California
It rained a lot in October. Is fire season over now?
This autumn brought something that isn’t always common for much of California — a decent amount of rain in October. Rather than heat waves, there have been umbrellas.
After years in which some of the worst wildfires in state history happened in the fall, a lot of people are wondering: Is fire season over?
It depends on where you live, fire experts say. And simply put, there’s more risk in Southern California right now than Northern California.
“We have not yet seen enough rain in Southern California to end fire season,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with the University of California division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. “But we probably have in Northern California.”
January saw historic, devastating fires in Los Angeles. Since then, it has been a relatively mild fire year statewide in California.
Through Monday Oct. 27, a total of 522,372 acres have burned statewide in areas overseen by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the U.S. Forest Service. That’s a drop of 40% from the previous 5-year average of 1.3 million acres over the same time. A big part of the reason is the early onset of rain.
Through Thursday, San Jose had received 2 inches of rain, more than four times its historical average for the month of October. Oakland had 1.64 inches — double its historical average of 0.84. Sacramento’s total also was double the historical average, and Santa Rosa and San Francisco were at 125% and 113% of normal for the month.
Farther south, Fresno was at 223% of normal, with 1.18 inches, and Los Angeles had received 252% of normal with 1.41 inches. But a few areas, including San Diego and Palm Springs, remain below normal. And nearly all of Southern California’s rain came in one storm on Oct. 15. After that, temperatures have soared back up, hitting 97 in Los Angeles this week.
On Wednesday the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for parts of Ventura and Los Angeles counties. With forecasts for strong winds that day, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that 129 firefighters, 10 engines and three helicopters would be pre-positioned in case fires started in those areas.
But in Northern California, the trend has been just the opposite.
Cal Fire cancelled a controlled burn planned for Wednesday at the Soquel Demonstration Forest in Santa Cruz County aimed at reducing overgrown brush. The reason: brush and trees were too damp.
The day before, Cal Fire officials had planned to burn 52 acres in San Mateo County in a controlled fire east of Interstate 280 near Belmont and Crystal Springs Reservoir. They gave up after 6 acres because only grass and not heavier vegetation like coyote brush would burn, said Sarah Collamer, a Cal Fire forester who was overseeing the operations.
“We’re still in fire season,” she said. “We are getting small starts. They are going until we put them out. But the fire danger is greatly reduced.”

Illustrating her point, last Thursday, a fire broke out east of downtown San Jose at Alum Rock Park. Cal Fire sent a plane to drop retardant on it. But it was put out at 10 acres and caused no damage. A grass fire that began near Altamont Pass in Alameda County last Sunday burned 20 acres and was easily contained by fire crews.
Moisture levels are key. As most campers know, wet wood doesn’t burn. When California is in droughts and heat waves, moisture levels in plants plummet. After rains and cooler temperatures, along with higher humidity levels, moisture levels go up. Then, fires may start in grass, but they don’t spread easily to damp brush and trees, particularly if there aren’t strong winds.
“Right now you could get a grass fire going,” said Craig Clements, director of the Fire Weather Research Laboratory at San Jose State University. “But whether or not it will end up being a big fire is unlikely. We are seeing the hills green up already from the early rain. It looks like January right now in the East Bay Hills.”
Overall, national experts say California is in good shape. The 7-day forecast from the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho has “little or no fire risk” for all of California except part of southern California from Santa Barbara to the Mexican border where it is listed as “low risk.” And more rain is forecast in Northern California on Wednesday.
Fire experts disagree on whether there is an exact amount of rain each fall that signals the end of fire season. Often, supervisors of controlled burns wait until at least 1 inch has fallen, Clements said.
Dan Cayan, a research meteorologist with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, published a study in 2022 showing that since World War II, 90% of the acres burned in Southern California have burned before 0.35 of an inch of rain has fallen in autumn. After that, fires can still start during winter dry spells and high Santa Ana winds, he said. But they are much less likely.
“Northern California is doing pretty well,” he said. The dividing line this fall between wetter-than-normal and drier-than-normal runs through L.A. County. We’ve had some slight rain in San Diego, but it has been nearly three weeks with nothing. We’re still in a vulnerable situation down here.”
Many of California’s worst wildfires have occurred in the fall, including the Oakland Hills Fire in October 1991; the Camp Fire in Paradise, in November 2018; and the Tubbs Fire in October 2017, which killed 22 people and burned 5,600 structures in Napa and Sonoma counties.
After those fires, Cal Fire officials and many political leaders began saying that fire season is all year long in California due to warmer conditions from climate change.
To some extent that is true. The devastating wildfires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena this year occurred in January, amid a long, hot, dry spell and winds that reached 100 mph.
But in general, risk goes down when rains start, temperatures cool, and days shorten, experts say. Because of the damp weather this fall, Cal Fire officials have begun to relax back-yard burning rules. Starting Oct. 17, they have allowed it in nearly every Bay Area County and all counties north to the Oregon border, under permits, when it was altogether illegal during the hot summer months.
