LIVE UPDATES
Quick reads — Temperatures could hit 110 as weekend heat wave approaches
Heat advisory in effect for North State through Sunday night
The North State will see triple digit temperatures again this weekend.
A heat advisory will be active for the region starting tomorrow morning. It will last until late Sunday night.
According to the National Weather Service, daytime highs will range from 95 to 110 degrees. The advisory is issued for most of the North State, including the valley, coastal mountains and parts of the northeastern foothills.
Butte County Public Health told NSPR that people should stay in cool indoor spaces and keep hydrated, as well as watch for signs of heat-related illness. That includes nausea, dizziness, muscle cramps, clammy skin, a pale face, heavy sweating and weakness.
Heat related illness particularly impacts children, seniors, people with disabilities, pregnant women, those who work outside,and those without air conditioning. People experiencing those symptoms should move to a cool place and get medical attention immediately.
People can avoid heat-related illness by drinking lots of water, staying in air-conditioned rooms and wearing light clothes and sunscreen.
Butte County Public Health also recommends that people check on family and friends during this time.
Smoky skies persist across Shasta County as wildfires burn near
Shasta County is continuing to see smoky conditions due to multiple wildfires burning in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
Since Monday, the county has seen poor air quality. Wind has made that smoke from the wildfires travel to western parts of Shasta County, in areas like Redding, Anderson and Shasta Lake. Meanwhile, eastern parts of the county should see less smoke today.
Rob Stahl is with the Shasta County’s Air Quality Management District.“The best thing to do, especially if you’re one of the sensitive groups … the elderly, young or if you’ve got medical conditions … try and stay indoors as much as possible,” he said.
Stahl said people should also have their air conditioner on recirculation in their homes and vehicles so smoky outside air doesn’t get in. He suggests people who are sensitive to poor air quality also consider using an N-95 mask while outdoors.
A change in air quality will depend on the weather, he said.“As long as we’re getting the north winds, that’s going to bring in the smoke, but if the winds shift, it could push some of the smoke out of our area,” Stahl said.
You can check your local air quality at AirNow.gov.
CHP officers to get body cams
California Highway Patrol plans to equip all of their officers with body cameras by next March.
According to reporting by CalMatters, almost 2,500 cameras have been given to officers in the Bay Area, Los Angeles and Sacramento.CHP officers make about 2 million stops per year, according to data from the state’s Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board.
The move comes after a CalMatters investigation found that just 3% of CHP officers wore body cameras. A 2022 study found evidence that after three years of using body cameras, agencies saw lower rates of police killings than those that didn’t use the technology.
Green Fire in Shasta-Trinity forest grows past 2,000 acres; smoke prompts air quality warning
There are three large wildfires burning in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, and smoke from the fires is creating dangerous air conditions.
The Shasta County Air Quality Management District issued a warning to residents to avoid exposure to the smoke. Winds in the area are expected to spread smoke across Shasta County, particularly in the communities of Palo Cedro, Shingletown and Burney.
The largest of the three fires is the Green Fire. It's now more than 2,000 acres with no containment.
The Horse Fire is nearly 400 acres and is 80% contained, and the Helena Fire is just over 100 acres and 60% contained. All three fires were started by lightning strikes last week.
Safe Space Chico opens cooling centers, seeks volunteers
Chico nonprofit Safe Space is opening cooling centers at local churches and looking for volunteers.
Shifts as soon as Wednesday evening still need to be filled. Shifts are two hours long and involve assistance with organization and distribution of supplies, preparation of prepackaged sandwiches and cleaning at the end of the day.
Cooling centers are open from 1 to 8 p.m. and the site is currently located at Trinity United Methodist Church. The center will be at that location until July 14, then move to Hope Commons Church.
The cooling centers will also offer medical supplies, food and drinks.
Cal Fire opens wildfire prevention grants for local communities
Applications are open for Cal Fire's wildfire prevention grants program.
The initiative is part of California's comprehensive Wildfire Resilience Strategy. The grants will support local projects that enhance the protection of people, structures and communities.
The deadline for is 3 p.m. on Aug. 6.
Esparto explosion prompts state of emergency, DNA testing underway
Yolo County has declared a state of emergency over last week's fatal explosion at a fireworks facility in Esparto and the resulting Oakdale Fire.
