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California Biodiversity Day is a time to celebrate our state’s remarkable nature while encouraging actions to protect and steward it for future generations.
Originally designated on Sept. 7, 2018, this annual event has expanded into a weeklong celebration, with this year’s events taking place Sept. 6-14 throughout the state.
“The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is excited to continue leading the collaborative effort to plan for California Biodiversity Day, shining a spotlight on the incredible natural diversity found across our state,” said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. “The varied landscape of California is home to about one third of all species found in the United States, more than any other state in the country. I encourage Californians to check out one of the many events planned next week to discover our state’s bountiful nature and learn ways that they can help conserve it.”
"The California Academy of Sciences is thrilled to celebrate California Biodiversity Day for the seventh consecutive year," says Academy Director of Community Science Rebecca Johnson, PhD. "This year, we’re especially excited to launch the California Biodiversity Data Exchange, developed in partnership with iNaturalist and CDFW. Through this initiative, the Academy will provide the state with critical iNaturalist data to inform and strengthen conservation decision-making throughout California. Every observation shared on iNaturalist—during California Biodiversity Day events and beyond—directly supports our efforts to protect the species and places that make our state extraordinary.”
California is one of 36 global biodiversity hotspots – areas with exceptional concentrations of plant and animal species found nowhere else on the planet. At the same time, many California species are at risk of extinction due to threats from habitat loss and climate change.
“California’s state parks are living classrooms and vital sanctuaries for the plants and animals that make our state one of the most biodiverse places on the planet,” said California State Parks Director Armando Quintero. “California Biodiversity Day is not only a chance to celebrate that richness, but also to inspire the next generation of stewards to protect it. I invite all Californians to join one of the many events statewide and be part of the effort to protect our natural resources for generations to come.”
During the week of Sept. 6 to 14, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California State Parks, the California Academy of Sciences and numerous other partner organizations will be hosting more than 200 events statewide to celebrate California Biodiversity Day. From webinars to restoration projects to bioblitzes, there are a variety of virtual and in-person events being offered.
The events include the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument Bioblitz. Participate in a Community Science effort by taking photographs of plants and animals in the monument, much of which is located in Lake County, and uploading them to iNaturalist. By adding your observations, you will help the Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, and Tuleyome document the flora and fauna of this amazing area.
This is a self-guided event. To participate, download the iNaturalist app create an account, and then head out to the Monument and start uploading your observations! Please be aware that the Monument can get very hot and cell service is spotty or non-existent in many locations!
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The California Biodiversity Day website also has a map showing the location of all events, which include:
Mysteries of the Octopus PORTScast Virtual Event, Sept. 10, 9-9:45 a.m., Crystal Cove State Park PORTScast on Zoom. Celebrate California Biodiversity Day with an engaging virtual field trip to Crystal Cove State Park’s Marine Protected Area and discover the fascinating Mysteries of the Octopus! This program is designed for students grades 3-5. Spend part of the morning learning about the adaptations and life cycle of this curious marine invertebrate with a backdrop of the crashing waves in the park. Visit the registration page to sign up.
Another easy way to participate in California Biodiversity Day is to join the Find 30 Species for California Biodiversity Day 2025 project on the iNaturalist app. Find and document 30 wild species any time Sept. 6-14 from anywhere in California and submit your observations through the app. You can also check out the California Biodiversity Day bioblitz tracker, which shows all the communities participating in nature discovery events throughout the week and the species they observe. Tag your own nature adventures and follow along on social media at #CABiodiversityDay.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
California has officially joined the Northwest Wildland Fire Fighting Compact, becoming the newest member in a network of U.S. states, Canadian provinces and territories committed to collaborating to prevent and suppress wildfires.
The partnership comes as the Governor’s Office said the Trump administration makes dangerous cuts to the U.S. Forest Service, which threatens the safety of communities across the state and country.
