LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Forecasters are predicting warmer temperatures are in store for the Christmas weekend.
The National Weather Service said there are chances of up to a tenth of an inch of rain for Lake County on Tuesday during the day and at night, with chances of rain on Thursday night as well.
This week there also is a forecast of patchy fog on Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
Later in the week, conditions are expected to be mostly cloudy on Friday, and then mostly sunny during the day on Saturday and on Sunday, Christmas day, before chances of rain return on Monday.
Daytime temperatures will be in the mid to high 50s through Friday, in the low 60s on Saturday and mid 60s on Christmas day, before dropping down closer to 60 degrees on Monday.
At night, the temperatures will range from the high 30s to low 40s on Tuesday and Wednesday, hovering in the low 40s through Monday.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has several cats that would be great additions to families beginning this holiday season.
Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online for information on visiting or adopting.
The following cats at the shelter have been cleared for adoption.
‘Wendy’
“Wendy” is a 6-month-old female domestic shorthair with a calico coat.
She is in cat room kennel No. 3, ID No. LCAC-A-4373.
Female domestic medium hair
This 5-month-old female domestic medium hair cat has a gray tabby coat.
She is in cat room kennel No. 36a, ID No. LCAC-A-4413.
Female domestic medium hair
This 5-month-old female domestic medium hair cat has a gray coat.
She is in cat room kennel No. 36b, ID No. LCAC-A-4414.
‘Cris’
“Cris” is a 6-month-old orange tabby with a short coat.
He is in cat room kennel No. 57, ID No. LCAC-A-4375.
Male domestic medium hair
This 5-month-old male domestic medium hair cat has a black coat.
He is in cat room kennel No. 77a, ID No. LCAC-A-4415.
Male domestic medium hair
This 5-month-old male domestic medium hair cat has a gray tabby coat.
He is in cat room kennel No. 77b, ID No. LCAC-A-4416.
‘Sonny’
“Sonny” is a 2-year-old male orange tabby with a short coat.
He is in cat room kennel No. 84, ID No. LCAC-A-4372.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has dogs waiting to go to their new homes for Christmas.
Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of border collie, Chihuahua, German shepherd, hound, husky, Labrador retriever, pit bull, shepherd and terrier.
Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption.
Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online for information on visiting or adopting.
Female German shepherd
This 10-month-old female German shepherd has a short light-colored coat.
She is in kennel No. 28, ID No. LCAC-A-4297.
Male pit bull
This 3-year-old male pit bull has a short brown coat.
He is in kennel No. 4, ID No. LCAC-A-4428.
‘Daisy’
“Daisy” is a 9-month-old female pit bull terrier with a blue coat.
She is in kennel No. 6, ID No. LCAC-A-4213.
Male pit bull
This 3-year-old male pit bull has a short white coat with gray markings.
He is in kennel No. 7, ID No. LCAC-A-4425.
‘Tuesday’
“Tuesday” is a 2-year-old female German shepherd with a short tricolor coat.
She is in kennel No. 9, ID No. LCAC-A-2855.
‘Lil Man’
“Lil Man” is a 15-year-old terrier mix with a short black coat.
He is in kennel No. 15a, ID No. LCAC-A-4380.
‘Lil Rascal’
“Lil Rascal” is a 9-year-old male Chihuahua-dachshund mix with a black coat.
He is in kennel No. 15b, ID No. LCAC-A-4379.
Female pit bull
This 3-year-old female pit bull has a short brown brindle coat.
She is in kennel No. 16, ID No. LCAC-A-4378.
Female hound
This 8-month-old female hound has a fawn coat.
She is in kennel No. 17, ID No. LCAC-A-4386.
Female Chihuahua
This 15-year-old female Chihuahua has a short tan coat.
She is in kennel No. 18, ID No. LCAC-A-4435.
Female terrier
This 7-month-old female terrier has a short brown coat.
She is in kennel No. 23, ID No. LCAC-A-4436.
Male German shepherd
This 4-year-old male German shepherd has a black and tan coat.
He is in kennel No. 24, ID No. LCAC-A-4371.
Female hound
This 2-year-old female hound has a tricolor coat.
She is in kennel No. 25, ID No. LCAC-A-4381.
‘Riley’
“Riley” is a 5-year-old female Siberian husky with a black and white coat.
She is in kennel No. 30, ID No. LCAC-A-4382.
Male shepherd
This 3-year-old male shepherd has a short black and tan coat.
He is in kennel No. 31, ID No. LCAC-A-4312.
Male border collie-shepherd
This 2-year-old male border collie-shepherd has a short black coat with white markings.
He is in kennel No. 32, ID No. LCAC-A-4437.
Female Labrador retriever
This one and a half year old female Labrador retriever has a short yellow coat.
She is in kennel No. 33, ID No. LCAC-A-4383.
Male American pit bull terrier
This 3-year-old male American pit bull terrier has a short brindle coat.
He is in kennel No. 34, ID No. LCAC-A-4402.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
During the holidays, it’s typical for people to indulge in special foods. Being a pet owner myself, I know that many pet parents want to give their fur babies special treats as well.
Here are some of the most common food-related crises we veterinarians encounter in the animal ER during the holidays, and what to do if they happen.
Fatty food risks
Turkey with gravy is probably among the most popular holiday meals. And most dogs or cats would certainly agree with their humans that roast turkey is delicious.
However, the fat contained in turkey skin – and the excess of fatty, greasy foods that can accompany it, such as gravy, butter and bacon – don’t go down well with cats and dogs. Pets that ingest an overload of fats may develop pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas, the organ that helps break down fat, protein and carbs.
Pancreatitis causes the pancreas to leak digestive enzymes and ultimately “digest” itself. If untreated, pancreatitis can affect other organ systems such as the kidneys and the liver and even cause blood clotting.
The most common symptoms of pancreatitis include vomiting and diarrhea. Pets that may have pancreatitis should be rushed to the closest veterinary hospital or ER. The vet will perform diagnostic blood tests, including a specific test for pancreatic enzymes called pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity or cPLI/fPLI.
Treatment for pancreatitis mostly involves dealing with its symptoms. The pet receives IV fluids to help establish electrolytes balance, with added anti-nausea and pain medications to stop the vomiting. Antibiotics may be necessary, as well as liver protectants and probiotics, and a special diet.
Onion offenses and bread badness
If only turkey were the sole problem! Many other common holiday ingredients can also harm pets.
