Cal Fire

Berkeley is sprouting with eucalyptus trees. Approximately 1,250 of these evergreen giants spread their roots in the north, posing a fire risk to the city.

Humans have increasingly encroached on nature, settling in wildfire prone areas. Combined with a history of fire suppression and anthropogenic spark ignitions, these ingredients form a recipe for wildfires amid continued climate change.

The Washburn Fire has been specifically threatening Yosemite’s Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias, home to more than 500 mature giant sequoias.

In collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, or NOAA and other research institutions, UC Berkeley researchers evaluated NOAA’s High-Resolution Rapid Refresh wildfire smoke model, or HRRR-Smoke, that forecasted concentration and movement of smoke during the 2018 Camp Fire.

In preparation for California’s upcoming fire season, the city of Berkeley is ramping up tree removal and other wildfire safety efforts.

As California’s wildfire season approaches, the Berkeley Fire Department and the city of Berkeley have prepared a variety of resources in anticipation of the hot and dry months ahead.

UC scientists and researchers discussed fire in the wildland-urban interface at the second UC wildfire symposium Wednesday.

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation gave a $1.5 million grant to UC Berkeley astrophysicist Carl Pennypacker and Tim Ball, president of Fireball Information Technologies, LLC, funding their efforts to improve infrared fire detectors.

As California approaches wildfire season, experts and researchers called the state’s proper wildfire readiness and preparation called into question. 

As part of the $100 billion California Comeback Plan, California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed significant investments in disaster prevention and climate change mitigation Monday.