Latest news with #ContraCostaCounty
CBS News
4 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Contra Costa fire captain explains how fire conditions vary across county
On Saturday, temperatures in some inland areas were forecast to hit triple digits. The hot weather comes on the heels of a government report last week that said the state's above-average snowpack is melting at a record-breaking pace. It's raising the possibility of drought and an early start to the wildfire season. Contra Costa County has one of the most diverse land masses in the Bay Area. So, when things start heating up, it can present significantly different timelines when it comes to wildfire. On a hill above San Pablo, overlooking San Francisco Bay, Contra Costa Fire Captain George Laing walked along a path, surveying the golden grasses swaying in the wind. "So, if you grab this grass, this is dry," he said, pulling up a handful of the arid weeds. "You can hear it's dry, it feels dry except for there's a little bit of surface moisture on it because it's kind of humid out here." Laing can tell fire danger simply by feeling the grass. In San Pablo, the temperature was in the high 70s with an ocean breeze that made it feel even cooler. Laing said fire could still happen there, but it would move a lot slower. "But the further east you go in our jurisdiction, the more sustained the warmer conditions are and the drier conditions are," he said. "So, you'll see areas that are completely dry and ready to go." One of those areas would be Brentwood on the eastern edge of the county. There, the temperature was hovering near 100 degrees and at the Three Nunn's produce farm, Ana Valencia's lemonade stand was doing booming business. "For sure," she said. "Yeah, a lot more. I think double what I usually sell because everybody's trying to stay cool." Just across from the farm, the hillside is blackened, the scene of a recent grassfire that, thankfully, was contained to a few acres. But in Brentwood, they know that 99 degrees is not the end of the hot weather. "No. Way hotter than this. It's just starting," said Valencia. "So, it's going to get worse, I know it's coming. This is just the start of it." But did the heat ever make her worry about wildfire? "Oh, for sure, 100%," she said. "Because there's a bunch of grass out here and the majority of it, some of it, is dry. And there's a bunch of land here, so it can just catch on really quick." "What you need to have fire is for all the moisture to burn off the cellulose material," explained Laing. "Once that ignites, then you have a fire. The sooner the moisture evaporates from the grass, the more readily it ignites." With a territory that stretches from the cool of the Bay to the heat of Brentwood, Con Fire's "fire season" can begin as early as May in the east, to as late as July or August nearer the Bay. But Laing said there is no place that is immune to the danger. "This is the prevailing wind. This is coming off the Bay," he said. "It's cool, it's moist, you can still see there's a little bit of the marine layer over there. It's when the winds come from the other direction, and they're dry and they're hot. And the very strong winds can actually blow down these slopes and create significant problems for firefighters because it's not something that you would normally expect." These days, no one is sure what to expect in the way of weather. But the science remains clear. Hot weather dries out the grasses, opening the door for the fires to come.
CBS News
7 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Contra Costa County to hold weddings on top of Mount Diablo
Sixteen couples have the chance to tie the knot on the top of Mount Diablo in Contra Costa County. The Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder's office has partnered with Mount Diablo State Park for the destination weddings on Friday, May 30, 2025. It's gonna be AMAZING! Don't miss the hype! #DestinationWeddings on the summit of #MountDiablo this Friday, May 30th. Only a few appointments left. Sign up now for this wedding experience that hits different by calling the #ClerkRecorder office at 925-335-7900 — CC Clerk-Recorder (@CCClerkRecorder) May 27, 2025 "Our office loves providing this unique experience at the Summit of Mount Diablo," said Kristin B. Connelly, Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder and Commissioner of Civil Marriages. "It is a very popular event and a favorite of both our customers and our staff and having the opportunity to offer multiple events each year gives us a great sense of pride and joy." Couples who want to have a destination wedding have to preregister with the clerk-recorder's office in advance. County officials said they cannot marry couples who show-up on Friday without an appointment or without a valid marriage license.
CBS News
22-05-2025
- CBS News
Man arrested in Contra Costa County following early morning theft at drive-thru ATM
Authorities in eastern Contra Costa County have made an arrest following a theft at a drive-thru ATM outside a bank branch early Thursday morning. According to Brentwood Police, officers were called to Heidorn Ranch Road after reports of a "suspicious circumstance" along Highway 4 involving people in a Jeep. Several suspects were seen fleeing in the Jeep as police arrived. Officers learned that a large ATM safe was stolen from the Bank of America on the 6200 block of Lone Tree Way. Evidence showed the ATM's cash box was dragged along the Highway 4 corridor. Scene of an ATM theft outside the Bank of America branch on Lone Tree Way in Brentwood, May 22, 2025. Brentwood Police Department A short time later, police said they received a call about a vehicle matching the suspect description in the city's Deer Ridge area. Officers from Brentwood and Antioch, along with the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office established a perimeter. As they searched the area, police arrested a suspect hiding in a bush. The suspect, identified as 34-year-old Kevin Monge of San Jose, was taken into custody on suspicion of grand theft and other related charges. Jail records show Monge is being held at the Martinez Detention Facility on $30,000 bail. Police did not provide information about the additional suspects.
CBS News
19-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Federal Glover, Contra Costa County's 1st African-American supervisor, dies
Former Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover has died at the age of 69, the county announced Sunday. Glover served as the county's first African American supervisor and held his seat for 23 years. Before is six terms on the Board, he served as mayor and councilmember in Pittsburg. He represented District 5, which includes Hercules, Rodeo, Crockett, Martinez, Bay Point, Pacheco, Clyde, Pittsburg, and parts of Antioch and Marsh Creek. The Contra Costa Board of Supervisors released a statement Sunday about the county's loss. "Federal's leadership and tireless commitment to improving the lives of residents left a lasting legacy that continues to benefit our County today," reads the statement. "Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with his family, friends, and all those who had the privilege of working with him." Glover's wife of 47 years, Janis Glover, also released a statement. "It is with deep sorrow that our family announces the passing of my beloved husband, Federal D. Glover, who departed this life today at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center," she wrote. On April 29, 2020, as COVID-19 was just ramping up, Glover posted on the Contra Costa County website about his struggles with his health and gratitude he felt to be alive. "This morning I rose from my bed, placed my right hand across my heart, and gave thanks for the miracle of life. Even though our communities are faced with a daunting public health crisis, I cannot help but be thankful that I am here with both the passion and the power to face life's challenges," he wrote. "Exactly five years ago today, having suffered complete renal and cardiac failure, I was given a rebirth in a marathon 16-hour transplant surgery at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center. On that day as one sadly lost his life, I was reborn through the selfless act of giving me their heart and kidneys." The long-serving supervisor announced he would not be running for reelection last year. He quipped about the adjustment such a life change would require when he spoke of his retirement before the Board last December. Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover. Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors "I'm not sure what it's going to be like," he said. "I know I'll be turning in my card key, so I won't be coming to the building," he chuckled. "I'll have to learn to sleep past 5:30. So many other things that I'll miss about this. I've had the opportunity to work with some amazing people down through the years." Glover was born on May 9, 1956 in Pittsburg, the child of two parents who left the South during the Great Migration. His father was employed by US Steel, and his mother worked at a local cannery. Glover is one of twelve kids, and was the first of his siblings to have gone to college, the county said. The Board of Supervisors on Sunday said Glover will be remembered not only for his service but for his compassion and integrity. His wife also spoke of his good works. "His legacy is one of unwavering commitment to justice, equity, and service," she wrote. "He believed deeply in the power of community and worked tirelessly to uplift and unite the people he was honored to represent. Glover leaves behind two children and grandchildren, his wife said. There are no memorial plans in place at this time, Janis Glover said.