The Northwest Wildland Fire Fighting Compact, or NW Compact, established in 1998, allows members to share firefighting resources, technology, and expertise when wildfires exceed the capacity of a single jurisdiction.
Existing members include Alberta, Yukon Territory, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, British Columbia, Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Montana and Hawaii.
“While the Trump administration retreats from firefighting, California is proud to join forces with our northwestern neighbors to fight catastrophic wildfire. We’re all on the front lines of this worsening wildfire threat — and by joining our collective resources together, we will be even more effective in protecting our communities,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom.
California’s landscapes face increasing wildfire threats due to climate change. In recent years, hotter temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, and more frequent extreme wind events have intensified fire risk.
Joining the NW Compact gives California additional access to firefighting resources and expertise during major wildfire incidents. It also allows California’s firefighters to gain experience assisting with fire suppression efforts in other member regions, experience that strengthens readiness at home.
Nevada also joins the NW Compact alongside California in 2025, bringing the total member states and provinces to thirteen.
“Wildfire is no longer a problem that stops at our borders and state lines,” said Joe Tyler, director and fire chief of Cal Fire. “By joining the NW Compact, we’re building stronger connections, sharing knowledge, and ensuring that when fires threaten, we can respond faster and more effectively.”
Nevada has experienced a dramatic increase in average annual acres burned from wildfires in the most recent 20 years. The acres burned have doubled to 450,000 acres per year, on average, largely attributed to invasive annual grasses, increased wildfire fuel loads, and the prevalence of human-caused ignitions. This year, the Cottonwood Peak Fire burned over 132,000 acres alone.
Nevada is joining the Northwest and Great Plains Compacts to bolster wildfire response resources in- and out-of-state in the most critical times of need. These compacts streamline the resource ordering and response to reduce response times and increase resources from a broader set of partners across the Nation.
”Safe and effective wildfire response is built on a foundation of partnerships between local, state and federal entities, alongside the support of private contractors. With the ever-increasing wildfire occurrence across the United States, especially in the West, these partnerships become even more essential,” stated Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo. “Partnerships are the Nevada way and these compacts offer additional tools for greater protection of citizens, visitors, properties and landscapes across this great state."
Both states have a long history with several compact members already through separate mutual aid agreements, making this a great opportunity for them to build on old relationships and create new ones as well.
The two states’ decision to join the NW compact was due to the need for additional firefighting resources among agency members. The compact enables the exchange of resources with other compact members to improve wildfire response capacity in California and Nevada. It will allow wildland firefighters from these states to gain experience by assisting with wildland firefighting efforts on the North American continent while also allowing the state to call on assistance from other members in the compact, thereby benefiting all compact members.
Additional information about the Northwest Wildland Fire Fighting Compact can be found here.
California’s unprecedented wildfire readiness
As part of the state’s ongoing investment in wildfire resilience and emergency response, Cal Fire has significantly expanded its workforce over the past five years by adding an average of 1,800 full-time and 600 seasonal positions annually — nearly double that of the previous administration.
Over the next four years and beyond, Cal Fire will be hiring thousands of additional firefighters, natural resource professionals, and support personnel to meet the state’s growing demands.
In recent months, the governor has announced millions of dollars in investments to protect communities from wildfire — with $135 million available for new and ongoing prevention projects and $72 million going out the door to projects across the state. This is part of over $5 billion the Newsom administration, in collaboration with the legislature, has invested in wildfire and forest resilience since 2019.
Additionally, 90 new vegetation management projects spanning over 21,000 acres have already been fast-tracked to approval under the streamlined process provided by the Governor’s March 2025 state of emergency proclamation.
This builds on consecutive years of intensive and focused work by California to confront the severe ongoing risk of catastrophic wildfires. New, bold moves to streamline state-level regulatory processes builds long-term efforts already underway in California to increase wildfire response and forest management in the face of a hotter, drier climate.
Newsom’s office said the state’s efforts are in stark contrast to the Trump administration’s dangerous cuts to the U.S. Forest Service, which also threatens the safety of communities across the state.