Several allium species common to holiday cooking, such as leeks, garlic, onions, chives and shallots, can be healthy for people. For dogs and cats, though, alliums are toxic. If ingested, they can cause hemolytic anemia – a decreased number of red blood cells.
The signs of hemolytic anemia, which normally appear a few days after ingestion, include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and jaundice.
To treat hemolytic anemia in pets, veterinarians do blood tests to determine whether a transfusion is necessary. They address the symptoms of allium intoxication with IV fluids, antioxidants and anti-nausea drugs.
Yeast-risen foods like rolls and breads are also holiday dinner staples that people should keep away from their pets. The yeast in these foods can ferment in a pet’s warm stomach and produce toxic levels of ethanol. In pets, ethanol toxicity may lead to metabolic acidosis, which can cause sudden drop in blood glucose, respiratory depression, seizures and cardiac arrest.
Normally, pet owners do not suspect metabolic acidosis until it is almost too late, because it has few outward symptoms. So if there’s a possibility that a pet has swallowed any type of cooked or raw yeast dough, get it to a veterinary ER right away.
By the way, pets can also experience ethanol toxicity by lapping up cocktails or beer, so keep alcoholic drinks out of their reach as well.
No chocolate for pets
Now, what about a favorite holiday treat – chocolate?
Substances that may actually attract humans to chocolate – methylxanthines like theobromine and caffeine – are toxic to both dogs and cats. When vets provide emergency treatment for chocolate ingestion, we typically hear that children shared their candy with their beloved pet.
Pets that ingest chocolate can develop “chocolate intoxication,” a condition in which methylxanthines accumulate in the body and make them sick. Signs of chocolate intoxication in pets include tremors, increased heart rate, vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness and even seizures.
Chocolate intoxication in pets is a medical emergency. The pet needs to have its stomach emptied and receive support therapy with IV fluids and activated charcoal. The vet will probably want to know the type and how much chocolate the pet ate, because some kinds of chocolate, such as baking chocolate, can have worse toxic effects.
Chocolate also has a lot of fat, so the cat or dog’s pancreas will not enjoy it either.
Grapes and dogs don’t mix
How about fruits? Well, there is a fruit very toxic to dogs that often shows up at holiday gatherings: grapes, both fresh and dehydrated into raisins.
If eaten, the tartaric acid in grapes or raisins may cause acute kidney disease. Common signs of acute kidney disease in dogs are vomiting, intermittent diarrhea and increased intake of water.
Acute kidney disease in dogs is a medical emergency. If it is suspected, the pet should be rushed to a veterinary hospital or ER right away. Treatment is typically limited to stabilizing the pet with IV fluids.
Sweet for people, poison to pets
While xylitol toxicity is one of the more common emergencies we veterinarians see these days, it’s still largely unknown among pet owners.
Xylitol is an artificial sweetener often used in sugar-free products. While safe for humans, for cats and dogs it’s a fast-acting and potentially deadly poison.
Ingesting even the smallest amount of xylitol can cause a pet’s liver to rapidly release insulin, causing hypoglycemia – unusually low blood glucose levels. Within 30 minutes, the pet will experience symptoms such as vomiting, lethargy and seizures and lose coordination of its limbs – called ataxia.
Emergency treatment for a pet with xylitol toxicity involves giving the animal IV fluids containing dextrose to raise its blood glucose level and carefully monitoring its progress.
The bottom line? Several delicious foods that are safe for humans can be very dangerous for pets in general – not just cats and dogs, but also birds, reptiles and pocket pets like mice, hamsters and gerbils. So make the holidays special for furry or feathery babies by giving them treats from the pet food store or veterinarian’s office, and keep them away from the kitchen counter and trash can.
For many parents, respiratory syncytial virus – or RSV – which has been causing record numbers of hospitalizations of children during the fall of 2022, may sound like a relatively new and unheard-of threat. But in fact, RSV is a common respiratory virus that circulates every fall and winter and is a common cause of lung infections in young children.
RSV can be difficult to distinguish from other respiratory infections since the symptoms are common to other illnesses – runny nose, sneezing, congestion, coughing, fever, decreased appetite and wheezing. In most cases, RSV is mild and will improve at home. However, in certain cases, it can cause severe illness and require hospital treatment.
RSV can cause severe infections and pneumonia in anyone, including adults 65 years and older and those with chronic lung or heart conditions or weakened immune systems. But it is most commonly severe in young children.
Unfortunately, although RSV is a very common respiratory threat, treatments for it are relatively limited, and as yet, there is no vaccine against it. However, 2023 is likely to be a pivotal year for RSV prevention strategies and treatments.
Treating children for RSV
Current guidelines recommend supportive care, which essentially means managing symptoms and trying to make children as comfortable as possible until they are well again. This includes offering plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration and using over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen to reduce any fever.
Antibiotics are not useful for treating RSV since they only target bacterial infections and RSV is caused by a virus. But sometimes, children with RSV can also develop secondary bacterial infections in the lungs, in which case antibiotics may be prescribed.
There are a range of medications that have been tried on children with RSV, but for the most part, they’ve shown little benefit. For example, many studies have trialed the use of inhalers and corticosteroid medications, but results have shown that neither significantly reduces the severity of RSV. These medications are therefore not routinely recommended for children to treat severe RSV.
The only drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat RSV is ribavirin, an antiviral medication. It is aerosolized using a special nebulizing machine and needs to be given in the hospital for periods of eight to 24 hours over three to five days. The drug works by trying to stop the virus from replicating in the respiratory tract.
The trials evaluating ribavirin have been small, which means we can’t really be certain of its benefits. Because ribavirin is very expensive and its benefits uncertain, the American Academy of Pediatrics no longer routinely recommends it for treatment of RSV, except for specific cases in very high-risk patients.
Fortunately, most babies and young children with RSV do not require treatment and recover well with supportive care. But some can become very ill and need substantial care from their doctors, parents and family members.
While RSV can result in serious disease for any child, children in high-risk groups face more serious threats from RSV. These include babies less than 6 months old, premature infants, children under 2 years old with chronic lung disease or congenital heart disease, children with suppressed immune systems and children with neuromuscular disorders.
