Climate & Environment

State fines oil company $18 million over 2015 Santa Barbara spill

The pipeline caused a major oil spill a decade ago, fouling the ocean off Santa Barbara County. The new owners say they don’t need new permits for repairs.

A crew of people in white hasmat suits and hard hats use shovels to transfer oil-tainted sand into clear plastic bags on a beach.

Elevated levels of lead found downwind from Eaton Fire burn area

L.A. County Department of Public Health officials announced the preliminary findings Friday.

A man and a woman hold hands while wearing masks and walking down a street surrounded by burn damage and fires.

Springtime heat brings more summer temps to SoCal

Expect temperatures between 10 and 20 degrees above average for inland areas today.

A view of someone walking outside using an umbrella to block the sun.

LA County supervisors want to speed up process for rebuilding permits in Altadena

The L.A. County Board of Supervisors has voted to create a "Unified Permitting Authority" aimed at cutting red tape for wildfire survivors who want to rebuild their homes.

An aerial photo of rows and rows of empty properties, some with clear patches of dirt and others with rubble remaining. A mountain range can be seen in the background.

The government is clearing fire debris from thousands of plots. Here’s what it looks like

On any given day, around 215 crews work to clear the burn zones of the Palisades and Eaton fires while keeping debris out of the air.

A person wearing a yellow safety vest and black helmet sprays a dark green liquid from a hose onto a piece of property. Behind the person is a tractor and a person in a white protective suit spraying water onto a property.

LA trash fees could soon nearly double. Here's what you should know

We could soon see the first collection fee increase in 15 years.

A large garbage truck is open as sanitation workers toss bags of trash into it.

Springtime heat wave could bring record breaking temps to the valley

Temperatures could reach the mid 90s in the valley.

Five people are crossing the street in a white crosswalk in downtown Los Angeles as cars drive past. The sun is bearing down on the pavement between two tall buildings in the skyline on a clear day.

Will your insurance go up? State Farm rate hike hearings kick off

Homeowners with State Farm insurance policies could see a 22% rate hike.

A State Farm insurance sign leans against the remains of a burnt building

California solar plant is riding into the sunset, thanks to cheaper panels

Photvoltaic solar panels are now so much cheaper than the energy being generated at the Ivanpah facility in the Mojave Desert that the plant is set to close.

An array of mirrors stretch across the desert, with mountains in the background. Large mirrors direct sunlight toward the center.

Could 800 homes be headed for this coastal stretch of Huntington Beach?

The stretch of seaside Orange County has been the site of oil production for nearly 100 years. But the oil company that owns it wants to redevelop the land for housing, a hotel and other commercial uses.

A map that includes a coastal stretch of Huntingtoon Beach with a pink border outlining a slice of land along Pacific Coast Highway.

Heat wave is bearing down on Southern California this week

Temperatures into the 90s are expected to hit Wednesday through Friday. LA and the rest of SoCal should be closer to normal April weather by Sunday.

The sun sets and shows off the silhouettes of power lines.

The human element is still key in detecting wildfires. But new tech is aiding the fight

Supercomputers, drones and sensors are all being deployed to help firefighters on the ground. Here's a look at some of the technology in use today, and some that may be contributing soon.

Plumes of smoke are visible from a hillside a stretching over residential areas.

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