Climate Change

While other regions may face only one main disaster threat — tornadoes in the Midwest, hurricanes on the Gulf and East coasts — California’s extreme topography brings siege from all sides.

Online scammers are eager to take advantage of people's need for aid, as well as their desire to help. Using the Internet's ability to conceal their true identity, they pose as government officials, charities and community groups.

In coastal communities across the U.S., technology and data play a significant role in helping both officials and members of the public better understand and mitigate risks related to rising sea levels.

In the last 48 hours, the National Weather Service recorded six places in Los Angeles County with over 5 inches of rainfall. According to Weather Service records, downtown Los Angeles obliterated its 1906 record of .03 inch.

Even though officials have long known about the risk of a major blaze, a review of records and interviews shows there was no fire evacuation plan for Lahaina that was widely available to the public.

FEMA has already provided more than $2.3 million in assistance to more than 1,330 households. More than $800,000 of that is rental assistance. FEMA wants all survivors to register for help as soon as possible.

Maui's emergency management administrator said the siren system was created to respond to tsunamis, and there was concern that sounding them would lead people to run away from the water and toward the fires instead.

In one of the many rural parts of Yakima County, evacuation may not just include people and their valuables, but a few, a dozen or even hundreds of animals, including horses, cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and other livestock.

A week after the devastating fire, stories persist about survivors who aren't fully aware of the FEMA aid or who are reluctant to engage with the federal agency so FEMA has a "rumor page."

In Hawaii, an alarm system goes off every first of the month to test the emergency management system, something heard every month she lived there, and everyone knows to leave when the sirens go off. But this time they didn’t go off.

The funding is provided by the Federal Transit Administration’s Public Transportation Emergency Relief Program and aims to help communities repair damaged equipment and cover other costs following natural disasters.

The blaze was 80% contained, aerial surveys found more than 270 buildings burned in the seaside resort, once the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom. The police chief said perhaps 1,000 people remain unaccounted for.

As the hurricane season enters its busiest time and with Congress out for recess, FEMA is left with a dwindling Disaster Relief Fund, the money used to help communities recover after hurricanes.

More than 2,100 people spent the night in four emergency shelters, while travelers from canceled or arriving flights sheltered at Kahului Airport. The U.S. Coast Guard rescued people from the waters off Lahaina.

"My administration feels for the families who were impacted by this recent storm, and I send my sincere appreciation to Gov. Kathy Hochul and her team for remembering the residents who are still dealing with the aftermath of this."

High winds fueled brush fires that ravaged thousands of acres and caused extensive property damage, forcing the widespread evacuation of residents from Lahaina, Upcountry Maui and several Kohala communities on Hawaii.

“Taking a minute to write down your evacuation zone could save your life. Knowing your zone in advance will save you valuable time during an emergency if you are told to evacuate."

People are encouraged to drink fluids, stay in air-conditioned rooms or the shade and never leave pets or young children unattended in vehicles during a heat advisory, according to the National Weather Service.