SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — The once lush green hillsides nourished by the mid-winter rains will continue to turn brown and fire prone this week as a slow-moving high pressure system buffets the San Francisco Bay Area with bone-dry winds and temperatures soaring to near record highs, forecasters predicted Monday.

The National Weather Service said temperatures will reach the low 90s on Thursday in the South Bay and only be prevented from setting new records from San Francisco to San Jose because of a similar heat wave in 1989.

READ MORE: Families Grieve At Candlelight Vigil For Victims Of Deadliest Mass Shooting In Sacramento History

During that record heat, downtown San Francisco reached 91, Redwood City 90 and Gilroy 96.

“It should be noted that a similar heat wave occurred in early April back in 1989 and many of those records may stand still,” the weather service said. “Therefore, it is uncertain how many records may or may not be broken.”

READ MORE: Critics Of MADD’s New Anti-Drug Billboard Warn It May Harm Tourism

Normally at this time of year, forecasters said, the average temperature in the Bay Area hovers around degrees so most areas will at 15-20 degrees over that by mid-week.

One other thing is for certain, with every passing high pressure system, the hillsides will dry out just a little bit more.

MORE NEWS: UPDATE: Crews Knock Down 2-Alarm Fire In San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury District

“The recent rains brought a brief reprieve on fire weather charts, but that will be quickly erased,” the weather service said. “Heightened fire weather concerns will return by weeks end with warm, dry, and breezy conditions.”

The post Mid-Week Warmth Wave Will Dry Out Drought Parched Hillsides – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

SAN JOSE (KPIX) – The Santa Clara Valley Water District, the wholesaler for the South Bay, is making efforts to polish the image of purified wastewater and lay the groundwork for the replenishment of local aquifers.

At a press event at the Silicon Valley Advanced Water Purification Center, Rick Callender, CEO of Valley Water, spoke about the need to keep saving while developing ways to increase supply.

At the event, employees distributed water bottles to elected officials and dignitaries with this message printed on the label: “That used to be wastewater #GetOverIt.”

“(Recycled water) may have an image problem, but I think once people are educated they will understand that if you look at the ecosystem, all water is recycled,” Callender said.

The cleaning center receives water from the regional sewage system San José-Santa Clara on the opposite side of the street, which is pumped through a microfiltration and reverse osmosis system and guided by UV light.

At this stage, the water is cleaner than what can be achieved with home filtration systems, the district said. However, it cannot legally be considered “potable” until it has undergone “advanced oxidation”. The district wants to upgrade the cleaning center and install the technology.

Currently the purification center produces 8 million gallons per day, the majority of which is diverted for industrial use, landscape irrigation, and agricultural crops, while the remainder is dumped into the bay.

Once classified as “potable,” it is up to the state Water Resources Control Board to approve the use of millions of gallons of purified water to recharge aquifers in Campbell.

Callender commented on the district’s efforts to get the water resources committee to act quickly.

“I think this is just the beginning of a conversation we need to have. We need to have it now, we need to finish it, and we need to be able to find ways to ensure that we can use advanced purified water for water supply. I think this is just the beginning of a very long conversation and hopefully the state will be able to step on the regulatory accelerator and figure out how to do this quickly, ”Callender said.

The district will decide whether to expand the current water treatment center on Zanker Road or build a new facility in Palo Alto. Callender said the district is reviewing options for both.

“We are in the worst drought since the 1970s. Our reservoirs will be empty if climate change doesn’t go away. Droughts won’t go away, ”Callender said.

Drinking the purified sewage, Shane Kent said in San Jose, it tasted “good.”

“It’s not like tap water or anything like that, but I don’t notice that much of a difference,” said Kent. “But if I saw a fresh bottle of water and something that was treated wastewater – although technically the same – I’d probably prefer the regular bottle of water to this. So it’s definitely a strange image problem. “

The post State-of-the-Artwork Water Purification Plant Helps Silicon Valley Battle Drought – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

SAN JOSE (KPIX 5) – As the ongoing drought caused some to replace their lawns, thieves were caught on camera stealing an expensive roll of artificial turf from the front of a house in San Jose.

Security cameras in a house on Eastridge Drive captured a suspicious white SUV at around 1:20 a.m. on Sept. 25, as it slowly drove by with the headlights off.