The U.S. Forest Service has lost 10% of all positions and 25% of positions outside of direct wildfire response — both of which are likely to impact wildfire response this year.
In recent weeks, the Trump administration proposed a massive reorganization that would shutter the Pacific Regional Forest Service office and other regional Forest Service offices across the West, compounding staff cuts and voluntary resignations across the agency.
To learn more about preparedness, visit ReadyforWildfire.org.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
Warmer weather and thunderstorm activity has elevated fire behavior across the Pacific Northwest.
As sustained high temperatures dry out fuels, hold over fires — fires that can go undetected for days after lightning strikes — are becoming more active, Forest Service officials reported. This increase in activity has led to a rise in initial attack efforts.
Firefighting efforts have successfully contained many wildfires before they could grow significantly. However, officials said current conditions have contributed to the emergence of several new large fires across the region.
Fire managers continue to assess resource needs to ensure adequate response for initial attack, while also reallocating personnel and equipment to priority incidents as necessary, the Forest Service reported.
Cooler temperatures and an increased chance of rainfall are forecast for the region over the weekend and following into the next week. This shift in weather is expected to help moderate fire potential. Despite these changes, forest officials said dry fuel conditions will persist until the Pacific Northwest receives sustained cooling and widespread rainfall.
Everyone has a role to play in preventing wildfires. Avoid driving, idling, or parking on dry vegetation. If you’re planning to have a campfire on National Forest lands, be sure to check current fire restrictions. If campfires are allowed, always keep them attended and fully extinguish them before leaving.
For more information please visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/fire.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
Soon, there will be three new ways to study the Sun’s influence across the solar system with the launch of a trio of NASA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, spacecraft.
Expected to launch no earlier than Tuesday, Sept. 23, the missions include NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe, or IMAP, NASA’s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, and NOAA’s Space Weather Follow On-Lagrange 1, or SWFO-L1, spacecraft.
The three missions will launch together aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From there, the spacecraft will travel together to their destination at the first Earth-Sun Lagrange point, around one million miles from Earth toward the Sun.
The missions will each focus on different effects of the solar wind — the continuous stream of particles emitted by the Sun — and space weather — the changing conditions in space driven by the Sun — from their origins at the Sun to their farthest reaches billions of miles away at the edge of our solar system.
Research and observations from the missions will help us better understand the Sun’s influence on Earth’s habitability, map our home in space, and protect satellites and voyaging astronauts and airline crews from space weather impacts.
The IMAP and Carruthers missions add to NASA’s heliophysics fleet of spacecraft. Together, NASA’s heliophysics missions study a vast, interconnected system from the Sun to the space surrounding Earth and other planets to the farthest limits of the Sun’s constantly flowing streams of solar wind.
The SWFO-L1 mission, funded and operated by NOAA, will be the agency’s first satellite designed specifically for and fully dedicated to continuous, operational space weather observations.
Mapping our home in space: IMAP
As a modern-day celestial cartographer, IMAP will investigate two of the most important overarching issues in heliophysics: the interaction of the solar wind at its boundary with interstellar space and the energization of charged particles from the Sun.
The IMAP mission will principally study the boundary of our heliosphere — a huge bubble created by the solar wind that encapsulates our solar system — and study how the heliosphere interacts with the local galactic neighborhood beyond. The heliosphere protects the solar system from dangerous high-energy particles called galactic cosmic rays. Mapping the heliosphere’s boundaries helps scientists understand our home in space and how it came to be habitable.
“IMAP will revolutionize our understanding of the outer heliosphere,” said David McComas, IMAP mission principal investigator at Princeton University in New Jersey. “It will give us a very fine picture of what's going on out there by making measurements that are 30 times more sensitive and at higher resolution than ever before.”