Children may require hospital care if they are having difficulty breathing, have a fever that does not go away after two days, or have lost energy and no longer eat, drink or urinate. This is primarily so they can be monitored and receive intravenous fluids to keep hydrated and ventilators to help with breathing. Approximately 1%-2% of babies less than 6 months old with RSV will be hospitalized.
It’s important to know that children infected with RSV might take a turn for the worse before they get better. This is because, in addition to severe nasal congestion that interferes with their feeding, the inflammation in their airways and lungs may prevent them from breathing properly and keeping a normal oxygen level in their blood. These are the children who end up in emergency rooms and hospitals during the respiratory virus season.
The future of RSV treatment is prevention
Since effective treatments for severe RSV in children are so limited, the primary goal is to prevent the disease from happening in the first place.
One prevention strategy is to treat infants and children who are at high risk of severe disease before they get sick. This includes very preterm infants and those with heart and lung conditions.
A monoclonal antibody called palivizumab can be given as a series of shots and is usually reserved for use during the RSV season. But since RSV has been so variable throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and in response to the early increase in RSV hospitalizations in children this year, the American Academy of Pediatrics recently updated its guidelines to allow administration of palivizumab whenever RSV is in high circulation.
But to really get ahead of the RSV threat, we believe the health care field needs prevention strategies that can protect all children from the disease from birth.
The promise of vaccines
Despite more than five decades of research, there is still no RSV vaccine available for children. This is because developing a vaccine that really works has been tricky. RSV vaccines target the F protein, the part of the virus that it uses to infect cells, and this protein has different forms before and after infecting the cells. RSV vaccines are in development for three groups, including infants 4 to 6 months old, adults 65 years and older, and pregnant people.
RSV vaccination during pregnancy produces RSV-specific antibodies in the mother that can then cross the placenta to protect the baby. These maternal antibodies generally offer protection for the first six months of a baby’s life. A recent clinical trial showed that RSV vaccination during pregnancy reduced the risk of RSV hospitalization by 82% in infants less than 3 months old. These are very promising results.
Another viable option for the prevention of RSV for all young babies is the use of long-acting RSV-specific antibodies that can be given either at birth or prior to the RSV season. These could provide immunity to infants for several months while RSV is in circulation. A recent clinical trial showed that one of these products, nirsevimab, reduced the risk of RSV hospitalization by 62% in children less than 1 year old.
Looking ahead
One positive outcome of fall 2022’s record RSV season is that it has raised public awareness of RSV and created renewed urgency around the need to find more effective preventive strategies and RSV treatments.
The success of these tools and strategies will largely depend on their acceptance and utilization by well-informed parents and providers.
Usually, parents become aware of RSV only after having experienced it in their own family. But pediatric providers know all too well from caring for their patients what RSV can do to young bodies. When parents and providers share these stories, it becomes a powerful testament to the need for preventive strategies to fight RSV.
In the Arctic, the freedom to travel, hunt and make day-to-day decisions is profoundly tied to cold and frozen conditions for much of the year. These conditions are rapidly changing as the Arctic warms.
The Arctic is now seeing more rainfall when historically it would be snowing. Sea ice that once protected coastlines from erosion during fall storms is forming later. And thinner river and lake ice is making travel by snowmobile increasingly life-threatening.
Ship traffic in the Arctic is also increasing, bringing new risks to fragile ecosystems, and the Greenland ice sheet is continuing to send freshwater and ice into the ocean, raising global sea level
In the annual Arctic Report Card, released Dec. 13, 2022, we brought together 144 other Arctic scientists from 11 countries to examine the current state of the Arctic system.
Much of this new precipitation is now falling as rain, sometimes during winter and traditionally frozen times of the year. This disrupts daily life for humans, wildlife and plants.
Roads become dangerously icy more often, and communities face greater risk of river flooding events. For Indigenous reindeer herding communities, winter rain can create an impenetrable ice layer that prevents their reindeer from accessing vegetation beneath the snow.
Arctic-wide, this shift toward wetter conditions can disrupt the lives of animals and plants that have evolved for dry and cold conditions, potentially altering Arctic peoples’ local foods.
When Fairbanks, Alaska, got 1.4 inches of freezing rain in December 2021, the moisture created an ice layer that persisted for months, bringing down trees and disrupting travel, infrastructure and the ability of some Arctic animals to forage for food. The resulting ice layer was largely responsible for the deaths of a third of a bison herd in interior Alaska.
There are multiple reasons for this increase in Arctic precipitation.
As sea ice rapidly declines, more open water is exposed, which feeds increased moisture into the atmosphere. The entire Arctic region has seen a more than 40% loss in summer sea ice extent over the 44-year satellite record.
Under the ground, the wetter, rainier Arctic is accelerating the thaw of permafrost, upon which most Arctic communities and infrastructure are built. The result is crumbling buildings, sagging and cracked roads, the emergence of sinkholes and the collapse of community coastlines along rivers and ocean.
Wetter weather also disrupts the building of a reliable winter snowpack and safe, reliable river ice, and often challenges Indigenous communities’ efforts to harvest and secure their food.
When Typhoon Merbok hit in September 2022, fueled by unusually warm Pacific water, its hurricane-force winds, 50-foot waves and far-reaching storm surge damaged homes and infrastructure over 1,000 miles of Bering Sea coastline, and disrupted hunting and harvesting at a crucial time.
Arctic snow season is shrinking
Snow plays critical roles in the Arctic, and the snow season is shrinking.
Snow helps to keep the Arctic cool by reflecting incoming solar radiation back to space, rather than allowing it to be absorbed by the darker snow-free ground. Its presence helps lake ice last longer into spring and helps the land to retain moisture longer into summer, preventing overly dry conditions that are ripe for devastating wildfires.
Snow is also a travel platform for hunters and a habitat for many animals that rely on it for nesting and protection from predators.
A shrinking snow season is disrupting these critical functions. For example, the June snow cover extent across the Arctic is declining at a rate of nearly 20% per decade, marking a dramatic shift in how the snow season is defined and experienced across the North.
Even in the depth of winter, warmer temperatures are breaking through. The far northern Alaska town of Utqiaġvik hit 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 C) – 8 F above freezing – on Dec. 5, 2022, even though the sun does not breach the horizon from mid-November through mid-January.
Fatal falls through thin sea, lake and river ice are on the rise across Alaska, resulting in immediate tragedies as well as adding to the cumulative human cost of climate change that Arctic Indigenous peoples are now experiencing on a generational scale.
