The Landslide Blog is written by Dave Petley, who is widely recognized as a world leader in the study and management of landslides. Last week, the first bout of heavy rainfall since the January 2025 wildfires struck Southern California, triggering the much-feared debris flows that were inevitable. The main rainfall occurred on 13 February 2025, […]
California
Posted inNews
The Deleterious Dust of the Salton Sea
Coarse particulate matter deriving from California’s largest lake is linked to an increased risk of respiratory-related hospitalizations.
Posted inNews
How Much Did Climate Change Affect the Los Angeles Wildfires?
High heat, dry fuel, and strong winds drove the Palisades and Eaton blazes.
Posted inNews
Access to Air-Conditioning May Affect Wildfire-Related Health Outcomes
A new study found that access to air-conditioning is a stronger predictor of emergency department visits related to PM2.5 exposure from smoke than factors such as race, age, and socioeconomic status.
Posted inNews
Jet Propulsion Laboratory Reopens as Fire Recovery Continues
Many JPL staff, including its director, are still displaced or without homes after devastating fires throughout the LA region.
Posted inThe Landslide Blog
The looming threat of landslides in the wildfire damaged areas of Los Angeles County
The Landslide Blog is written by Dave Petley, who is widely recognized as a world leader in the study and management of landslides. As Los Angeles recovers from the dreadful wildfires that have destroyed parts of the county, awareness is growing of the potential threat from landslides. The touchstone for these concerns was an interesting […]
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Deep Beneath California’s Sierra Nevada, Earth’s Lithosphere May Be Peeling Away
Evidence for lithospheric foundering, or the process of denser material sinking into the mantle, is emerging.
Posted inNews
California Storms Recharged Watersheds, Geodesy Data Reveal
The atmospheric rivers that soaked the state in early 2023 released enough water to warp the ground and douse a deep drought.
Posted inNews
Creeping Faults May Have Simpler Geometries
A recent study offers an alternative perspective on why some fault segments slide smoothly, whereas others get stuck and produce earthquakes.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Oil, Gas, and COVID-19
Early in the pandemic, people living near oil and gas wells experienced higher rates of COVID-19 and related mortality compared with those with no exposure to well pollution.