The IMAP mission will also explore and chart the vast range of particles in interplanetary space. The spacecraft will provide near real-time observations of the solar wind and energetic particles, which can produce hazardous conditions not only in the space environment near Earth, but also on the ground. The mission’s data will help model and improve prediction capabilities of the impacts of space weather ranging from power-line disruptions to loss of satellites.
Imaging Earth’s exosphere: Carruthers Geocorona Observatory
The Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, a small satellite, will launch with IMAP as a rideshare. The mission was named after Dr. George Carruthers, creator of the Moon-based telescope that captured the first images of Earth’s exosphere, the outermost layer of our planet’s atmosphere.
The Carruthers mission will build upon Dr. Carruthers’ legacy by charting changes in Earth’s exosphere. The mission’s vantage point at L1 offers a complete view of the exosphere not visible from the Moon’s relatively close distance to Earth.
From there, it will address fundamental questions about the nature of the region, such as its shape, size, density, and how it changes over time.
The exosphere plays an important role in Earth’s response to space weather, which can impact our technology, from satellites in orbit to communications signals in the upper atmosphere or power lines on the ground.
During space weather storms, the exosphere mediates the energy absorption and release throughout the near-Earth space environment, influencing strength of space weather disturbances. Carruthers will help us better understand the fundamental physics of our exosphere and improve our ability to predict the impacts of the Sun’s activity.
“We’ll be able to create movies of how this atmospheric layer responds when a solar storm hits, and watch it change with the seasons over time,” said Lara Waldrop, the principal investigator for the Carruthers Geocorona Observatory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
New space weather station: SWFO-L1
Distinct from NASA’s research satellites, SWFO-L1 will be an operational satellite, designed to observe solar activity and the solar wind in real time to provide critical data in NOAA’s mission to protect the nation from environmental hazards.
SWFO-L1 will serve as an early-warning beacon for potentially damaging space weather events that could impact our technology on Earth. S
WFO-L1 will observe the Sun’s outer atmosphere for large eruptions, called coronal mass ejections, and measure the solar wind upstream from Earth with a state-of-the-art suite of instruments and processing system.
This mission is the first of a new generation of NOAA space weather observatories dedicated to 24/7 operations, working to avoid gaps in continuity.
“SWFO-L1 will be an amazing deep-space mission for NOAA,” said Dimitrios Vassiliadis, SWFO program scientist at NOAA. “Thanks to its advantageous location at L1, it will continuously monitor the solar atmosphere while measuring the solar wind and its interplanetary magnetic fields well before it impacts Earth — and transmit these data in record time.”
With SWFO-L1’s enhanced performance, unobstructed views, and minimal delay between observations and data return, NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center forecasters will give operators improved lead time required to take precautionary actions that protect vital infrastructure, economic interests, and national security on Earth and in space.
Mara Johnson-Groh writes for NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Clearlake City Council on Thursday evening voted unanimously to approve a new residential rental registration and inspection ordinance meant to improve conditions for renters in the city.
City staff brought an initial draft of the ordinance to the council in March, but the council held off on making a decision after concerns were raised by local Realtors.
The result was that over the ensuing six months the city worked on revising the draft ordinance with a Realtors’ task force.
Associate Planner Michael Taylor presented the ordinance to the council, thanking the community for its input, which he said was taken to heart in crafting the final draft.
Taylor went over the history of the ordinance, which originally was approved Oct. 25, 2001.
Enforcement of that ordinance later was suspended. City officials have variously said that occurred either in 2005 or 2008 due to fiscal constraints. Taylor said the suspension happened in 2008, suggesting it was due to the Great Recession.
Former Councilmember Joyce Overton confirmed the impact of budget challenges on continuing the program during public comment on Thursday evening.
Taylor said the council initially returned to the matter of the ordinance and directed staff to bring it back for a discussion at the council’s meeting on Aug. 26, 2019.
That direction came in the wake of an incident in the spring of 2019 when a man and his four dogs were found dead of suspected carbon monoxide poisoning in a substandard rental, a case which led to the issuance of notices of violation and citations to the owners of more than 20 properties.
