LOS ANGELES (AP) — The windy, flame-fanning weather that put the nation’s second most-populous metropolitan region on edge eased up Wednesday as firefighters made significant gains against the two massive wildfires burning around Los Angeles.
A “Particularly Dangerous Situation” red-flag warning expired without causing explosive fire growth as feared, though forecasters said gusty winds could linger into early Thursday, mostly in the mountains. Temperatures were predicted to drop, and a deep marine layer was expected to move in over the weekend, according to the National Weather Service in Los Angeles.
Those improved conditions should help fire crews make even more headway and allow residents to return to their neighborhoods to begin rebuilding.
“Good news: We are expecting a much-needed break from the fire weather concerns to close this week,” the weather service posted on social media Wednesday afternoon. “Bad News: Next week is a concern. While confident that we will NOT see a repeat of last week, dangerous fire weather conditions are expected.”
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Farmers could be at risk due to the chemicals leaching into food and water, the agency said in its draft risk assessment, which is now open for comment.
The U.S. EPA warns that two kinds of PFAS chemicals can harm human health when found in biosolids at concentrations as low as 1 part per billion after the material has been disposed of or used as fertilizer. The agency determined the chemicals could leach from the material, commonly known as sewage sludge, whether it’s land applied, disposed of in a landfill or incinerated.
The EPA released its draft risk assessment Tuesday. It’s the first comprehensive look performed by the agency at contamination from PFOA and PFOS, two forms of perfluoroalkyl substances, in biosolids.
The acknowledgment comes after years of concern from farmers and state regulators, who have been raising alarms about land application despite its reputation as an effective means of organics recycling.
“They’ve known about PFAS in sludge for well over a decade and their impacts on drinking water, so this report is a long time coming,” Jared Hayes, senior policy analyst at the Environmental Working Group, said. “This report helps confirm the things that we knew.”
The EPA’s draft risk assessment is not an enforceable document, but could guide future actions. It recommends a focus on sources of PFAS chemicals that are upstream of wastewater treatment plants in order to remove treatment at the source.
The agency noted that it plans to set “technology-based limits” on wastewater discharges from industrial sources upstream of wastewater treatment plants, including landfills, under the Effluent Limitations Guidelines program. The agency has been studying PFAS in landfill leachate for several years, and announced in 2023 that new guidelines are “warranted.”
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More strong winds are forecast for the Los Angeles area on Wednesday, bringing with them the threat of new or expanded blazes as firefighters battle to contain the conflagration that has already burned some 40,000 acres and killed more than 20 people.
The National Weather Service issued a high-level “particularly dangerous situation” warning through 3 p.m. local time Wednesday and extended a red-flag warning through Thursday for some areas north of the city. “Please stay on guard for a fast-moving fire,” it said.
While cooler temperatures are expected over the weekend, weather officials say any reprieve will probably be brief, with Santa Ana windstorms that can fan flames and carry potentially dangerous embers predicted to potentially return Monday, and no rain forecast for at least the next week.
The two largest wildfires, Palisades and Eaton, are only 19 percent and 45 percent contained, respectively, and the drying winds of the past week have made surrounding areas more susceptible to ignition. Several new fires ignited in dry brush and riverbeds on Tuesday.
Here’s what to know about the four active fires in the Los Angeles area as of early Wednesday. Spread and containment figures are from Cal Fire. More than 20 people have been killed, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office.
Palisades Fire (19 percent contained): The blaze has burned through more than 23,700 acres in and around Pacific Palisades. Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley said the fire has destroyed more than 5,300 structures since it began last week. Firefighters are attempting to prevent the fire from reaching L.A.’s Brentwood neighborhood, home to the Getty Center museum, and Interstate 405.
Eaton Fire (45 percent contained): To the city’s east, near Pasadena, the fire has killed at least 16 people — making it one of the deadliest in California’s history — and has burned through more than 14,100 acres.
Hurst Fire (97 percent contained): In the north, near San Fernando, the fire has burned 799 acres.
Auto Fire (50 percent contained): A new brush fire broke out Monday evening at a river bottom in Ventura County and grew to 61 acres. Ventura County firefighters said they were able to halt the fire’s forward progress, and by Tuesday evening it was 47 percent contained, according to Cal Fire.
