trunk of a vehicle, the documents say. They took the man to a store and allegedly forced him to buy goods and give them money. The incident was caught on surveillance video.
Keiana was charged as an adult with false imprisonment and kidnapping, and accepted a plea deal in 2013 for nearly 10 years in prison.
Neither man was charged with attempting to purchase Keiana, as they intended to do when they answered the ad, according to Maggy Krell, a former state prosecutor who has taken Keiana’s case pro bono.
Krell points out that California law has changed in recent years, and sex trafficked minors like Keiana are now treated as victims, rather than willing participants in their sale.
A few years after Keiana went to prison, Tracey Aldrich began to rebuild a relationship with her mother after her father died, she said. Though it has been tentative steps, “I kind of forgave my dad,” she said, and is now living in Oroville just down the hill from Deborah Aldrich.
“Tracey’s been wonderful,” said her mom, who has lung problems and uses an oxygen tank. “When I need anything, I just call her.”
Last Tuesday, Tracey Aldrich was in her two-story house down a winding dirt road when Deborah Aldrich called to ask her to bring some groceries. Tracey Aldrich recalls her mother asking for beer. Deborah Aldrich said it was tuna and bread she was after.
PG&E had cut the power to her trailer the night before. In the deep dark of the forest, gusting winds kept Deborah Aldrich up all night, she said, and “everything was rolling around on my deck.”
Though they were aware that fires had started in the nearby national forest, there had been no indication they were growing close enough to be a danger, both women said.
“We knew it was smokey, but we didn’t know about [any] fires,” said Tracey Aldrich.
But after grabbing the groceries, Tracey found the road up the mountain blocked by law enforcement who told her there was a mandatory evacuation happening. Deborah Aldrich said she did not receive any evacuation notice on her cellphone, though local authorities said they sent them.
Fearing her mom wasn’t mobile enough to get out quickly, she asked sheriff’s deputies to check on her, then called to warn her she needed to leave.
“I just started throwing a few clothes in and my oxygen, medication,” Deborah Aldrich said. “I seen what happened in Paradise.”
The senior Aldrich had also been evacuated during the Camp fire in 2018, when a blaze about five ridges away destroyed that town, killing 85 people. Last week, she was halfway down her driveway when deputies arrived to take her to safety.
By then, hundreds of other people were coming down the narrow, two-lane highway, and uncontrolled fire was about to sweep down on Berry Creek. By nightfall, the town was nearly completely destroyed.
When the women found each other in the grocery store parking lot, “I just hugged her and she hugged me,” Tracey Aldrich said. If it hadn’t been for wanting that beer, “she wouldn’t have made it out.”
Before Tracey Aldrich could even return to her own home to gather some belongings, it was also put in an evacuation zone, and the women both found themselves temporarily homeless with few possessions — though Deborah Aldrich’s trailer was one of the few structures to survive the blaze, she recently learned, with the flames stopping just feet from her home.
“I was lucky,” she said. “Cal Fire said my defensive area was perfect. So what stopped it was probably that.”
Now, as they wait for evacuation orders to be lifted, they are anxious and frustrated that there is little word about Keiana.
Keiana applied to Gov. Gavin Newsom for clemency in July — which she hoped would cut the final eight months off her time. Tracey Aldrich said she emailed Newsom’s office to ask for help, but has not heard back. Krell, the lawyer, has asked a judge to intervene to force prison officials to allow her a phone call with Keiana, but has not received a decision. Tuesday night, she received word that Keiana was removed from suicide watch.
“I think it’s very unfair that they won’t let us talk to her, or at least let her mother talk to her,” said Deborah Aldrich. “Why not?”
Tracey Aldrich said she just wants her daughter home, and is holding out hope that she will be granted clemency.
“She deserves a second chance,” she said. “She deserves a chance, period. She never got one.”
If you or someone you know is exhibiting warning signs of suicide, seek help from a professional by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-TALK (8255).