Greenland ice melt means global problems
The impacts of Arctic warming are not limited to the Arctic. In 2022, the Greenland ice sheet lost ice for the 25th consecutive year. This adds to rising seas, which escalates the danger coastal communities around the world must plan for to mitigate flooding and storm surge.
International teams of scientists are dedicated to assessing the scale to which the Greenland ice sheet’s ice formation and ice loss are out of balance. They are also increasingly learning about the transformative role that warming ocean waters play.
We are living in a new geological age — the Anthropocene — in which human activity is the dominant influence on our climate and environments.
In the warming Arctic, this requires decision-makers to better anticipate the interplay between a changing climate and human activity. For example, satellite-based ship data since 2009 clearly show that maritime ship traffic has increased within all Arctic high seas and national exclusive economic zones as the region has warmed.
For these ecologically sensitive waters, this added ship traffic raises urgent concerns ranging from the future of Arctic trade routes to the introduction of even more human-caused stresses on Arctic peoples, ecosystems and the climate. These concerns are especially pronounced given uncertainties regarding the current geopolitical tensions between Russia and the other Arctic states over its war in Ukraine.
Rapid Arctic warming requires new forms of partnership and information sharing, including between scientists and Indigenous knowledge-holders. Cooperation and building resilience can help to reduce some risks, but global action to rein in greenhouse gas pollution is essential for the entire planet.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Just in time for Christmas, members of the Board of Supervisors are set to vote to give themselves a raise and they also will interview candidates to fill the sheriff’s role for the next two years after Sheriff Brian Martin retires.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 20, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting ID is 992 4103 5475, pass code 546818. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16699006833,,99241035475#,,,,*546818#.
All interested members of the public that do not have internet access or a Mediacom cable subscription are encouraged to call 669-900-6833, and enter the Zoom meeting ID and pass code information above.
On Tuesday morning, the board will hold public interviews of two applicants to fill the sheriff’s job in the wake of Sheriff Brian Martin’s retirement at month’s end.
They’re looking to fill Martin’s post from Jan. 2, 2023, to Jan. 2, 2025, at which point the sheriff elected in the next general election will take office.
At 10 a.m., the board will interview Rob Howe, Lake County Probation chief. Howe served in the Lake County Sheriff’s Office from October 1992 to September 2011, at which point he was a captain and chief of staff. He was hired as chief probation officer in March 2012.
At 11 a.m., the board will interview the second candidate, Lt. Luke Bingham. He has served with the sheriff’s office since 1998, and currently heads its training program and recently was assigned as the agency’s lead for the project to remodel the former Lakeport National Guard Armory into the sheriff’s office’s new headquarters.
The supervisors will then consider the two candidates in a 1 p.m. discussion.
In an untimed item, the board will introduce an ordinance to amend county code to give its members a 28% raise.
The report from administrative staff says that at the board’s Nov. 1 meeting, it discussed a recommendation to increase the board’s salary to 28.316% of the Lake County Superior Court Judges salaries, with an additional 5% increase for the chair of the board.
However, that’s not what happened, as the county’s own documents show.
Rather, County Administrative Officer Susan Parker had presented a suggestion to raise the board’s pay to 38.618% of the $229,125 annual salary of Superior Court judges — in effect as of July 1 — which would total $88,483.20. That would be a 38.8% raise.
If the raises actually are 28.316% of the Superior Court judge’s salary, it would put them at $64,879 a year, about $1,000 higher a year than the board’s current pay amounts.
The staff report does not explain the very large differences in the two proposals, although it gives an overall cost for the raises, $165,847, that suggests the raises in the new proposal would be on par with what the board previously discussed. It is unclear if this is a typo in the county documents and the proposed ordinance.
The ordinance must be read twice and then would go into effect 60 days after approval.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Adopt proclamation commending and honoring Kelly Kobetsky of the Lake County Law Library.
5.2: a) Waive the formal bidding process, subject to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and b) approve agreement between county of Lake and AirMedCare Network for Air Ambulance Services, and authorize the chair to sign.
5.3: Adopt resolution of consent requesting the cities of Clearlake and Lakeport, through their City Councils, to renew the Lake County Tourism Improvement District.
5.4: Approve advance step increase for substance abuse counselor senior, Step 5 for Denise Newman.
5.5: Approve amended purchase order in the amount of $32,950.85 for one 2023 Ford Bronco Sport base four-door utility vehicle for Code Enforcement Division, and authorize the Community Development director/assistant purchasing agent to sign.
5.6: Approve agreement between county of Lake and Persimmony Software for Electronic Health Records Software in the amount of $39,396 and a one-time fee of $10,000 for implementation through June 30, 2023, and $78,792 per year plus CPI increase for the period of July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2027.
5.7: Approve addendum to agreement between the county of Lake and Tyler Technologies to add additional services for the period of March 24, 2020, to March 23, 2023 for an amount of $78,300; and authorize the chair to sign.
5.8: Approve the purchase of a 2022 Ford F-150 for the Parks and Recreation Division of the Public Services Department and authorize the Public Services director to sign a purchase order not to exceed $39,000 to Folsom Lake Ford of Folsom, California.
5.9: Approve the purchase of a 2022 Ford F-150 for the Buildings and Grounds Division of the Public Services Department and authorize the Public Services director to sign a purchase order not to exceed $43,000 to Folsom Lake Ford of Folsom, California.
5.10: Adopt resolution approving the application for the California Museum Grant Program for the Lake Pomo Gallery Project.
5.11: Adopt Resolution Amending Resolution No. 2022-118 to Amend the Adopted Budget for FY 2022-23 by Increasing Revenue in Fund 098 Road Division Budget to appropriate unanticipated revenue.
5.12: Approve purchase order for the purchase of a service truck for the ISF Heavy Equipment Division, and authorize the Public Works director/assistant purchasing agent to sign the purchase order.
5.13: Approve purchase order for the purchase of a Fecon CEM 36 for county road maintenance, and authorize the Public Works director/assistant purchasing agent to sign the purchase order.
5.14: (a) Adopt Resolution approving the Lake County Sheriff's Office to apply for state of California, Department of Parks and Recreation Off-Highway Vehicle Grant funds and authorize the Lake County sheriff/coroner or his designee to sign the project agreement and (b) consideration of a delegation of authority to Lake County Sheriff/Coroner Brian Martin or his designee to execute the attached Project Agreement, Number G22-03-64-L01 and to act as the county’s agent in the negotiation, execution, and submittal of all related documents, including amendments to the project agreement and requests for payments.