In September of 2019, the council discussed the matter, reached consensus and directed staff to return with some specific recommendations at a later date on how to move forward.
The following year, in June of 2020, the city received a proposal from an outside contractor to provide rental registration and inspection services and the following month the council directed staff to begin implementation of such a program, Taylor said.
In July of 2024, the city funded a building inspector and community development specialist to support, in part, the establishment of a rental inspection program, according to Taylor’s report.
Then on March 20, city staff made its initial presentation on the new ordinance to the council, at which time the Lake County Association of Realtors asked for a continuance to allow more time to review the proposed code amendments, which the council granted.
Taylor said the task force submitted formal comments to city staff on April 17. On April 24 the staff met with the Realtor task force to discuss specific amendments, and they met again on May 22 to review revised ordinance language.
On June 5, the council considered the matter again and once more continued it to allow more time for the review of code amendments. On July 3, the Realtor Task Force submitted comments, staff incorporated those revisions on Aug. 8 and the city met with the task force again on Aug. 19 to discuss the revised draft.
During the meeting on Aug. 19, staff and Realtors reached consensus on changes that need to be made and areas where it could remain unchanged, Taylor said.
“I think we’ve come to some kind of a consensus,” Taylor said of the city’s work with the Realtors.
Taylor summarized the proposed updates, explaining that inspection and enforcement authority will shift to the building department. Code references have been updated to align with current state fire, building and housing laws, and registration, inspections and reinspections procedures have been clarified.
New provisions also have been added for phased inspections, a self-certification option, tenant and landlord responsibilities, and ownership change requirements, he said.
As part of the process, an inspection checklist has been created along with an online registration portal.
City official conducts inspection; explains process
City Building Official Mary Jane Montana, who formerly worked as the county of Lake’s Community Development Department director, explained how the process would work.
Montana inspected a two story family dwelling that was converted into three rental units. City Manager Alan Flora said the inspection was the result of a tenant calling the city’s building department due to concerns about the building.
Montana said it was a good opportunity to test out the checklist, which she said she plans to fine tune.
She showed issues she found, including burned electrical outlets, one of which had metal sticking out of it, and a broken double-paine window that still had shards of glass sitting in it. The bathroom ceiling showed a leak or excessive moisture due to adequate ventilation, there were no adequate garbage receptacles, and the deck and exterior stairway needed to be replaced.
“Those are just a few things,” Montana said, explaining she was requesting a meeting with the owner/operator to go over the corrections needed.
Asked about the time to do such inspections, Montana said it took about an hour to an hour and a half, but could have taken as much as two hours had she been able to see all three units, not just one.
During the meeting, it was estimated that there are about 3,000 rentals in the city. Flora said they believe they can inspect about a third of them each year.
Council member Jessica Hooten, herself a real estate agent, said she thought the Aug. 19 meeting with the city and task force members went well. “I think it was productive.”
Vice Mayor Dirk Slooten agreed, adding that he feels confident it will work.
Some Realtors remain concerned
During the hearing’s public comment portion, real estate broker Timothy Toye, who said he manages 200 properties in the county — many in Clearlake — and has been doing property management for over 40 years, warned city officials that it’s not easy and has a lot of pitfalls.
Toye acknowledged a good interaction with the task force and an improved ordinance, but nonetheless said the city is about to get into the property management business.
He said Supervisor Bruno Sabatier and others have suggested a trial program, which he supported. “I think there’s unintended consequences coming that you’re not aware of.”
Toye suggested those include increased costs to landlords, increased rents, displaced tenants, fewer rentals, a breakdown of trust between city and citizens, increased homelessness, legal action against the city and a lessened city reputation.
Former Councilmember Joyce Overton said she had helped put forward the ordinance a long time ago, explaining that it had to be suspended to city finances.
Overton said such ordinances are common in other areas. “It’s the cost of business,” she said, adding that rent has tripled in the city because of the fires.