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TRENTON – The Senate Environment and Energy Committee advanced legislation sponsored by its Vice Chair, Senator Linda Greenstein, which would prohibit the sale, distribution, import, export, or other propagation of invasive plant species in the State.
Under the bill, a “prohibited invasive species” is defined as an invasive plant species whose introduction causes, or may cause, substantial economic or environmental harm or harm to human health, or substantially threatens, or may threaten, natural resources or the use of natural resources in the State.
The DEP would be required to create a central clearinghouse of information on its website, with information including lists of invasive species, lists of native species, information on how to identify species, manage such species, and best practices for control or eradication. The clearinghouse would also compile resources with links to information regarding other species management and regulation categories.
“Invasive plant species pose a real danger to New Jersey’s agricultural industry and the wider ecosystem,” said Senator Greenstein (D-Mercer/Middlesex). “We are one of the only states that does not have a list of prohibited species, which has resulted in around 50 invasive plants becoming widespread across the State. These invasive plants have wreaked havoc on native species for decades, and we must take action to mitigate the threat before irreparable damage is done.”
The bill, S1029, would also establish the Invasive Species Council, which would recommend additional species to include on the list adopted by the DEP, among other duties that include scientific research, identifying funding sources, and forming educational partnerships. The council would have 19 members. Six of those would be ex officio members, representing the Departments of Environmental Protection, Transportation, Health, and Agriculture, as well as the State Treasurer and the State Forester.
The rest of the council would be comprised of 13 members of the public appointed by the Governor, including two from environmental organizations involved in protecting native plants and animals, two from the food agriculture sector, two from the landscape industry, two from the nursery industry, two from higher education institutions with demonstrated subject knowledge, one from the county park system, one representing urban ecosystems, and one from the general public.
“Many invasive species have proven to be extremely aggressive, forcibly taking over the habitats of New Jersey’s native plants by competing for resources,” said Senator Smith (D-Middlesex/Somerset). “On top of this, they often provide a home for invasive insects, such as the spotted lantern fly, which has allowed for the exponential growth of the pests throughout our State.”
The bill would allow the DEP to grant conditional use waivers for invasive plant species for specific applications under strict and closely controlled conditions. The DEP would adopt an application process for these waivers and would be required to seek concurrence from the NJDA when granting agricultural conditional use waivers. Waivers identified by the NJDA as related to agricultural or horticultural industry use would be prioritized.
The bill was advanced in a 4-0 vote.
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BELLEFONTE — A troubled rural water company under investigation by state regulators now faces additional legal action from its own lawyers, who want it to be taken over by a municipal authority.
Months after Rock Spring Water Company owner J. Roy Campbell told a judge he would rather sell his business and avoid a lengthy process by state regulators to force an acquisition, his attorneys have asked a Centre County court to hand over interim operations to the nearby State College Borough Water Authority.
Attorneys James Bryant and Carolyn Larrabee were hired by Campbell last fall after the Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement, an independent division within the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, launched a review of the privately owned company.
A June Spotlight PA investigation found that years of neglect have resulted in crumbling infrastructure that causes low water pressure, outages, and boil water advisories for the 1,000 customers who rely on the 20-mile system for service.
A 2022 engineering report estimated that the current system needs $13.5 million in repairs.
The company has also racked up regulatory violations and tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid civil penalties as part of an ongoing legal battle with the Department of Environmental Protection over excessive water loss.
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The move bans oil and gas drilling, mining and other industrial activities on vast swaths of public land in California.
The Red Canyon area, seen in the foreground, and the Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range (CMAGR) is in the distance in the western portion of the proposed Chuckwalla Mountains National Monument in April, near Chiriaco Summit, California. (David McNew/Getty Images)
President Joe Biden on Tuesday established two massive new national monuments in California and highlighted his environmental initiatives as some of the defining achievements of a presidency that will end in less than a week.
“We’ve been carrying out the most aggressive climate agenda in the history of the world,” Biden told nearly 300 people gathered in the White House’s East Room. Without directly mentioning President-elect Donald Trump and his allies, he added: “We don’t have to choose between the environment and the economy or between conservation and clean energy — we can do both at the same time.”
Biden signed proclamations at the event designating the roughly 624,000-acre Chuckwalla National Monument and the roughly 224,000-acre Sáttítla Highlands National Monument. The move bars oil and gas drilling, mining and other industrial activity on vast swaths of public land that several Native American tribes have considered sacred for thousands of years.
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