Michael Wara

Worth the trip.

The south end is the interesting bit for sure.

I've always wanted to know what the bottom of Crowley Lake looks like. Is is Owens River Gorge 2.0? Is there other interesting geology down there?

Climate-linked escalation of societally disastrous wildfires Climate change and land mismanagement are creating increasingly fire-prone built and natural environments. However, despite worsening fire seasons, evidence is lacking globally for trends in socially ...

Published today: our new paper showing a 44-year trend of increasing global wildfire disasters (fatalities and economic losses) due to climate change-induced extreme weather. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Persistent eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean upwelling since the warm Pliocene Upwelling generates a nutrient-rich “cold tongue” in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean (EEP), with impacts on global climate, oceanic biological productivity, and the carbon cycle. The cold tongue ...

Today, we published a study long in the making on how upper and subsurface tropical Pacific waters responded (and maybe will adjust) to warmer global climate. Here’s the story of how we got here after 15 years. many authors but shout out @jfarmersalmanac.bsky.social
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www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Also, 40% of SoCal jet A. Sorry for the lack of clarity.

I think it is possible but unlikely right now. We are losing Philips 66 and Valero Benicia. El Segundo is not the next to fall. But that was assuming it didn’t face major unexpected costs to continue operating - just normal turn around. We could totally import what El Segundo makes.

An important question will be how extensive the damage is and whether it is large enough to raise questions about future operations at the facility.

The risks of accident increase as the economics of the facility decline. This is something to consider carefully - for worker and community safety - as we electrify transport and refinery financials deteriorate accordingly.

This single refinery is about a fifth of SoCal gasoline supply and 40% of the Jet A.

May she rest in peace.

Met her once. A person with incredible vision, compassion, and intelligence.

Sitting with someone I love who has Alzheimer’s as he tells me about getting sent to the vice principal‘s office in high school for holding the hand of the woman that he’s been married to for 60 years.

These are the things to pay attention to.

Dynamic grid management reduces wildfire adaptation costs in the electric power sector - Nature Climate Change Extreme events are increasingly becoming severe risks to the electric grid, yet there is limited understanding of the cost-effectiveness of adaptation investments. This research demonstrates that dynamic grid management could reduce large capital spending and limit wildfire risks in the USA.

Must read paper. Glad it is out!

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

I sincerely hope that Governor Newsom will sign SB326. If CalFire needs changes, he should initiate a process this fall with the bill's authors to make tweaks that can help the agency do the hard things we need it to do. California can lead on wildfire prevention. This bill enables that.

SB 326 is about reducing risk right away and taking the long-term steps to plan for a better - and importantly - more affordable future in California. Since 2020, our data shows that the combined impact of electricity and insurance cost increases for the average California household is $266/month.

Second, it requires (this is the hard part) that CalFire engage in risk based planning to help better target wildfire risk reduction spending in the state and to identify where we need to spend more. This is absolutely critical if we are going to get a handle on this problem in the long run.

SB326 is important for two reasons. First, it is the most impactful step the state can take THIS YEAR to reduce risk of catastrophes like the LA wildfires. It does this by requiring implementation of a key step to reduce home ignition in high risk areas at rental homes and on sale of existing homes.

California can reduce wildfire risk by boosting Zone 0 compliance | Opinion “Zone 0 is the five-foot buffer around a home where all combustible materials — such as plants, wood fences or mulch — must be removed.”

I wrote on OpEd on SB326, what I believe is the most important piece of wildfire legislation on Governor Newsom's desk.

Sometimes we have to do hard things. This is one of those times. The brave men and women of CalFire can handle this.

www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-e...

California can reduce wildfire risk by boosting Zone 0 compliance | Opinion “Zone 0 is the five-foot buffer around a home where all combustible materials — such as plants, wood fences or mulch — must be removed.”

I wrote an OpEd on the most impactful wildfire bill to pass out of the legislature this year. But that faces a very real veto threat. www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-e...

Here’s hoping that this week’s storms can put California fire season to bed for the year. 🤞🤞🤞

Nice to see a few RX fires starting to pop up on @watchduty.org as the conditions shape up for fall. Thank you burners! 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

Thanks Sean. Hope to see you in Yosemite this year.

For sure. But we actually don’t offer that insurance. People think we do, but ask anybody lost-disaster with a “FEMA binder” how it’s going.

I’m of the nature to grow sick.
I’m of the nature to grow old.
I’m of the nature to lose the people I love.
I’m of the nature to die.
How then shall I live?

From a podcast I’m listening to. @ezrakleinbot.bsky.social

This is my right now meditation too.

We are one country when it comes to natural disasters whether they are hurricanes in republican states or wildfires in democratic ones. That is a hill I will die on.

Now that is a static cone that I can get behind.

This hurts young Americans aspiring to train to become the engineers and scientists that drive future US competitiveness, productivity, and prosperity. Seems like the current admin doesn't want immigrants in our universities training to invent and discover the future, what about the US citizens?

The NSF GSF was the best and most important fellowship an aspiring PhD could hope to get when I was in grad school. It allowed people at the not-fancy schools (I was at UCSC) to potentially have support that the people at places like where I currently work (Stanford) take for granted.

"The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States"

Article 1, Section 8