Noah Haggerty
@nohaggerty.bsky.social
Wildfire reporter at the Los Angeles Times. Retired rookie physicist
A U.S. Forest Service plan to use glyphosate in a fire-ravaged forest spurred a reckoning in Tahoe: How much should people do to bring forests back? My latest: www.latimes.com/environment/...
'I'd rather my house burn down than get cancer': Two California communities fight to save their forests
A U.S. Forest Service plan to use glyphosate in a burned forest spurs a reckoning in Tahoe: How much should people do to bring forests back?
latimes.com
NEW: Years into heated debates and discussion, California has released its latest "Zone Zero" proposal, outlining what kind of landscaping residents in high fire risk zones can do within the first five feet of their home. Let's unpack what it says: www.latimes.com/environment/...
What to plant (and what to remove) in California's new 'Zone Zero' fire-safety proposal
After years of debate between fire officials seeking total vegetation removal within the first 5 feet of homes and ecologists backing selective landscaping, California proposed a compromise.
latimes.com
🎉 Welcome to the 2026 class of @aaas.org #MassMediaFellows! These 15 scientists will be sharpening their #SciComm skills with news outlets across the country this summer. We can’t wait to see the impact they’ll have! Learn more about 2026 class here: www.aaas.org/news/aaas-ma...
BREAKING: Malibu filed a lawsuit against a conservation authority that oversees land where 3 fires in the past 2 years have started and went on to damage Malibu homes — including the Palisades fire: malibucity.org/DocumentCent...
malibucity.org
Fire season is upon us … Bureau of Land Management says no more fires on BLM land in SoCal until the end of October: www.blm.gov/announcement...
BLM announces seasonal fire restrictions for southern California | Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management California Desert District will go into seasonal fire restrictions on public lands in Imperial, southern Inyo, eastern Kern, Los Angeles, eastern Mono, Orange, Riverside,...
blm.gov
“Before the turnaround at Mile 22, you are not only actively running away from the finish line, but you are also watching a steady stream of runners on the other side of the street who are miles ahead and … better than you at running and presumably life.” via @nohaggerty.bsky.social #running
The L.A. marathon's final 8 miles are a blazing hot concrete hellscape. I learned to love them anyway
Your morning catch-up: The L.A. marathon; attacks on Iran; wine industry woes and more big stories.
latimes.com
The more things change...via @nohaggerty.bsky.social The owner of the 170-unit mobile home park destroyed in the Palisades fire is trying to sell it, characterizing the lot as a "blank canvas for redevelopment" vs. re-occupation by currently-displaced residents. www.latimes.com/environment/...
Owners of fire-destroyed Palisades mobile home park seek to displace residents for development deal
An offering memorandum described the destroyed mobile home park as a "blank canvas for redevelopment"; however, city officials reiterated they intend to let fire survivors return and rebuild.
latimes.com
I’ve spent over a year talking with the people who survived the Palisades fire and the people who responded to it. Here’s why I think the discourse around how to prevent the next disaster is still stuck in January 2025. www.latimes.com/environment/...
The Palisades fire discourse is stuck in January 2025
Officials argue they had little agency to stop the fire. Residents point to a string of missteps that enabled it. There's little consensus on how to prevent the next one.
latimes.com
One year after the fires. I’ve been so honored to cover these beautiful, resilient communities over the past year — starting with the terrifying Palisades evacuation on Jan. 7, 2025. I’m looking forward to spend another year by your side. www.latimes.com/california/s...
Survivors in Palisades and Altadena mark anniversary of deadly fires with anger and mourning
A year after two of the most destructive wildfires in California history erupted, survivors commemorated the day in Altadena and Pacific Palisades with anger and remembrance.
latimes.com
Fire safety advocates are teaming with NIMBY homeowners to sue Los Angeles over new development: www.latimes.com/environment/... via @nohaggerty.bsky.social
L.A. City ignored fire safety as it permitted development in high risk areas, lawsuit alleges
A lawsuit filed Dec. 23 provides 75 examples of building plans seemingly in violation of fire safety regulations designed to improve evacuations and firefighter access.
latimes.com
L.A. City ignored state fire safety regulations as it permitted development in high risk areas, a new lawsuit alleges: www.latimes.com/environment/...