CONTINUE READING: Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen testifies on Capitol Hill; “We have to act now,” she tells the senators

Two minutes later, two men are walking towards the property from the left and walking straight towards a large roll of artificial turf in the front yard of Rick Telly’s house.

The thieves struggled with the weight of the roll, but then they picked it up and walked away. It was gone in seconds.

Surveillance videos allegedly showing two thieves stealing artificial turf from a house in San Jose on September 25, 2021. (CBS)

“It was worth about $ 4,000,” said Telly, who owns a small construction company.

Telly told KPIX 5 that he plans to use the lawn for a client’s work and install lawn in his own front yard.

“I think it’s a shame,” he said. “I find it pretty sad that people have to resort to these kinds of measures to steal other people’s property, especially people who are just trying to make a living doing these kinds of services.”

CONTINUE READING: Warriors star Andrew Wiggins: “It was a matter of getting vaccinated or not playing basketball”

Neighbor Lourdes Walker said she was surprised the thieves took the turf. “People suffer for money and they are just too lazy to work,” she said.

But then she said it made sense because of the drought.

“That’s what I think for my garden to be replacing the grass,” said Walker.

In fact, one plumber said the demand for turf is at an all-time high, ranging from $ 12 to $ 18 per square foot.

Troy Scott, co-owner of Heavenly Greens, also said project latencies have now been months behind.

“You can imagine that there is an advantage when someone has a part-time job and discovers some lawn. But it’s a bit extreme, I have to say, ”Scott told KPIX 5.

Telly said it’s thousands of dollars out of his pocket but hopes to get the lawn back if he can catch the thieves.

MORE NEWS: Driver wanted in San Jose due to injury

“Little did I know anyone would resort to these measures to take the weed,” he said.

The post Synthetic Turf Stolen From San Jose Residence As Drought Drives Rising Demand – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

SAN JOSE (KPIX 5) – As the ongoing drought caused some to replace their lawns, thieves were caught on camera stealing an expensive roll of artificial turf from the front of a house in San Jose.

Security cameras in a house on Eastridge Drive captured a suspicious white SUV at around 1:20 a.m. on Sept. 25, as it slowly drove by with the headlights off.

CONTINUE READING: Years of dispute over tree removal between PG&E, Lafayette residents could soon be settled

Two minutes later, two men are walking towards the property from the left and walking straight towards a large roll of artificial turf in the front yard of Rick Telly’s house.

The thieves struggled with the weight of the roll, but then they picked it up and walked away. It was gone in seconds.

Surveillance videos allegedly showing two thieves stealing artificial turf from a house in San Jose on September 25, 2021. (CBS)

“It was worth about $ 4,000,” said Telly, who owns a small construction company.

Telly told KPIX 5 that he plans to use the lawn for a client’s work and install lawn in his own front yard.

“I think it’s a shame,” he said. “I find it pretty sad that people have to resort to these kinds of measures to steal other people’s property, especially people who are just trying to make a living doing these kinds of services.”

CONTINUE READING: Plans to use counselors to meet the shortage of teacher replacements have been criticized in San Jose

Neighbor Lourdes Walker said she was surprised the thieves took the turf. “People suffer for money and they are just too lazy to work,” she said.

But then she said it made sense because of the drought.

“That’s what I think for my garden to be replacing the grass,” said Walker.

In fact, one plumber said the demand for turf is at an all-time high, ranging from $ 12 to $ 18 per square foot.

Troy Scott, co-owner of Heavenly Greens, also said project latencies have now been months behind.

“You can imagine that there is an advantage when someone has a part-time job and discovers some lawn. But it’s a bit extreme, I have to say, ”Scott told KPIX 5.

Telly said it’s thousands of dollars out of his pocket but hopes to get the lawn back if he can catch the thieves.

MORE NEWS: UPDATE: Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp back online after hours of global failure

“Little did I know anyone would resort to these measures to take the weed,” he said.

The post Synthetic Turf Stolen From San Jose Residence As Drought Drives Rising Demand – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS (CBS SF / AP) – Drought conditions in California are worsening, and state officials fear wildfires could wreak more damage than last year when the complex fires burned 4% of the state – record damage.

