Southern California wildfires highlight home insurance industry

Insurers, who have reportedly agreed to phase in selling new policies even in fire risk areas, are confronted with massive new claims from clients who lost homes to the L.A. firestorms. But, different insurers pay claims in different and sometimes lesser ways. 

Point Reyes' first elephant seal birth of the season celebrated, amid beach closures

“Welcome to the world little one!" The Point Reyes National Seashore celebrated its first elephant seal birth of the season. Beach closures are in effect as colonies are forming for birthing and mating season.

Crab fisherman happy to finally make money as season gets late start

Sunday is the start of Dungeness crab season, giving fishermen an opportunity to finally make some money by selling directly off their boats to customers. 

'Dinosaur highway' unearthed in England, dating back 166 million years

A worker's discovery of nearly 200 dinosaur tracks in a limestone quarry in Oxfordshire, England, has unveiled a 166-million-year-old "dinosaur highway."

California's 1st snowpack survey of 2025 may offer promise, but will it last?

California's first monthly snowpack survey comes on Thursday. It's likely to be reasonably good for this early part of the rain and snow season.

New Year brings changes for California home insurance policies

The California Insurance Commissioner has released his long-awaited emergency regulations. Commissioner Ricardo Lara says the rules are designed to bring home insurers back into the state to end the drought of insurance available.

Grieving orca who carried dead calf in 2018 now seen with newborn

An orca that captured the world’s attention in 2018 after she carried her dead newborn calf for weeks appears to be a new mother again, bringing a sign of hope to researchers.

Monarch butterfly: Should they be given federal protections?

Depending on where they live in the U.S., some monarch butterfly populations could face extinction by 2080 if they aren’t extended federal protections, one expert said.

No crabs for holidays, Bay Area's dungeness crab season delayed once again

The Bay Area’s Dungeness crab season is facing yet another delay. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has postponed the start of the commercial season until at least Dec. 31, citing concerns over humpback whales in the area. The delay was initially pushed to Dec. 15 last month.

Northern California coast endures 7.0 earthquake, dodges tsunami

There is no other way to say it, California's North Coast dodged one of nature’s biggest bullets. Hours after the magnitude 7.0 earthquake, the Rio Dell Volunteer Fire Department was responding to calls.   

World's oldest known wild bird lays egg at 74 years old

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Pacific region says the 74-year-old Laysan albatross returned to the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in late November to lay an egg.

New strains of sudden oak death threaten Bay Area trees

The pathogen is found in 16 coastal and near coastal counties from the Oregon border to the southern border of Monterey County.