L.A. City ignored fire safety as it permitted development in high risk areas, lawsuit alleges
A lawsuit filed Dec. 23 provides 75 examples of building plans seemingly in violation of fire safety regulations designed to improve evacuations and firefighter access.
latimes.com
A new report shows California’s controversial Zone Zero requirements helped save homes in the Palisades and Eaton fires — but some experts warned the insurance-backed investigation doesn’t tell the full story: www.latimes.com/environment/...
Early adopters of 'zone zero' fared better in L.A. County fires, insurance-backed investigation finds
A new study found that in the Eaton and Palisades fires, homes that had already adopted proposed regulations on creating vegetation-free buffers were less likely to burn.
latimes.com
Here’s a brief and welcome respite from the mantra of don’t-burn-in -SoCal-it’s-not-like-the-Sierra: “Emily Burgueno calls them ‘sovereign burns… grounded in our creation stories, our sacred beliefs and philosophy.’” @nohaggerty.bsky.social www.latimes.com/environment/...
Can California learn to let Native American fire practitioners burn freely?
Indigenous fire practices are slowly regaining wider acceptance in California, but the dream of burning freely based on the needs of the land is still a long way off.
latimes.com
We talked to fire ecologists and fire service veterans about that Topanga State Park Wildfire Plan … Bottom line: 1) No, it doesn’t make sense to leave it “to burn.” 2) The restrictions for areas with sensitive plants & cultural sites are pretty standard: www.latimes.com/california/s...
Document raises new questions about restrictions on Jan. 1 Lachman fire mop-up
The Wildfire Management Plan for Topanga State Park sets out guidelines and restrictions. It's unclear if the document hampered mop-up of the Lachman fire.
latimes.com
I know an elderly couple with a cabin in Boulder County. They no longer drive at night & know they can't in a smoky firestorm. When Chinook/Santa Ana winds are forecast, they batten down their cabin and stay in central Boulder until the high risk passes.
A court has ordered Cal Fire to amend one of its vegetation removal programs after ecology organizations argued the agency failed to address the risk of flammable grasses growing where vegetation was removed, inadvertently making the wildfire risk worse: www.latimes.com/environment/...
Cal Fire approach to SoCal's wildfire crisis could make things worse, court says
A statewide Cal Fire program risks making fires worse by removing native chaparral and allowing the spread of more flammable grasses, a court ruled.
latimes.com
@nohaggerty.bsky.social's LA Times article about wildfire evacuation challenges reminded me how indispensable my e-bike was in the Palisades fire.
We wrote a paper about wildfire shelter-in-place ideas in 2009 - headed by Scott Stephens with AUS colleagues - and they have always been largely and pretty vocally opposed by the fire service…until now? iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
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Noah Haggerty@nohaggerty.bsky.social · 8mo agoLA County Fire Dept is now telling residents in Topanga that if evacuation is not possible, they need to shelter in their homes. It’s a policy that, historically, has proven incredibly dangerous, but the department says it has no better options. My latest: www.latimes.com/environment/...
We’ve had what felt like bad fires here twice in the past few years. The highway was shut down, all of the semi traffic took to back roads and 4-way stops. For hours, with roads blocked, I had no exit. I had a snorkel by my back door and planned to hunker down in our wildlife pond if I had to.
Noah Haggerty@nohaggerty.bsky.social · 8mo agoLA County Fire Dept is now telling residents in Topanga that if evacuation is not possible, they need to shelter in their homes. It’s a policy that, historically, has proven incredibly dangerous, but the department says it has no better options. My latest: www.latimes.com/environment/...
LA County Fire Dept is now telling residents in Topanga that if evacuation is not possible, they need to shelter in their homes. It’s a policy that, historically, has proven incredibly dangerous, but the department says it has no better options. My latest: www.latimes.com/environment/...