In winter, Cal Fire stations also reduce staffing from peak levels, although that has not started yet.
“We could still have 80-degree days with winds,” said Capt. Robert Foxworthy, a Cal Fire statewide spokesman. “There’s still a chance of wildfire. We’re not expecting large damaging, destructive fires burning timber and brush because of how much moisture we’ve received. But in some places there is a threat still there.”
California
Southern California police vow to quash planned ‘takeover’ event following recent chaos
Huntington Beach police are vowing to prevent a potential “takeover” event being promoted across social media that they believe could get out of control.
Police said they became aware of the event from a flyer online advertising an “end of summer beach bash” in the city.
“Dear ‘Beach Bash’ organizers…” police said in an Instagram post Thursday. “Thanks for the flyer. We’ve seen it too.”
They continued, “We have no intention of allowing that to happen here.”
No further details were provided about when the event was planned to take place or the exact location.
Police and the city of Huntington Beach said they’re working to prevent the event following similar events in Southern California that resulted in violence, vandalism and other criminal activity.
One chaotic event that was held in Newport Beach on the Fourth of July ended with more than 400 people being arrested, according to police. Some partygoers were seen fist fighting, while others allegedly vandalized property and local businesses, including a Pavilions grocery store.
Newport Beach police said social media posts drew a large influx of people to Newport Pier in a short amount of time, and the event got out of control.
Huntington Beach PD warned that anyone who organizes, promotes or participates in criminal activity associated with a takeover event may be arrested or prosecuted. Charges may include incitement to riot, vandalism, theft, assault, reckless driving, unlawful assembly, conspiracy or other applicable offenses.
They also warned that juveniles would not be exempt from punishment, and parents or guardians may also be liable for damages caused by their child’s actions.
The HBPD Special Investigations Bureau has already identified individuals believed to be involved in organizing and promoting the event, according to police.
If you have information regarding this event, you are urged to contact Huntington PD’s Special Investigations Bureau at 714-536-5991.
California
Popular California Fast-Casual Chain Mendocino Farms Opens 100th Location in Santa Barbara – edhat
Santa Barbara has become home to a milestone location for a popular sandwich and salad chain.
Mendocino Farms has officially opened its doors at La Cumbre Plaza, marking the company’s 100th location.
Located at 3851 State Street, the restaurant is Mendocino Farms’ first location in Santa Barbara.
Announcing its new store in a social media post, Mendocino Farms said the restaurant offers chef-curated sandwiches and fresh salads using seasonal ingredients.
“Whether you’re fueling your next adventure or settling in for a sunny lunch with friends, we can’t wait to be part of your community. Here’s to our next chapter, together!” the business wrote on Instagram.
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The restaurant features a custom mural by local artist DJ Javier, as shared by Mendocino Farms in an Instagram post.
The store opened on June 30 and marked its first day with a host of activities to celebrate its launch.
The opening day featured a live DJ, activities such as ‘Rodeo Riviera’, a hat bar, live sandwich-making sessions with the chefs, and a postcard station.
The location is open daily between 10:30 a.m. and 9 p.m., according to its website.
Diners can enjoy a special summer menu along with the regular options of sandwiches and salads that Mendocino Farms is known for.
View this post on Instagram
In addition to its menu options, the restaurant also offers catering services with deliveries available from 10 a.m. onwards.
The space occupied by Mendocino Farms earlier housed Panera Bread, which closed in 2025, per the Restaurant Guy.
About Mendocino Farms
The Los Angeles-based fast-casual chain is known for its selection of freshly made sandwiches, salads, wraps, and soups.
Founded in 2005, Mendocino Farms offers classic as well as limited signature items.
The company opened its first location below the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and has since expanded into a regional brand, according to the Restaurant Guy.
In addition to California, Mendocino Farms has locations in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Texas, and Washington, the company’s website shows.
The restaurants feature a rotating menu of items, along with a range of kids’ menu items that are served with a beverage and a choice of side.
Additionally, the chain offers a variety of dessert options, packaged chips, and packaged beverages.
The company is known for sourcing all its ingredients from ethical local farms and small producers.
All meat and poultry items served are antibiotic-free and humanely raised, while eggs are sourced from cage-free farms, according to its website. Fruits and vegetables are hand-picked, and bread is locally and freshly sourced.
The menu includes a range of items to accommodate all types of diets, such as flexitarian, vegan, and gluten-free.
California
Toddler sustains brain injury in fall after California childcare worker threw him into the air, lawsuit says
A fitness club is being sued after an employee at one of its childcare facilities in Southern California threw a 23-month-old child in the air and failed to catch him, resulting in a traumatic brain injury, according to the complaint.
Matthew and Elena Kittle filed the lawsuit July 2 against The Bay Club, an upscale club with multiple locations, including one in El Segundo, just south of Los Angeles.