5.15: (a) Approve Amendment 1 of Agreement between the county of Lake and the state of California Department of State Hospitals, or DSH, to allow for the DSH to compensate the county when the Sheriff’s Office coordinates telehealth video interviews with inmates in the sheriff’s custody and (b) authorize the sheriff to sign all documents.
5.16: Approve to award bids for the purchase of inmate clothing and authorize the sheriff or his designee to issue purchase orders to various vendors.
5.17: Approve contract between county of Lake and Binti Inc. for Resource Family Approval Software, in the amount of $46,363.50, from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2025, and authorize the chair to sign.
5.18: Approve contract between county of Lake and Evolve Youth Services for temporary wraparound services, in the amount of $34,000, from July 1, 2022, to Oct. 31, 2022, and authorize the chair to sign.
5.19: Approve Agreement with Lake Marine Construction for the abatement services of lakebed structures in the amount not to exceed $250,000.
5.20: Approve joint funding agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior, or USGS, for annual maintenance of the Kelsey Creek Flow Gauge Station in the amount of $17,710 and authorize the chair to sign.
5.21: ADDENDUM - (a) Waive the competitive bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2(1), as it is not in the public interest due to the fact the work was required to respond to an emergency situation, and (b) approve a purchase order for environmental services for the cleanup of a waste-oil spill on county-owned property, and authorize the Public Works director/assistant purchasing agent to sign the purchase order.
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:07 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation commending and honoring Kelly Kobetsky of the Lake County Law Library.
6.3, 9:15 a.m.: Consideration of an agreement with CBG Communications Inc. for Broadband Action Plan Consulting Services, not to exceed $245,000.
6.4, 9:30 a.m.: Consideration and discussion of agreement for medical services in Lake County's Detention Facility with California Forensic Medical Group in the amount of $3,947,351 for the term of Jan. 1, 2023, through Jan. 1, 2024, with option to continue through Jan. 1, 2028, and authorize chair to sign.
6.5, 10 a.m.: Sheriff-Coroner interview – Eutice R. Howe.
6.6, 11 a.m.: Sheriff-Coroner interview – Lucas J. Bingham.
6.7, 1 p.m.: Review and consider sheriff-coroner candidates to serve the term of Jan. 2, 2023, to Jan. 2, 2025.
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Introduction of an ordinance amending Section 2-3A.1 of Article I, Chapter 2 of the Lake County Code, Compensation of the Board of Supervisors.
7.3: Consideration of resolution authorizing the Behavioral Health Director to Sign the Standard Agreement for HHAP Funds and Public review and approval of the County of Lake Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP) Round 4 application.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1: Public Employee Evaluation: Behavioral Health Director Todd Metcalf.
8.2: Conference with legal counsel: Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to Gov. Code section 54956.9(d)(2), (e)(1) – One potential case.
8.3: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code section 54956.9(1) – Flesch v. County of Lake.
Editor’s note: This article has been clarified regarding Howe’s date of employment with the Probation Department. He worked for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office until September 2011 and took the chief probation officer job in March 2012.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Angela DePalma-Dow, Lake County Water Resources Department Invasive Species Program coordinator and “Lady of the Lake” columnist, served as lead author of ecosphere-published work
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Water Resources staff and researchers from Michigan State University and University of Vermont partnered to investigate current water quality trends in Clear Lake, and their relationship to wildfires and climate change.
The research team evaluated water quality monitoring data from the last three large wildfire years in the Clear Lake Basin, including 2018 (Mendocino Complex), in comparison to long-term water quality nutrient data.
“Right after the Mendocino Complex, our department received many calls from the public concerned about the fire’s impact on Clear Lake water quality,” said Angela De Palma-Dow, County Invasive Species Program coordinator and lead author and primary investigator for the research effort.
“And while there is a plethora of wildfire water quality research out there, none includes a lake as large and productive (i.e., biomass- and species-dense, nutrient-rich and eutrophic) as Clear Lake. This was a great opportunity for our team to closely review the data, and inform public discussion and planning efforts,” said De Palma-Dow, who also writes the “Lady of the Lake” column.
The research effort aimed to identify the influence of wildfires, water and air temperature, and precipitation on water quality in Clear Lake. Climate change data was collected from a variety of public, open sources. Water quality data was sourced from a long-term collaborative water monitoring program undertaken by the California Department of Water Resources, County Water Resources staff and local Tribal governments.
For about 60 years, members of this collaborative have collected monthly water quality data from Clear Lake’s three arms. Clear Lake has become much more nutrient-rich and productive over time, a process known as “eutrophication.” This trend is pronounced after the mid 1980’s and in times of drought.
Eutrophication is typically fueled by increased nutrient inputs, primarily phosphorus. Nutrients lead to growth of both algae (phytoplankton) and cyanobacteria, turning the water green.
When algae and cyanobacteria die and decompose, this can result in foul odors and release of toxins, disrupting recreation in affected areas of the lake. Thick green mats on the surface of the lake can be observable from shorelines.
These conditions increase in frequency and severity when water temperatures are very warm and especially when lake levels are low (e.g., drought).
Researchers analyzed what variables were most associated with increased phosphorus over time, especially during the heavy bloom season, from July through October.
Watershed areas burned by wildfire, seasonal air and water temperatures, and seasonal precipitation were assessed. Phosphorus increases in Clear Lake were primarily driven by lack of rain and warmer air and water temperatures.
“We found higher phosphorus concentrations, over the long term, were associated with hot and dry weather, not rain, alone, or rain following wildfires,” co-author Dr. Ian McCullough of Michigan State University added. Climate change may be a greater threat to Clear Lake water quality than wildfires.
Higher water temperatures, at the top and bottom of the water column, are also associated with observed increases in phosphorus. These findings are most pronounced in the data after 1985.
“What could be happening here is release of phosphorus from lake sediment,” said Dr. Jennie Brentrup, study co-author and aquatic scientist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. “Part of the issue is warmer water holds less oxygen, and decomposing algae and cyanobacteria also consume oxygen at the lake bottom. As the lake heats up and less oxygen is available, more phosphorus can be released from the sediment and mix into surface waters, further fueling the cycle of eutrophication.”