The danger prompted Governor Gavin Newsom this week to urge the state to spend a record $ 2 billion on fighting forest fires. That is twice as much as he suggested in January.

CONTINUE READING: Crash along Highway 24 at the Caldecott Tunnel temporarily blocks the well to the east

“We are very clear that we need to step up our efforts here in the state of California, and that is exactly what we started earlier this year,” he said on Monday.

Above-average wildfire potential is expected in the mountains and foothills of California from June through August and possibly into fall, which is the usual main fire season, according to the National Drought Mitigation Center and the Southwest Coordination Center.

CONTINUE READING: The day the sky turned blood orange; Historic forest fires devastate Northern California

While some parts of the Southwest experienced cool and humid conditions last month, California did not, said Chuck Maxwell, meteorologist and predictive services manager at the Southwest Coordination Center in Albuquerque. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, which measures conditions, 94% of California has drought conditions that range from moderate to exceptional.

This year’s fires have burned almost five times as much area as last year at that time. But the 62 square kilometers drawn by about 2,600 fires this year is a small fraction of the total of nearly 10,000 fires last year, and an astronomical 17,231 square kilometers were burned. The fires killed 33 people and burned more than 10,000 houses and other buildings.

In the Bay Area alone, Northern California’s 2020 historic fire season burned more than two million acres – 3,125 square miles – almost three times the size of Chicago, Manhattan and Los Angeles combined.

Last year’s epic fire season lasted so long that it slowed Cal Fire’s attempts to make their own fires – the mandatory burns they increasingly want to include in their long-term endeavors. By April 30th, they were able to deliberately burn 44 square kilometers, a 40% decrease from the previous year.

“Even a dry winter would have allowed the mandatory burns, but officials got off to a late start due to the extreme fire activity in the second half of last year,” said Christine McMorrow, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Safety.

“Mandatory burns are a big part of our strategy,” said Newsom, who added $ 50 million to its proposed budget for them.

CONTINUE READING: Crime and Punishment: SFPD tackles tidal wave of crime and illegal drug sales in the Tenderloin neighborhood

Cal Fire Chief Thom Porter called them “our best, most affordable tool” for clearing both overgrown areas and invasive alien plants. But he warned that “not every piece of California is ready for regulatory fire yet,” with “many areas where it is not safe to set fire to the ground under any circumstances.”

CONTINUE READING: The Senate approves the bill declaring power shutdowns as local emergencies

Smoke from deliberate burns is also a problem, he said, although the state tries not to burn near sensitive places like hospitals. And the state cannot deliberately allow fires to burn on private land without permission and safeguards, Porter said, despite trying to get blanket permission from large forest owners so that the fires can safely continue after they start.

This means that officials in many areas continue to have to use manual crews, machines or animals to clear overgrown areas.

“As soon as we have safe areas to burn, we will reintroduce fire and that will be the most important tool in the future, but I am talking about decades,” Porter said. “We have to build this up gradually over the next many, many years to get to the right place and the right combination.”

The budget proposal, which lawmakers will consider before June 15, includes more than $ 48 million for the launch of a dozen new Cal Fire Fire Hawk helicopters and seven large C-130 air tankers like the ones Newsom said on Monday Fire Brigade Airfield in Sacramento. It has nearly $ 34 million to replace two state helicopter bases and build a new emergency operations center in Southern California.

More than $ 182 million would be spent on an additional 33 firefighters as the state partially offsets a dwindling number of firefighters in inmates from previous releases due to the coronavirus pandemic and years of relaxation of criminal laws. The money includes hiring an additional 1,399 seasonal firefighters. That will bring the total number of seasonal firefighters to nearly 4,000, which equates to nearly 3,400 permanent firefighters, Cal Fire said.

Legislators already approved $ 536 million earlier this year so the state can quickly begin approving local contracts for building fuel quarries near vulnerable communities or managing forest areas.