They allege that while their son, identified by the initials C.K., was at the daycare center at The Bay Club El Segundo on March 17, 2025, an employee tossed him into the air — 6 feet above the ground — but failed to catch him, the lawsuit says. C.K. fell to the ground and hit his head on the hardwood floor, and the employee fell backward and landed on top of him, the suit says.
It says The Bay Club downplayed the severity of the fall to the boy’s parents. C.K. sustained a concussion and still experiences side effects from the fall, the suit says.
The complaint, filed against The Bay Clubs Co. LLC and Bay Club South Bay LLC, alleges negligence; negligence per se; negligent hiring, retention and supervision; negligent infliction of emotional distress; fraud — intentional concealment; intentional infliction of emotional distress; and battery.
The Bay Club said it is unable to comment on ongoing litigation.
“At the Bay Club, the safety of our members, team members, and the families we serve is our highest priority,” it said in a statement.
The Bay Club LLC owns and operates private fitness and country clubs across the West Coast, including locations in Oregon, Washington and California.
Its El Segundo location has the El Segundo Clubhouse, which the club’s website describes as a 14,000-square-foot childcare center, where kids participate in activities under supervision.
The day of the incident, C.K.’s father dropped him off at the El Segundo Clubhouse. He told staff members he would be at the Bay Club Manhattan Country Club, a mile away, for the next three hours, according to the complaint.
C.K. was injured at 9:20 a.m., the suit says.
Security video, which was included in the lawsuit, shows a female employee holding a child by his hands and swinging him between her legs. She then throws the boy over her head, letting go of the child’s hands, and fails to catch him. The child falls to the floor behind her, and the employee falls backward and appears to land on top of him, the video shows. The employee then appears to hold the child while they are on the floor.
Other staff members react with shock and concern after the fall, the video shows.
The club called C.K.’s parents separately afterward. Matthew Kittle picked up the call at 9:30 a.m. and was told that C.K. had “fallen” and had since “calmed down,” the lawsuit says. He called back and said he would pick up his son at the end of his session.
At 9:45 a.m., the club called him again, suggested C.K. needed to be picked up and said that “they had not been able to settle C.K. down,” the filing says.
When Matthew Kittle picked up C.K. at 10:10 a.m., he found his son’s face was “badly bruised,” with his right eye swollen shut and his mouth swollen, the suit says. Once he was at home, C.K. was “extremely drowsy, lethargic, and irritable,” and his parents became concerned, the suit says.
Elena Kittle spoke with an employee, who described herself as the aquatics director, at 10:44 a.m., according to the filing.
The aquatics director said that C.K. “was being held by an employee who fell over while she was in a squatting position” and that “C.K. was only about ‘1.5 feet above the ground’ when the fall occurred,” the suit says. She also said that C.K. wanted to “go to sleep immediately after the fall” and that employees “had trouble keeping him awake,” the suit says.
An hour later, C.K. was checked into the emergency room at a medical center in Torrance. There, the medical staff also questioned the accuracy of The Bay Club’s description of the incident, “because the injuries weren’t consistent with a fall from 1.5 feet,” the suit claims.
C.K. underwent a CT scan and a neurological exam and was diagnosed with a concussion, blunt head trauma and facial abrasion, the complaint says.
At 2:22 p.m. that day, Elena Kittle spoke with The Bay Club’s general manager, who said she reviewed video of the incident and also claimed C.K. fell from 1.5 feet, according to the filing.
The parents asked for the video, which they received March 21, 2025 — which left them “shocked” by the “severity of the fall” and by “the fact that the Bay Club tried to cover up the true nature of the incident,” the suit says. The complaint says the video showed the child was at least 6 feet in the air — not 1.5 feet, as the club had said.
Weeks after the incident, C.K. had symptoms including sensitivity to light and sound, irritability, irregular sleep, lethargy and attachment issues, the suit says. A neurology specialist who examined him in April 2025 said C.K. was still experiencing concussion symptoms, the filing says.
“It was assessed that C.K. suffered a ‘definite concussion with a discrete enough force and clinical signs that indicate he’s in pain and behavioral changes,’” the complaint says. The filing says C.K. continues to experience symptoms, including loss of hearing.
The suit also alleges that the daycare center was not operating legally.
Under California law, childcare centers require licenses from the state Department of Social Services. Some child daycare programs can be exempt from licensing if parents and guardians are on the same premises and if they are not operated on certain sites, including malls or ski facilities.
The suit alleges The Bay Club does not fall under that exception because parents are not necessarily always on the premises. Children can be left at the Bay Club El Segundo Clubhouse while parents go to The Bay Club’s Manhattan Country Club a mile away, the suit says.
The club’s website says a parent or guardian has to be on-site during a reservation.
The parents, represented by the law firm Rosen Saba, demand a jury trial, exemplary and punitive damages and civil and statutory penalties.
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