Environment

California is barely a month into the summer of 2020, but wildfire season is in full swing. An unusually dry January and February gave way to a wet March and April, which lessened severe dry conditions, but May and June brought a series of intense heat waves and low humidity…

What better way to spend some time at a local park or pond than feeding the ducks some old bread, right? It’s a tradition that goes back generations. Turns out it’s bad for the ducks. Experts say there are several reasons people should not feed bread to ducks or geese.…

The California Office of Emergency Services reports a prolonged period of hotter-than-normal temperatures expected for at least the next week in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys and neighboring foothills. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Heat Warning through June 27, with temperatures expected to be hottest in…

Regulation and oversight help keep consumers—and their cars—safe Having car trouble is trouble enough; getting it fixed shouldn’t be. That’s because, decades ago, California enacted robust car-repair legislation to protect you and your vehicle—protection that continues strong today. FIXING PAST PRACTICES In the early and mid-20th century, if you had…

April 22 marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.  The annual event, which was enacted on April 22, 1970, is celebrated around the world to bring awareness to environmental issues and to provide measures that will help protect our planet. The idea of Earth Day was the brainchild of United…

After a devastating fire turned their community into a ghost town, residents of Paradise in Northern California are ready to start over. California architects and contractors are stepping up to help rebuild their town, making way for a new Paradise. One property owner isn’t taking any chances and will use…

Get ready for DCA’s 6th annual Earth, Safety, and Wellness Day, which will be held on Wednesday, May 22, between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., at DCA headquarters at 1625 North Market Blvd. in Sacramento’s Natomas area. This year’s event will feature ideas and solutions on how to protect and…

Governor Gavin Newsom Declares May 5-11 ‘Wildfire Preparedness Week’ Thousands of wildfires strike California every year, many outside of what was traditionally considered “fire season.” Years of drought have resulted in tinder-dry landscapes and 18 million dead trees across the state, which prompted California Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a…

Since October 2017, several California communities have been devastated by historic wildfires and mudslides/debris flows. These disasters were responsible for the deaths of at least 88 people and for destroying more than 10,800 structures, many of them homes.  The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) and other State and local agencies…

Another destructive wildfire season is underway in California, and residents who want to minimize the risk of losing their home to a wildfire should start with ensuring their property has defensible space. Defensible space around a home is such a critical element to protecting properties—and any firefighters trying to save…