The rest is included in the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, though Porter said most of the firefighters have already been hired.
___
Associate Press Writer Susan Montoya Bryan contributed to this story from Albuquerque, New Mexico

MORE NEWS: Should you invest in Dogecoin? Expert suggests staying away from the controversial cryptocurrency market

© Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

The post Wildfires Growing In California As Drought Circumstances Worsen – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

The latest version of the US Drought Monitor Map shows increasingly dire drought conditions across California and the entire San Francisco Bay Area region is in “extreme drought”. Last week, parts of the nine counties region – including much of Santa Clara counties and parts of Alameda and San Mateo – were still in the less critical “severe drought”.

The map classifies the degree of drought on a color-coded scale from “unusually dry” (yellow) to “exceptional drought” (maroon). The May 6th map shows the severest “extraordinary” conditions along the southern portion of the state’s eastern border with Nevada and Arizona. “Extreme drought” (red) covers most of southern and northern California, and “severe drought” (orange) covers small parts of the state.

Climatologist David Simeral, the author of the map, said conditions in the Bay Area were not surprising given that the state has seen dry water for years in a row and he expects conditions to continue to deteriorate over the summer months. (The water year runs from October 1 to September 30, and this is how scientists measure annual rainfall.)

“When looking at total rainfall over the past 12 months, parts of San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa, Sonoma and Alameda counties all had record arid areas for that period,” wrote Simeral, who works for the Western Regional Climate Center, in an email . “If you look at other indicators, such as the reservoirs in your area and across the state, the situation doesn’t look good as the state’s largest reservoirs for this time of year after another bad year in terms of snowpack Marin County’s reservoirs are really in poor shape at 50% of the system’s capacity, while they are typically 90% full at this time of year.

— —.

The most recent California drought lasted from 2012 to 2016, and at its peak in 2014, the entire state was affected – 100% – from severe to exceptional drought from May 13, 2014 to July 29, 2014, and 81.92% were covered by extraordinary to extreme drought from August 5, 2014 to October 28, 2014.

Today the severe to extraordinary drought is 92.88% and the extraordinary to extreme drought is 73.31%.

While conditions are not as severe as at the height of the last drought, they are moving in that direction and are rapidly worsening.

“The most alarming aspect [of the California map] is the fact that the conditions are currently in a very bad state and we are just beginning to move into the dry season, “wrote Simeral.” The situation will only worsen in the course of the summer months. It is difficult to decide which is the most alarming as there are several reasons for concern, such as: B. Impact on the agricultural sector, sinking reservoir levels, impact on ecosystem health, forest fire potential and impact on sectors that receive less attention, such as B. Recreation other than rafting and fishing. “

The federal government publishes a new map for the Drought Monitor every Thursday, showing drought conditions across the country. News organizations and Twitter users often share the latest version, with the card going viral.

With the worsening situation in California, the map has become a flagship for an impending drought as the amount of red indicating extreme drought increases every week. California has had two consecutive winters of arid conditions, and major reservoirs across the state are half full.

The Drought Monitor is a joint effort by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The weekly map is not a forecast, but reflects the rainfall of the past week.

While the map takes into account total rainfall, it indexes a variety of indicators including aquifers, river levels, soil moisture, satellite-based assessments of vegetation health, and much more.

The map is a drought measurement mechanism primarily used in agriculture and the USDA uses it as a basis for making decisions about financial support for agriculture. But the card is used well beyond the farming community.

“The weekly map provides an up-to-date snapshot of drought conditions at the national level and is an integral part of drought planning, preparedness and efforts at the national, regional and local levels,” said Simeral. “It is also used by the public and the media.”

The post Newest federal drought map places whole San Francisco Bay Space in ‘excessive drought’ appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) – In light of arid weather conditions across California, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission on Thursday urged irrigation customers and city departments to voluntarily reduce their water use by 10 percent.

According to the agency, the SFPUC’s water reservoirs are currently filled to 76.8 percent of their maximum storage capacity – slightly less than the historical average of 81 percent at this time of year.

SFPUC’s water comes from a variety of sources, including Hetch Hetchy Reservoir near Yosemite and five other reservoirs in the Bay Area. It serves around 2.7 million customers across the Bay Area.

“This is the second dry year in a row for the state of California and we must do all we can to get the most out of our water supplies if this trend continues,” Mayor London Breed said in a statement. “San Francisco is a leader in water conservation thanks to our innovative water policy and strong management, but we need to look ahead. The steps we are now taking to use our water wisely will help us become more resilient and weather future dry years. “

According to SFPUC, Franciscans use an average of 42 gallons of water every day, one of the lowest rates in California.

