I wish more SoCal people understood the wildfire danger in the combination of wildly under-maintained public land and public utilities, *and*, having a high-wind season follow a no-rain winter.
Sammy, anyone who's lived in LA for any length of time knows that we never used to have the kind of winds that spread those fires, and especially not in January. Of course the fires are exacerbated by climate change. It seems that as knowledgeable people die off, their replacements don't have a clue as to how things have changed. Thank goodness we have you to help educate them.
“‘My hope is that we can agree on the underlying message: We can’t solve climate change unless we focus on people’s immediate needs,’ wrote Amanda Leland, executive director of the Environmental Defense Fund, on LinkedIn.
‘Without ensuring people benefit from climate action, people won’t act,’ Julio Friedmann, chief scientist at Carbon Direct, told Axios.
Such declarations seem fairly obvious today, but philanthropically speaking, such a turn would amount to a revolution. Putting human welfare at the center of climate action, not greenhouse gas emissions, would require rewriting just about every major legacy foundation’s climate mission.
A lot of people have long suggested such a shift is overdue. But now, one of the world’s largest climate philanthropists (assuming the Gates Foundation’s agriculture funding continues) and one of the world’s biggest proponents of technological solutions is improbably on board. That, under other circumstances, would feel like progress. With a little luck, maybe that can be the enduring legacy of this memo.”
Food insecurity is one of the clearest low-hanging fruits we can tackle—for both human suffering and climate impact. 20% of Californians are food insecure, while 40% of food nationwide is lost or wasted—much of it rotting in landfills and releasing methane, a super-pollutant that worsens climate change and hurts the poor the most.
I hope to see a 2026 bill that expands CalRecycle’s SB 1383's food donation requirements from large food-service businesses to include mid-size ones too.
Despite being a lesser-known cousin of carbon dioxide, methane packs far greater heat-trapping power. It is responsible for around one-third of all global heating since pre-industrial times; alarmingly, its atmospheric levels have been rising at an accelerating rate since around 2006, driven by fracking, faster decomposition in wetlands, and the expansion of livestock farming, particularly cattle.
Thanks for bringing the Canary Media story about loss of bat tracking funding to my attention. I've been writing about bat and bird tracking for two years, https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/environment/article282796908.html?giftCode=3a3551d9ebf5b84179376835d64ea1127543b6336b4d697877f8d76bfd609baa and https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/environment/article311993028.html?giftCode=65797e6c6c1363bbae6451dae5d5159a12e36156222b6e7d6bc1eb42a3e071b8
The government shutdown made connecting difficult. I hope to update the Piedras Blancas project soon.
I wish more SoCal people understood the wildfire danger in the combination of wildly under-maintained public land and public utilities, *and*, having a high-wind season follow a no-rain winter.
Another gloomy wildfire recommendation from our northern forest neighbors: https://fresnoland.org/2025/10/14/garnet-fire/
http://www.hurteaulab.org/blog/a-eulogy-for-teakettle
Sammy, anyone who's lived in LA for any length of time knows that we never used to have the kind of winds that spread those fires, and especially not in January. Of course the fires are exacerbated by climate change. It seems that as knowledgeable people die off, their replacements don't have a clue as to how things have changed. Thank goodness we have you to help educate them.
Hey Paula, thank you for reading — glad you appreciated this. You're right, it's important to be aware of how things are changing.
"The Problematic Fire History of Eaton Canyon"
by Bill Patzert (Nov 10, 2025)
Key Question: Did Eaton Canyon Natural Area contribute to the January 7, 2025, Eaton Canyon Fire?
The answer: Yes.
🔥 Eaton Canyon and nearby foothills fire history overview:
Eaton Canyon and nearby foothills burn every 10–12 years, largely due to human causes.
Notable fires:
• 1979 Pinecrest Fire:
o Cause: Campfire
o 121 homes destroyed
• 1993 Kinneloa Fire:
o Cause: Campfire
o 129 homes lost
o Original Nature Center destroyed
o Followed by severe flash flooding and mudslides
• 2009 Station Fire:
o Cause: Arson
o Largest in LA County history
o Winds spared the area (no Santa Ana winds)
• 2025 Eaton Canyon Fire:
o Cause: SoCal Edison power line during Santa Ana winds (80–100 mph)
o Fuel Conditions: Explosive vegetation from two wet winters followed by dry 2024 fall into 2025 early winter (rains followed the fire)
o New Eaton Canyon Nature Center burned down again
🔥 The three ingredients for fire:
1. Fuel (Eaton Canyon is one the most fuel dense areas of the Angeles National Forest)
2. Ignition (95% fires are manmade – People Equal Fire)
3. Meteorology (intense, dry, winter North to Northeasterly Santa Ana Winds)
r
⚠️ Key Lessons Ignored:
1. Eaton Canyon is often dangerously overgrown and bordered by dense communities.
2. Power lines crossing the canyon are a constant ignition threat.
3. During strong wind events fires are often present.
4. Post-fire flooding and mudslides are common in the following winters.
5. Recreation raises risk — hikers, campers and the homeless often cause ignitions.
6. Fire mitigation is lacking — pre-planning and fuel management are insufficient.
7. Evacuation plans need improvement and coordination across all agencies.
8. Vegetation control (e.g., controlled burns, brush clearance) are essential — not optional.
9. We ignored history: Example: The Nature Center was rebuilt surrounded by dense brush and burned again.
🧭 Conclusion:
The 2025 fire was preventable — a tragic repeat of past mistakes.
Eaton Canyon is a threat when unmanaged. It's time for serious, science-backed discussions and action on:
• Eaton Canyon fuel and vegetation density
• Urban brush clearing near Eaton Canyon
• Pre-fire planning and evacuation protocols
• Ending the "all-natural" approach in Eaton Canyon, it’s a high-risk fire zone
Final Message:
Stop admiring Eaton Canyon and ignoring the fire danger. Manage it — or risk reliving this disaster again and again
Appreciate this well-planned event including the before/after posts, and the news roundup.
In Bill Gates’ Climate “Breakup Letter”: The Bad and the Maybe Not So Bad on Nov. 6, Inside Philanthropy’s Michael Kavate quoted the four scientist panelists, plus others’ comments (https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/bill-gates-climate-breakup-letter-the-bad-and-the-maybe-not-so-bad):
“‘My hope is that we can agree on the underlying message: We can’t solve climate change unless we focus on people’s immediate needs,’ wrote Amanda Leland, executive director of the Environmental Defense Fund, on LinkedIn.
‘Without ensuring people benefit from climate action, people won’t act,’ Julio Friedmann, chief scientist at Carbon Direct, told Axios.
Such declarations seem fairly obvious today, but philanthropically speaking, such a turn would amount to a revolution. Putting human welfare at the center of climate action, not greenhouse gas emissions, would require rewriting just about every major legacy foundation’s climate mission.
A lot of people have long suggested such a shift is overdue. But now, one of the world’s largest climate philanthropists (assuming the Gates Foundation’s agriculture funding continues) and one of the world’s biggest proponents of technological solutions is improbably on board. That, under other circumstances, would feel like progress. With a little luck, maybe that can be the enduring legacy of this memo.”
Bloomberg on Nov. 7: Bill Gates Puts $1.4 Billion to Help Farmers Adapt to Climate Extremes (gift link https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-07/bill-gates-puts-1-4-billion-to-help-farmers-adapt-to-climate-extremes?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc2MjkxMTIyOSwiZXhwIjoxNzYzNTE2MDI5LCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUNUQ1M1dHUEwzWTIwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJDREIwMUY2OTdBNzE0N0Q0QTFCOTA0RTQ1MTMwRTU4MCJ9.x_ThvErLDBbP6VQmlcoXLGc054UwM1tbyfKUQw1TOwo)
Food insecurity is one of the clearest low-hanging fruits we can tackle—for both human suffering and climate impact. 20% of Californians are food insecure, while 40% of food nationwide is lost or wasted—much of it rotting in landfills and releasing methane, a super-pollutant that worsens climate change and hurts the poor the most.
I hope to see a 2026 bill that expands CalRecycle’s SB 1383's food donation requirements from large food-service businesses to include mid-size ones too.
Thanks for the panel, and the news update. Methane emissions add to climate disruption. Sharon Wilson has documented them for years. This profile includes several links, https://atmos.earth/climate-solutions/this-former-oil-worker-is-now-exposing-its-dirty-methane-emissions/
Despite being a lesser-known cousin of carbon dioxide, methane packs far greater heat-trapping power. It is responsible for around one-third of all global heating since pre-industrial times; alarmingly, its atmospheric levels have been rising at an accelerating rate since around 2006, driven by fracking, faster decomposition in wetlands, and the expansion of livestock farming, particularly cattle.
Definitely, important to make this part of the conversation. Thank you Christine!