Sedimentary phosphorus release must be considered in future management of Clear Lake. The Blue Ribbon Committee for the Rehabilitation of Clear Lake, or BRC, just approved $2.25 million for a hypolimnetic oxygenation pilot study to be conducted in the Oaks arm of the Lake.
This project will inject oxygen directly into the bottom of the lake to “trap” phosphorus in the sediments, preventing the food source for cyanobacteria; its aim is to stop severe blooms from occurring, in the first place.
More information on this project and the BRC is available through the California Natural Resources Agency’s website.
Clear Lake is a critical asset, supporting Lake County fisheries, water-based tourism and local economic activity.
Its waters are used for irrigation, recreation, and tribal cultural practices, and also drinking water for 40,000 people, or nearly 60% of the county’s population, the majority of whom are low income and/or members of local tribes — Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake, Robinson Rancheria Pomo Indians of California, Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians and Elem Indian Colony.
County Water Resources staff value this research.
“As stewards of the Lake, we rely on long-term monthly monitoring data,” said Scott De Leon, Lake County’s Water Resources director. “Wildfires and droughts are expected to grow more frequent, and Angela and the research team’s findings valuably interpret the role multiple climate-informed factors play in the water quality outcomes we are seeing. Our team continually seeks to augment our understanding and plan future efforts in accordance with the best available data.”
If you have any questions or need more information, please contact the Water Resources Department at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or by phone, at 707-263-2344.
Also visit the Water Resources Department’s website or the “Lake County Water Resources Department” Facebook page, @lakecountywater.
Please direct questions on, “Turning up the Heat: Long-term water quality responses to wildfires and climate change in a hypereutrophic lake,” specifically, to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Since NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or DART, spacecraft intentionally slammed into the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos on Sept. 26 — altering its orbit by 33 minutes — the investigation team has been digging into the implications of how this planetary defense technique could be used in the future, if such a need should ever arise.
This has included further analysis of the “ejecta” — the many tons of asteroidal rock displaced and launched into space by the impact — the recoil from which substantially enhanced DART’s push against Dimorphos.
Continued observations of that evolving ejecta have given the investigation team better understanding of what the DART spacecraft achieved at the impact site. DART team members provided a preliminary interpretation of their findings during the American Geophysical Union’s Fall Meeting on Thursday, Dec. 15, in Chicago.
“What we can learn from the DART mission is all part of a NASA’s overarching work to understand asteroids and other small bodies in our Solar System,” said Tom Statler, the program scientist for DART at NASA headquarters in Washington, and one of the presenters at the briefing. “Impacting the asteroid was just the start. Now we use the observations to study what these bodies are made of and how they were formed — as well as how to defend our planet should there ever be an asteroid headed our way.”
Central to this effort are detailed, post-impact science and engineering analyses of data from the world’s first planetary defense technology demonstration. In the weeks after impact, scientists turned their focus toward measuring the momentum transfer from DART’s roughly 14,000 mile per hour (22,530 kilometer per hour) collision with its target asteroid.
Scientists estimate DART’s impact displaced over two million pounds (one million kilograms) of the dusty rock into space — enough to fill six or seven rail cars. The team is using that data — as well as new information on the composition of the asteroid moonlet and the characteristics of the ejecta, gained from telescope observations and images from DART’s ride-along Light Italian CubeSat for Imaging of Asteroids (LICIACube) contributed by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) — to learn just how much DART’s initial hit moved the asteroid, and how much came from the recoil.
“We know the initial experiment worked. Now we can start to apply this knowledge,” said Andy Rivkin, DART investigation team colead at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab (APL). “Studying the ejecta made in the kinetic impact — all of it derived from Dimorphos — is a key way of gaining further insights into the nature of its surface.”
Observations before and after impact, reveal that Dimorphos and its larger parent asteroid, Didymos, have similar makeup and are composed of the same material — material that has been linked to ordinary chondrites, similar to the most common type of meteorite to impact the Earth. These measurements also took advantage of the ejecta from Dimorphos, which dominated the reflected light from the system in the days after impact. Even now, telescope images of the Didymos system show how solar radiation pressure has stretched the ejecta stream into a comet-like tail tens of thousands of miles in length.
Putting those pieces together, and assuming that Didymos and Dimorphos have the same densities, the team calculates that the momentum transferred when DART hit Dimorphos was roughly 3.6 times greater than if the asteroid had simply absorbed the spacecraft and produced no ejecta at all — indicating the ejecta contributed to moving the asteroid more than the spacecraft did.
Accurately predicting momentum transfer is central to planning a future kinetic impact mission if one is ever needed, including determining the size of the impactor spacecraft and estimating the amount of lead-time necessary to ensure that a small deflection would move a potentially dangerous asteroid off its path.
“Momentum transfer is one of the most important things we can measure, because it is information we would need to develop an impactor mission to divert a threatening asteroid,” said Andy Cheng, DART investigation team lead from Johns Hopkins APL. “Understanding how a spacecraft impact will change an asteroid’s momentum is key to designing a mitigation strategy for a planetary defense scenario.”
Neither Dimorphos nor Didymos poses any hazard to Earth before or after DART’s controlled collision with Dimorphos.
Johns Hopkins APL built and operated the DART spacecraft and manages the DART mission for NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office as a project of the agency's Planetary Missions Program Office.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lakeport City Council will welcome two new members this week and select its new leadership as part of the annual council reorganization.
The council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 20, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
The council chambers will be open to the public for the meeting. Masks are highly encouraged where 6-foot distancing cannot be maintained.
If you cannot attend in person, and would like to speak on an agenda item, you can access the Zoom meeting remotely at this link or join by phone by calling toll-free 669-900-9128 or 346-248-7799.
The webinar ID is 973 6820 1787, access code is 477973; the audio pin will be shown after joining the webinar. Those phoning in without using the web link will be in “listen mode” only and will not be able to participate or comment.
Comments can be submitted by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To give the city clerk adequate time to print out comments for consideration at the meeting, please submit written comments before 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 20.
At the start of the meeting, the council will hold its annual reorganization.
City Clerk/Administrative Services Director Kelly Buendia will present the certification of the Lake County Registrar of Voters Office, the results of the official canvass and the adoption of the resolution reciting the facts of the Nov. 8 general election.
The council also will receive and file the resignation of newly elected Council Member Mireya Turner.