Can you survive a wildfire sheltering at home? For one community, L.A. County Fire says it may be the only option
L.A. County Fire plans to order Topanga residents to shelter-in-place if evacuating from fire isn't possible. It's raised concern from experts and residents, but the department says it has no other op...
latimes.com
Many of Altadena's standing homes are still contaminated with lead and asbestos even after cleanup
Many of Altadena's standing homes are still contaminated with lead and asbestos even after cleanup
A study led by a community group found that even after cleanups were supposedly complete, many standing homes in Altadena remain contaminated with lead and asbestos.
latimes.com
Great piece about why Zone Zero rulemaking is complicated for a state as big and diverse as CA. Thanks @nohaggerty.bsky.social for the clarity, and to the many (mostly) SoCal voices of reason including Max Moritz @ucanr.edu for improving the outcomes. www.latimes.com/environment/...
How Zone Zero, designed to protect California homes from wildfire, became plagued with controversy and delays
California needs new rules to help future wildfires from destroying homes and businesses. But Zone Zero regulations, a key tenet of the state's plans, have roiled homeowners.
latimes.com
First edition of Boiling Point since I left the LA Times, and it's a good one. @nohaggerty.bsky.social wrote about the importance of different strategies to limit wildfire damage in NorCal and SoCal: www.latimes.com/environment/...
The state's wildfire policy long overlooked SoCal. Now it's course correcting
State leaders have long understood Northern California's wildfire crisis and are investing resources to solve it. But in Southern California, the problem is more confounding.
latimes.com
Excited to share I’m joining a stellar team of @latimes.com environment reporters to write our Boiling Point newsletter. Every week, we’ll rotate, giving you the latest news on water, air, land, fire and critters. Today: Why SoCal’s fire problem is so vexing www.latimes.com/environment/...
The state's wildfire policy long overlooked SoCal. Now it's course correcting
State leaders have long understood Northern California's wildfire crisis and are investing resources to solve it. But in Southern California, the problem is more confounding.
latimes.com
Man, machine and mutton: Inside the plan to prevent the next SoCal fire disaster
Man, machine and mutton: Inside the plan to prevent the next SoCal fire disaster
Local fire crews are launching a sweeping effort to prevent future wildfires in the Santa Monica Mountains. It entails using both animals and machines to create fire breaks — a controversial solution in Southern California.
latimes.com
The in-depth tale of 2 mobile home parks, post Palisades fire, by @nohaggerty.bsky.social www.latimes.com/environment/...
Why won't the federal government help rebuild one of the few affordable communities in Pacific Palisades? @nohaggerty.bsky.social investigates: www.latimes.com/environment/...
Why an affordable slice of L.A. paradise might never recover from the Palisades fire
The Pacific Palisades Bowl mobile home park is still riddled with fire debris, months after the park next door was cleaned up. Residents are feeling frustrated and helpless.
latimes.com
California needs biomass energy to meet its wildfire goals. Its projects keep going South
California needs biomass energy to meet its wildfire goals. Its projects keep going South
California needs to burn vegetation both for wildfire mitigation and to generate power. So why do biomass energy projects keep leaving the state?
latimes.com
Should we be frustrated or relieved that California biomass companies are flocking to build projects in the South instead of here? Super informative story by my colleague @nohaggerty.bsky.social: www.latimes.com/environment/...
California needs biomass energy to meet its wildfire goals. Its projects keep going South
California needs to burn vegetation both for wildfire mitigation and to generate power. So why do biomass energy projects keep leaving the state?
latimes.com
The L.A. wildfire cleanup was fast. Residents eager to rebuild worry officials chose speed over safety. My latest w/ Tony & @nohaggerty.bsky.social @latimes.com: www.latimes.com/environment/...
The L.A. wildfire cleanup was fast. Residents eager to rebuild worry officials chose speed over safety
The federal cleanup of the Altadena and Pacific Palisades fires was in some ways a historic achievement. But many residents are worried that by moving fast, the results were compromised.
latimes.com