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SF firedog makes history while deployed to Shelly Fire

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SF firedog makes history while deployed to Shelly Fire


A four-legged member of the San Francisco Fire Department made history this week, becoming the first ‘Incident Support Canine’ to be deployed to a wildfire in California. 

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Sadie, a yellow labrador, is currently stationed around 350 miles north of San Francisco in Siskiyou County at the Shelly Fire. According to CalFire on Sunday, the fire has burned 14,965 acres and is 3 percent contained.

“They’re working incredibly hard on the lines and they come down in the evening, after working for hours on end, and Sadie’s here to greet them,” said the dog’s handler, San Francisco firefighter Christina Gibbs.

Sadie, a therapy dog of sorts, is there to help ease some of the stress that firefighters face at a large wildfire. 

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“The terrain they’re dealing with is incredibly steep, the day is long, it is a hot firefight,” said Gibbs. “Her role out here in the fire camp is to aid to the mental well-being of the firefighters coming off the lines.”

Gibbs said Sadie had to undergo 1000 hours of training, about a year’s worth, to become certified for her role at the department in 2021. Before the wildfire, much of her work revolved around helping those impacted by emergencies in San Francisco cope with the aftermath.  

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“We call it the ultimate icebreaker. So when someone’s trying to talk about the critical incident that they just were involved in, sometimes petting a dog relaxes them enough to be able to speak,” said Gibbs.

The pup’s presence is currently proving just as soothing in Siskiyou County.

“Some of the comments that are being made to me are, this is the best thing that has happened to me today. I miss my dog. This is the best. I’m so grateful for you being here,” said Gibbs.

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Gibbs said the pair still have a lot of firefighters to meet before they head home. Her hope is that other fire departments with incident support canines on staff, will notice the work they’ve done, and begin deploying their dogs to fires too.



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Exclusive: San Francisco Police Department investigating Zoox collision with a parked car | TechCrunch

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Exclusive: San Francisco Police Department investigating Zoox collision with a parked car | TechCrunch


The San Francisco Police Department is investigating an accident involving a Zoox autonomous vehicle that crashed into the driver’s side door of a parked car, TechCrunch has learned.

Officers responded to the crash, which occurred at around 2 p.m. local time on January 17 near the intersection of 15th and Mission Streets, according to the department. The Zoox robotaxi was traveling along 15th street when a street ambassador named Jamel Durden opened the driver’s-side door of his 1977 Cadillac Coupe DeVille, according to MissionLocal, which first reported the crash.

Durden’s hand was reportedly smashed during the crash, and the Zoox vehicle suffered damage to its glass doors. The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) told TechCrunch the Zoox vehicle was carrying a passenger at the time, which has not been previously reported. That passenger was an employee of Zoox, according to the company, and was not injured, which the SFPD confirmed.

The police department declined to provide TechCrunch with an incident report “[d]ue to the fact it is still an open investigation.” Zoox filed its own police report about the incident, the company told TechCrunch, but said no additional details have been requested. In a statement on January 20, Zoox said it was “cooperating with local authorities to provide an accurate account of the incident.”

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The California Department of Motor Vehicles, which regulates autonomous vehicles in the state, has also met with Zoox about the January 17 crash. The DMV told TechCrunch that Zoox filed a crash report “in compliance with California regulations.” That report is not yet publicly available.

Zoox is in the early stages of building out its robotaxi service in San Francisco. In November, the company started offering free rides to members of the public who are part of the “Zoox Explorer” early-rider program. The company is operating a similar program in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This rollout has come with challenges. The Amazon-owned company issued a recall in December to fix an issue where some of its vehicles were crossing center lanes and blocking crosswalks. (Zoox also issued two different software updates during recalls earlier in 2025 before it started offering public rides.)

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The January crash in San Francisco happened when Durden “suddenly opened” the door of his car into the path of the robotaxi, according to Zoox. The company said the robotaxi “identified the opening door and tried to avoid it but contact was unavoidable.” (Durden’s employer could not be reached for comment.)

Zoox also said it offered medical attention to Durden, who allegedly declined. According to MissionLocal, Durden refused medical treatment until his car was towed.

“Safety and transparency are foundational to Zoox, and we are cooperating with local authorities to provide an accurate account of the incident,” the company said in a statement.

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Video: Mountain Lion Spotted in San Francisco

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Video: Mountain Lion Spotted in San Francisco


new video loaded: Mountain Lion Spotted in San Francisco

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Mountain Lion Spotted in San Francisco

Residents were shocked to see a young mountain lion roaming the streets of San Francisco this week. Local animal control agencies were able to capture and tranquilize it on Tuesday.

Swear to God, am I tripping? There’s a mountain lion. What is that? I can see it. Oh my God. What the. Dude!

Residents were shocked to see a young mountain lion roaming the streets of San Francisco this week. Local animal control agencies were able to capture and tranquilize it on Tuesday.

By Cynthia Silva

January 27, 2026



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Animal control locates mountain lion in San Francisco

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Animal control locates mountain lion in San Francisco


A young mountain lion that was spotted Monday night in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights neighborhood has been located, city officials said.

Around 6:20 a.m. Tuesday, city officials said San Francisco Animal Care and Control found the mountain lion and that they are working with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to manage the situation. No injuries were reported.

A biologist is on their way to the scene, with the plan to tranquilize the animal and move it to a suitable location, officials said.

The mountain lion was first reported Monday night after being seen near Octavia Street and Pacific Avenue, according to an alert from the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management.

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Animal Care and Control officials said experts believe the animal is about a year old. It had also been seen earlier Monday morning near Lafayette Park, just a few blocks from the later sighting.

City officials said the mountain lion was likely lost and may have been trying to move south out of the city.



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