Environment

Home gardens and landscapes should be compatible with their respective climates. For local chaparral climates, plants that do not need much watering through the long and dry summers are appropriate. Aquatic plants are the extreme opposite. They require regular replenishment of the ponds that...

After nearly two years out of commission, Big Basin Redwoods State Park—the oldest State Park in California—is about to open to the public, once again. It was closed after being ravaged by the CZU Lightning Complex fire, (97% destroyed), but on July 22, the proverbial...

Wednesday morning around 7:45am, 6,301 homes lost power, after a fault was reported on a line that serves the San Lorenzo Valley, according to utility officials. The outage occurred on a Pacific Gas & Electric Co. circuit that has Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings built in,...

Updated June 27, 2022 at 5:22pm: 90% containment. A fire burning along Highway 17 was 90% contained at 5:20pm after burning two acres Monday, authorities said. Cal Fire learned of the blaze near the summit—on the Santa Cruz County side in the Alta Vista Lane area—at...

A vegetation fire threatening several homes in the 18500 block of Montevina Road above Los Gatos didn't end up consuming any structures or injuring anybody this afternoon, authorities said. The blaze sparked around noon and as Santa Clara County Fire Department and Cal Fire crews...

In October 2004, when inspectors tested the water in front of the Hillview Cleaners dry cleaner in downtown Saratoga, they discovered serious contamination. They found the groundwater coursing with 5,400 µg/L (micrograms per liter) of PCE, a key component in degreasing and scouring fabric for...