A bipartisan bill introduced on Jan. 28 by three California lawmakers would direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to maintain a program that improves wildfire forecasting and detection.

The mountains and foothills of Los Angeles County are in “extreme drought” conditions, about 36% of the county, explained Pugh. That’s one category shy of hitting the highest level, “exceptional drought,” and three higher than the lowest, “abnormally dry.” The rest of the county is in severe drought.

The Los Angeles region, still reeling from this month’s firestorm, is under a red-flag warning from noon Monday through Tuesday morning.

Smoke and ash could poison plankton and other organisms that form the foundation of the marine food chain, biologists say.

An air quality alert was issued on Wednesday at 4:14 p.m. in effect until Thursday at 6 p.m. The alert is for San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-The Inland Empire, Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills and Orange County Inland.

California is investing $15 million to offset climate change threats to salmon and steelhead trout in river and stream habitats through watershed projects.

California's insurance crisis risks triggering broader financial instability, an expert in economics and the environment warned.

A dry season down south could worsen already concerning drought conditions in Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. The predictions for the middle band of the U.S. are more of a toss-up.

Weekend rains could bring some relief to Southern California. Here's the forecast and an assessment of how much it will help reduce fire risk.

Rain and cooler temperatures will bring relief to Southern California this weekend, after a prolonged stretch of dry, breezy weather that allowed wildfires to thrive.

A slow-moving low-pressure system will linger over the Southwest, bringing steady rain through at least Monday.

In less than a week, Southern California’s weather has gone from unseasonably dry and warm – to wet and now bitterly cold. The National Weather Service says