Mayor Stacey Mattina will honor outgoing Councilmember George Spurr before the oaths of office are given to newly selected council members, Brandon Disney and Kim Costa.
The council will then select its mayor and mayor pro tem for 2023.
During Tuesday’s meeting, the council also will meet new Lakeport Fire Chief Patrick Reitz; consider authorizing professional services agreements with NHA Advisors LLC, part of the city’s finance team, and with the Lake Family Resource Center for the Crisis Intervention Responder Program; and get an update from the chief building official on the Clean Water Program.
On the consent agenda — items usually accepted as a slate on one vote — are ordinances; minutes of the regular council meeting on Dec. 6 and the special meeting of Dec. 12 and 13; adoption of an ordinance of the City Council of the City of Lakeport Repealing and Replacing Chapter 13.08 of Title 13 of the Lakeport Municipal Code to adopt a cross connection control program to protect the public water system; and approval of amendment No. 1 to the employment agreement with City Manager Kevin M. Ingram and authorize the mayor to sign.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Extinction is part of life on Earth. Through much of our planet’s history, species have been forming, evolving and eventually disappearing. Today, however, human activities have dramatically sped up the process. The Earth is losing animals, birds, reptiles and other living things so fast that some scientists believe the planet is entering the sixth mass extinction in its history.
On Dec. 7, 2022, the United Nations will convene governments from around the world in Montreal for a 10-day conference that aims to establish new goals for protecting Earth’s ecosystems and their biodiversity – the variety of life at all levels, from genes to ecosystems. There’s broad agreement that there is a biodiversity crisis, but there are many different views about why protecting it is important.
Some people, cultures and nations believe biodiversity is worth conserving because ecosystems provide many services that support human prosperity, health and well-being. Others assert that all living things have a right to exist, regardless of their usefulness to humans. Today, there’s also growing understanding that nature enriches our lives by providing opportunities for us to connect with each other and the places we care about.
As a conservation biologist, I’ve been part of the effort to value biodiversity for years. Here’s how thinking in this field has evolved, and why I’ve come to believe that there are many equally valid reasons for protecting nature.
In a 1985 essay, Michael Soulé, one of the field’s founders, described what he saw as the core principles of conservation biology. Soulé argued that biological diversity is inherently good and should be conserved because it has intrinsic value. He also proposed that conservation biologists should act to save biodiversity even if sound science isn’t available to inform decisions.
Soulé’s essay spurred many researchers to push for a more science-driven approach to conservation. They sought to directly quantify the value of ecosystems and the roles species played in them. Some scholars focused on calculating the value of ecosystems to humans.
They reached a preliminary conclusion that the total economic value of the world’s ecosystems was worth an average US$33 trillion per year in 1997 dollars. At the time, this was nearly twice the global value of the entire world’s financial markets.
This estimate included services such as predators controlling pests that would otherwise ruin crops; pollinators helping to produce fruits and vegetables; wetlands, mangroves and other natural systems buffering coasts against storms and flooding; oceans providing fish for food; and forests providing lumber and other building materials.
Researchers have refined their estimates of what these benefits are worth, but their central conclusion remains the same: Nature has shockingly high economic value that existing financial markets don’t account for.
This research found that spending time in nature tended to reduce blood pressure, lower hormones related to stress and anxiety, decrease the probability of depression and improve cognitive function and certain immune functions. People exposed to nature fared better than others who took part in similar activities in nonnatural settings, such as walking through a city.
Losing species weakens ecosystems
A third line of research asked a different question: When ecosystems lose species, can they still function and provide services? This work was driven mainly by experiments where researchers directly manipulated the diversity of different types of organisms in settings ranging from laboratory cultures to greenhouses, plots in fields, forests and coastal areas.
By 2010, scientists had published more than 600 experiments, manipulating over 500 groups of organisms in freshwater, marine and land ecosystems. In a 2012 review of these experiments, colleagues and I found unequivocal evidence that when ecosystems lose biodiversity, they become less efficient, less productive and less stable. And they are less able to deliver many of the services that underlie human well-being.
For example, we found strong evidence that loss of genetic diversity reduced crop yields, and loss of tree diversity reduced the amount of wood that forests produced. We also found evidence that oceans with fewer fish species produced less-reliable catches, and that ecosystems with lower plant diversity were more prone to invasive pests and diseases.
We also showed that it was possible to develop robust mathematical models that could predict reasonably well how biodiversity loss would affect certain types of valuable services from ecosystems.
Many motives for protecting nature
For years, I believed that this work had established the value of ecosystems and quantified how biodiversity provided ecosystem services. But I’ve come to realize that other arguments for protecting nature are just as valid, and often more convincing for many people.
I have worked with many people who donate money or land to support conservation. But I’ve never heard anyone say they were doing it because of the economic value of biodiversity or its role in sustaining ecosystem services.
Instead, they’ve shared stories about how they grew up fishing with their father, held family gatherings at a cabin or canoed with someone who was important to them. They wanted to pass on those experiences to their children and grandchildren to preserve familial relationships. Researchers increasingly recognize that such relational values – connections to communities and to specific places – are one of the most common reasons why people choose to conserve nature.
I also know many people who hold deep religious beliefs and are rarely swayed by scientific arguments for conservation. But when Pope Francis published his 2015 encyclical Laudato si’: On Care for Our Common Home and said God’s followers had a moral responsibility to care for his creation, my religious relatives, friends and colleagues suddenly wanted to know about biodiversity loss and what they might do about it.
Surveys show that 85% of the world’s population identifies with a major religion. Leaders of every major religion have published declarations similar to Pope Francis’ encyclical, calling on their followers to be better stewards of Earth. Undoubtedly, a large portion of humanity assigns moral value to nature.
Research clearly shows that nature provides humanity with enormous value. But some people simply believe that other species have a right to exist, or that their religion tells them to be good stewards of Earth. As I see it, embracing these diverse perspectives is the best way to get global buy-in for conserving Earth’s ecosystems and living creatures for the good of all.
Cal Fire’s Office of the State Fire Marshal is beginning a public comment period for the regulatory adoption process to update the existing map that captures Fire Hazard Severity Zones, or FHSZ, which is a comprehensive map that ranks California’s State Responsibility Area — or rural, unincorporated areas — based on the likelihood different areas will experience wildfire.