Supervisors unanimously approved the declaration today. It requests additional aid from state and federal officials to help with the response noting that the fire destroyed buildings, crops and other infrastructure nearby. It also sparked the 80 acre wildfire and other spot fires.
Seven sets of remains have been recovered from the site. The Yolo County Coroner's Office says Rapid DNA testing to confirm their identities should be completed by tomorrow.
The state fire marshal is leading the investigation into the cause of the explosion. The warehouse was managed by a Bay Area pyrotechnics company.
State launches cleanup of burned Bidwell Mansion in Chico
Cleanup on Chico's Bidwell Mansion starts this week, almost seven months after the historic building burned to the ground.
California State Parks says there won’t be any demolition or clean up inside the building, and workers will monitor for hazardous materials and air quality, as well as protect what's left of the mansion. The process should take about three weeks.
The cleanup will allow for more evaluations needed for the planning and recovery process. State Parks says they'll seek public input on the mansion's future later this summer.
Authorities recover human remains after deadly Esparto warehouse blast
The bodies of all seven missing people after a firework warehouse explosion have been found.
According to reporting by the Associated Press, human remains were recovered from the site in Esparto, but the identities of the people were withheld as authorities notified family members. The initial explosion last week set off a barrage of fireworks and reduced the warehouse to rubble. It also ignited several vegetation fires which have been put out or contained.
The company Devastating Pyrotechnics operates at the facility, according to multiple outlets. It released a statement on its website expressing sympathy for those affected by the explosion and saying they'll cooperate with investigators.
Shasta County officials warn public about poor air quality
Shasta County residents could see potential smoke impacts from a burning wildfire today.
The county’s air quality management district says that winds could move smoke from the Green Fire into more populated areas. Bella Vista, Palo Cedro, Shingletown, Round Mountain and Big Bend are at greater risk of poor air quality. Some areas could also experience high concentrations of smoke based on their proximity to the fire, the time of day, topography and weather conditions.
The district says seniors, children, people who are pregnant or those with respiratory or heart disease should be extra cautious. Residents should limit exercise and outdoor time, keep windows closed and turn on their air conditioner with a recirculation setting.
Bacteria swim advisory at Sycamore Pool in Chico’s Bidwell Park
If you see new warning signs at Sycamore Pool in Bidwell Park, it’s because the City of Chico has issued a swim advisory.
Officials say bacteria levels in the water are elevated, though they didn’t say what kind of bacteria, just that it could pose health risks.
In a press release, the City urged people not to swim, to keep pets out of the water and to wash thoroughly if you come in contact with the creek.
According to the release, children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems are most at risk.
Residents who think they’ve been infected with a waterborne illness should contact their doctor. They may also call and report their illness to the Butte County Public Health Department.
Redding highlights city assistance programs to help people stay cool this summer
The City of Redding is offering help with staying cool as the hottest month of the year approaches.
The City says five of its programs can provide financial reimbursement and help lower monthly power bills for those whose electricity is in danger of being shut off due to missed payments. The programs are available to the elderly, Native Americans and low-income residents.
Last year, Redding saw the highest July temperatures ever recorded in the city, according to reporting by the Redding Record Searchlight.
Most North State public land not likely to be sold in updated federal budget bill, for now
A provision allowing millions of acres of public land to be sold has been removed from the Senate’s federal budget bill. According to reporting by Shasta Scout, a provision would’ve permitted the sale of U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management owned land, including areas surrounding Mount Shasta, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Modoc National Forest and Whiskeytown National Recreation Area.
The provision was removed last week after the Senate parliamentarian decided it violated a rule that prevents irrelevant provisions from being added to budget bills. But Senator Mike Lee, who proposed the sale of land wrote over social media that he plans to edit the provision so that it complies with chamber rules.
The edits would remove Forest Service land and reduce the amount of the bureau’s land on the table. It would spare most California land, but would put land near Whiskeytown at risk.
Repeated burglaries lead to bear invasion in Butte County
A series of burglaries in a Magalia home led to bears taking it over.
A 64-year-old woman first reported her home was burglarized in April. A string of regular burglaries followed and the woman decided to live somewhere else temporarily. Damage done to the home during the thefts allowed bears to enter, causing even more damage.
The Butte County District Attorney’s Office filed first-degree residential burglary charges against 11 people for the incident last week. Four of the 11 people arrested remain in custody with bail set at $50,000. Six other suspects have been identified with charges pending.