Climate & Environment

Phase 2 of wildfire cleanup starts this week

Construction material and ash will be removed along with six inches of soil in an effort to mitigate contamination.

A piece of paper saying "This property's Hazardous Materials removal is complete."

Atmospheric river brings ‘strongest storm of the season’ to SoCal this week

The National Weather Service warns that heavy rainfall could cause floods and debris flow in burn scars.

A white man with a gray mustache wearing track pants and a blue rain jacket with hood stands at the driveway of a home placing sandbags against a plastic barricade as water streams and overflows the gutter. Water wells up and flows around his left sneaker.

His house survived the Eaton Fire — for now, he's figured out a way to stay

Rob Caves and his partner's Christmas Tree Lane home survived the Eaton Fire, like the majority of houses on his block. But with ash in the air and no drinkable water, few of his neighbors have returned.

A model train track with no train on it behind white picket fence.

I thought my family keepsakes were gone after the fire. Then I found these volunteers

Churchgoers recruited by Samaritan’s Purse have helped hundreds of Altadenans recover valuables.

A small green carved figurine of an old man with a long beard is held with two gloved hands against a backdrop of rubble.

Which SoCal sea creatures are struggling? Check their grades

The Aquarium of the Pacific releases its first report card on local sea life.

A sea turtle looks toward the camera from underwater

Water utilities are flushing pipes to clean drinking water after the fires. Here’s what to know

Pushing out contaminants allows a fresh supply of water to come in.

Many conspiracies involve water hydrants. The water systems used to fight the Palisades and Eaton fires couldn't maintain the continuous high water pressures needed, meaning water stopped flowing in some hydrants.

Heavy rain in the forecast brings greater mudslide risk

Rainfall totals are likely to be higher than what we saw this week.

An electronic sign warns of possible mudslide flooding along a mountain road.

The LA fires burned a lot of lithium-ion batteries. What does that say about a clean energy future?

We talk to experts about the safety of the technology and its role in the rebuild.

Two people embrace in the street as others, some in masks and respirators, look on. A home in the background is full engulfed in flames.

Trump orders and atmospheric rivers: how prepared are California's levees?

A 2019 infrastructure report card gave the state’s levees a "D," citing that despite significant investments, much more work is needed to rehabilitate and improve them.