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Jacob Margolis
What I cover
I cover science, with a focus on environmental stories and disasters, as well as investigations and accountability.
My background
I created, wrote and hosted the LAist Studios podcasts, The Big One: Your Survival Guide and The Big Burn: How To Survive In The Age of Wildfires. I was part of the team that won the 2021 Investigative Reporters and Editors Audio Journalism Award for the series "Hot Days: Heat’s Mounting Death Toll On Workers In The U.S. "Most recently, I’ve published investigations into large scale illegal dumping in L.A. County and previously unreported heavy metal concentrations in fire retardants.
My goals
To uncover how science, policy, and power intersect — so people have the information they need to hold decision-makers accountable and protect their communities.
Best way to reach me
You can reach me by email: jmargolis@laist.com. Or for encrypted communications, I'm on Signal: @jacobmargolis.1.
Stories by Jacob Margolis
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The forecast couldn't get much better from a safety standpoint.
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They want the city council to codify protections for undocumented immigrants
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A fast-burning fire in the mountains was pushed by exceptionally strong and dry Santa Ana winds, burning thousands of acres, destroying homes and forcing evacuations.
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Roughly 67 million gallons of fire retardant have been dropped on California since 2014.
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The Santa Ana winds have returned, and with them, elevated risks of fire.
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Some waste piles seen were three stories tall. Supervisor Kathryn Barger says stricter regulations and penalties are needed.
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The fire burned 800 acres in the Antelope Valley. The L.A. County Fire official says there have been about 70 mulch-related fires this calendar year.
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You didn't have to stay up late to see it, but you may have had to squint
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"Limited resource availability continues to hamper control efforts," said one official incident update.
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No damage has been reported within an hour after the temblor.
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Some 65,600 structures, 13,000 under evacuation orders, remain threatened as the fire burns in steep terrain.
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Fire officials said OC Public Works was moving boulders when the fire ignited in Trabuco Canyon.