“I believe we need to step up right away,” she said, explaining that the program is for the safety of the community.
Rick Mayo, a longtime city resident and former planning commissioner, said the people who suffer the most in dilapidated and unsafe housing are the poor, the immigrants, seniors and disabled. “They’re the victims.”
Mayo, who is himself in a wheelchair, said he’s lived in substandard housing in the community and had to take the landlord to court in order to get an accessible shower.
Realtor Katy Evans said she remained opposed to the ordinance. Evans said the only entity that’s poised to gain from the ordinance is the city of Clearlake by getting more money and more data. Like Toye, she recommended a trial period, and said such a program had been voted down by the residents in Salinas.
City resident Margaret Garcia said she thought it would take longer than a three-year rotation to inspect all 3,000 rentals. “I just think you’re being optimistic about the time it’s going to take,” she said, adding that inspections are a good idea but she felt the city is going about it too hastily.
“We can refine this as we go,” Hooten said following public comment.
Councilmember Tara Downey said she’d had such an inspection done when she lived in an apartment in Redwood City in 2013. She said she likes the ordinance and was glad the city could work out the issues.
Flora said, in response to the mentions of a pilot program, that he had told the Realtors that the city has to adopt an ordinance in order to have something to enforce.
He said he’s happy to come back in six months or a year and meet with Realtors, debrief on lessons learned and bring it back to the council for possible amendments.
“Sounds like a great idea, actually,” said Mayor Russ Cremer.
Slooten moved to approve the ordinance, with Downey seconding and the council voting 5-0.
Regarding the costs of the inspections, the staff report explained that the original annual inspection cost was $40 for the site and the first unit, and $15 for each additional unit. The fee for noncompliance reinspection is $30 for the site and the first unit, and $10 for each additional unit.
City staff determined the fees are outdated and may no longer cover the costs necessary to effectively implement and administer the program. Taylor’s report staff will notice a public hearing regarding updates to the fees at an upcoming council meeting.
Also on Thursday, the council approved the Lake County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan and its incorporation into the city’s general plan safety element, and awarded a contract for the Arrowhead Road/Huntington Avenue Drainage Project to Precision Excavating and Grading in the amount of $161,162.
The council also had an hourlong workshop before the regular meeting to discuss city projects with staff.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKEPORT, Calif. — The city of Lakeport has a new planning services manager.
Victor Fernandez has been promoted to the role from associate planner.
In his role as associate planner, Fernandez demonstrated his expertise by managing complex planning projects, guiding applicants through zoning and permitting processes, and preparing critical reports that shaped the city’s growth.
“His work required not only technical knowledge but also the ability to collaborate with developers, architects, community members, and City leadership to ensure high-quality, sustainable outcomes,” said Community Development Director Joey Hejnowicz.
As planning services manager, Fernandez will step into a leadership role overseeing the city’s day-to-day planning functions, supervising staff and coordinating large development projects.
This position requires advanced project management skills, long-range planning, and the ability to serve as a key liaison to the Planning Commission, City Council and the community.
“Victor has consistently gone above and beyond — providing high-level support during a period of unprecedented project activity, ensuring continuity in services, and fostering progress across the department,” said City Manager Kevin Ingram. “His leadership, initiative, and dedication have been instrumental in maintaining both the quality and efficiency of Lakeport’s planning services.”
Ingram added, “Please join the city in congratulating Victor on this well-earned promotion. His vision and leadership will help shape the future of Lakeport as we continue to grow and thrive.”
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. — Clearlake Animal Control has more new dogs and other dogs that have been waiting for their new homes.
The shelter has 45 adoptable dogs listed on its website.
This week’s dogs include “Choppa,” a 4-year-old male Doberman pinscher mix with a brown and black coat.
The shelter is located at 6820 Old Highway 53. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
For more information, call the shelter at 707-762-6227, email
This week’s adoptable dogs are featured below.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