After years of work to develop a sound scientific basis and methodology with a range of experts and stakeholders, updates to this map bring this valuable tool and statutory requirement current in a way that accurately reflects today’s reality for wildfire hazard throughout the state.
More specifically, this process includes a few details to know below:
• This current revision only updates areas in California’s unincorporated, rural areas where wildfires tend to be frequent — called the “SRA” or “State Responsibility Area.” This does not include cities or large urban areas.
• This process does not change rules or requirements for homes or properties in these areas related to wildfire prevention, preparedness, and mitigation. The same requirements will remain regardless of whether a particular area is reclassified or not.
• The last Wildfire Hazard Severity Zone map was updated in 2007 and required an update. A lot has happened since 2007. Using the best available science with academic researchers and others, this updated map reflects the impacts of a changing climate and includes a variety of other key factors.
• This is the beginning of a nearly two-month public process. These maps are being shared for your comments and questions during the regulatory process. A total of 57 public hearings will be held throughout the state with the goal of hearing from you.
• An online public toolkit and interactive map is available to help answer your questions. Take some time to explore your address, read the FAQs, learn about the process and where to turn. A hotline is also available to help answer your questions directly and to help increase access.
“Ensuring Californians know the wildfire hazard in their area is critical to ensuring we all take the appropriate steps to prepare for wildfires,” said Chief Daniel Berlant, CAL FIRE Deputy Director of Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation. “The updated map is the product of years of discussions and incorporates the latest science to provide a long-term outlook of an area’s wildfire hazard.”
Cal Fire’s fire scientists and wildfire mitigation experts developed the map using a science-based and field-tested model that assigns a hazard score based on the factors that influence fire likelihood and fire behavior.
Many factors are considered, such as fire history, existing and potential fuel (natural vegetation), predicted flame length, blowing embers, terrain, and typical fire weather for an area. These zones fall into the following classifications – moderate, high, and very high.
Working closely with the Department of Insurance and other agencies, Cal Fire is creating a shared approach to further reduce wildfire risk that assists residents and businesses with accessing affordable insurance.
The department’s first-ever report on climate insurance recommended updated wildfire hazard mapping to improve public safety. Insurance companies and researchers, along with insurance agents and brokers, have been involved throughout this process to ensure cooperation between all sectors to better support Californians.
And while insurance companies use similar methodologies to calculate risk as they price their insurance offerings to consumers, insurance risk models also incorporate many factors beyond this process, and many of these factors can change more frequently than those that Cal Fire includes in its hazard mapping.
Cal Fire remains committed to answering all questions from the public and working with the Department of Insurance, the insurance industry, and consumer groups throughout this process.
“Making California safer from wildfires is our top priority, and my Department of Insurance will continue to work closely with the first responders at Cal Fire to better prepare our communities,” said Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara.
Earlier this year, Lara issued the Safer from Wildfires insurance framework with Cal Fire and other agencies and finalized his new regulation to increase access to wildfire safety discounts and to ensure consumers can learn more about wildfire risks being considered by their insurance company.
“Public education about where current wildfire hazards exist is essential to reducing the threat to local communities and maintaining access to affordable insurance. I encourage Californians to ask questions in this public process and to learn more about the tools that exist to help communities and governments reduce their local risks.”
Overall, the map shows increased fire hazard, reflecting California’s increase in wildfire occurrence and severity because of many factors, including a changing climate. The map has been updated to more accurately reflect the zones in California that are susceptible to wildfire, to help provide transparency for planning and preparedness efforts, and to provide communities a forecasting tool so that the public can take steps to prevent and prepare for wildfire.
The hazard mapping process incorporates local climate data and changes in burn probability based on recent trends in fire occurrence.
The model was reviewed and validated by members of the science community, as well as with outreach with various stakeholders including insurance, building, fire and local agencies.
“Counties acknowledge the importance of accurately mapping fire hazard severity zones,” said Doug Teeter, Butte County supervisor and incoming chair, Rural County Representatives of California. “RCRC member counties appreciate Cal Fire’s continued engagement of local governments in this important effort.”
The State Fire Marshal is mandated by California Public Resource Code 4202-4204 to classify lands within the SRA into FHSZs and the most recent SRA FHSZ map was last updated in 2007.
The FHSZ zones are used for several purposes, including to designate areas where California’s defensible space standards, wildland-urban interface building codes, and the State Minimum Fire Safe Regulations are required.
They can be a factor in real estate disclosure, and local governments may consider them in their general plan. However, officials stress it is important to note that within the SRA mitigation requirements already apply to all zones. A designation change for an area does not affect the legal requirements for mitigations since they are already required consistently across the SRA.
“As we continue to focus on addressing California’s housing crisis, we support the importance of building so that structures are safely designed and built to mitigate an area’s wildfire hazard,” said Dan Dunmoyer, president and CEO of the California Building Industry Association. “To build more fire safe communities in the future, it is critically important for Cal Fire to update these maps to ensure we all can take steps to build a more resilient California.”
Ways to stay informed and join the conversation
As part of the adoption process of the map, Cal Fire invites public comment on the proposed map between Dec. 16, 2022, and Feb. 3, 2023.
The public may submit written comment at the address below or through email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
In addition, Cal Fire will host a public comment hearing in all 56 counties that have SRA to receive public comment. Information on the hearings can be found on Cal Fire’s website.
Written comments may be submitted by U.S. mail to the following address: Office of the State Fire Marshal, C/O: FHSZ Comments, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection P.O. Box 944246, Sacramento, CA 94244-2460.
To determine the FHSZ of a property, the public can easily search an address using a new FHSZ Viewer at osfm.fire.ca.gov/FHSZ.
In order to help California residents better understand the FHSZ map and answer questions, Cal Fire has created a public toolkit on its website to include new and easy to follow sections, including maps, frequently asked questions, and an automated “hotline” to contact for specific information.
The new website also includes dates, times, and locations of FHSZ public hearings that will be held in the 56 counties that have FHSZs within the SRA. For information about FHSZs, visit the program’s website at osfm.fire.ca.gov/FHSZ. The public can also call an automated hotline at (916) 633-7655.
Following the adoption of the SRA FHSZ Map, Cal Fire’s Office of the State Fire Marshal will begin providing local governments updated FHSZ maps for Local Responsibility Areas.
Under California Government Code 51178, the State Fire Marshal is required to provide local agencies with the areas within their jurisdiction that meet FHSZ criteria for their local adoption and implementation.