Even so, the SFPUC’s request to its 1,600 irrigation customers, who rely on SFPUC to irrigate their landscapes to reduce their consumption by 10 percent, is to ensure that water in the agency’s reservoirs and aquifers will last during the prolonged dry spell.

“We are fortunate to have multiple sources of water supply, which makes our system more resilient in dry years,” said Michael Carlin, acting general manager of SFPUC. “However, we don’t know how long this dry weather will last. We also want to support our communities as we recover from the devastating effects of this pandemic. Because of this, we are calling for small changes for irrigation customers that can make a big difference in the expansion of our water supply. “

To further encourage customers to use water efficiently, the SFPUC offers free irrigation studies and landscape assessments on site. Grants; and a program that informs customers about possible leaks.

In addition, the agency offers indoor water conversation assistance, including free replacement of old toilets. Discounts for water-saving washing machines and other devices; and individual home and business consultations.

SFPUC customers who pay their bills online can also track their water usage daily or even hourly at www.myaccount.sfwater.org.

For more information about the programs and services offered by SFPUC, residents can visit www.sfpuc.org/savewater.

Copyright © 2021 Bay City News, Inc.

The post San Francisco Public Utilities Fee asks clients to cut back water by 10% amid drought appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – The cold front that brings April showers to the San Francisco Bay Area on Sunday evening won’t be strong enough to alleviate the scale-dry drought conditions, but much-needed rainfall will delay another historic forest fire season for the time being. according to the National Weather Service.

The San Francisco Bay Area has slipped back into moderate to severe drought conditions after the jet stream carried the winter storms to the northwest and left Northern California high and dry.

CONTINUE READING: ‘Kill me;’ Stunning body cam video released by Danville Officer-Involved Shooting

On Tuesday evening, Marin County became the first community in the Bay Area to introduce tough new water use restrictions as local reservoirs continue to sink to alarming levels.

In contrast to other counties, Marin is only dependent on reservoirs in the coastal area and not from the sierra for its water supply. The region received less than 50 percent of its normal rainfall last year.

In other places, the hills and forests are tinder-dry again – much drier than last autumn, when the region suffered from a historic 2020 fire season.

More than two million acres – 3,125 square miles – almost three times the size of Chicago, Manhattan, and Los Angeles combined, were burned to death.

The forest fires burned thousands of homes, claimed dozens of lives, and charred forests, woodlands, and vineyards to BC
Vineyards that reveal an ugly fear from space.

“Overall, this storm will have little impact on the long-term drought,” said federal forecasters on Wednesday. “However, there is growing confidence that most parts of the Bay Area will rain Sunday through Monday. In the
At least this will take a break at the start of the fire season as fuel moisture levels tend towards historically dry levels. “

The 2020 firestorm was ignited by a severe dry thunderstorm. Forecasters said it was a little early to predict if the weekend storm has the potential for lightning strikes.

CONTINUE READING: Officials identify woman found dead in empty warehouse

A small storm front rolling through Tuesday brought only light showers, but caused more than 30 lightning strikes in wine country – a region devastated in last fall’s firestorm. Fortunately, no new flames were reported.

The total amount of rain for Sunday to Monday is half a centimeter to one centimeter in the North Bay and in the coastal mountains, and a quarter of an inch in lower elevations.

“If this works, it will be the first rain since March 18-19,” said forecasters.

We are looking for opportunities for heavy rain next Sunday through Monday. Here is a model’s forecast for that period. #Cawx #RainPlease pic.twitter.com/DXStH4H74M

– NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) April 19, 2021

A warning has also been issued to northern California residents planning weekend hikes and camping trips in the Sierra.

MORE NEWS: The man’s family have requested answers from Alameda police after he dies in custody

“Sierra Passes can experience periods of heavy, wet snow from Saturday evening through Sunday and Monday, with possible impact on travel and chain checks, especially at night,” the forecasters said. “Mountain communities like Tahoe, Truckee, and Bridgeport vary between rain and snow.”

The post ‘Not A Drought Buster’; Uncommon April Storm Entrance Shifting Towards San Francisco Bay Space – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.