New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas publicly requested the federal government appoint a New Mexico attorney (or possibly a retired judge) to oversee the claims process regarding the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Act.
The federal law, made in response to historic wildfires that destroyed more than 300,000 acres of national forest, wilderness and private lands, made $3.95 billion available to individuals and businesses that suffered loss as a result of the fires/floods.
The fires and floods in New Mexico made national news. The immediate effects of the devastation – the destruction of homes, the damage to forests and roadways, etc., have been covered by news outlets nationwide. However, the impact of these fires is long term, and many communities affected by the fires will continue to be impacted for the foreseeable future. In Northern New Mexico, one of the most unique – and serious – impacts has been the destruction of the acequias.
An acequia is a community-owned watercourse used for irrigation. In New Mexico, there are more than 800 of them and ...
Recently, the California Department of Insurance extended its one-year moratorium on insurance cancellation or non-renewals to people impacted by the recent chain of California fires. Among the fires included are the McKinney Fire, the Mill Fire, the Fairview Fire, and the Mosquito Fire.
To my horse friends in the north bay, this will not be new.
For others, I hope this is helpful… Having been through the 2017 fires, 2019 Kincade Fire, and now Walbridge, as a horse owner, I felt compelled to share some knowledge and observations. Prepping for a disaster/emergency starts well ahead of when that moment actually arrives. You start months or even years ahead. When time is of the essence sometimes you only have six or seven minutes to load up and get out of the fire zone.
- Train your horses to get in and out of the trailer without issue.
- Take them for short drives so they’re not ...
Fire-Safe Communities Rise From Towns Recovering From a Fire
In recent years, we have seen an unprecedented amount of fires raging through California communities. Completely decimated, these towns are left to start from scratch with just the rubble of the past beneath their feet.
These fires have not only transformed landscapes, but they have transformed people as well. As these communities begin to rebuild, they have been doing so with the future in mind. Towns across California have been finding the silver lining in this devastation by rebuilding more sustainable, fire safe ...
Shoopman was a long-time Klamath National Forest Lookout at various posts — she started her career as a wildfire lookout at Baldy Mountain Lookout, west of Happy Camp, in 1974. She also staffed Lake Mountain Lookout and, most recently, Buckhorn Lookout — since 1993.
INSURANCE NOTICE: "Your property does not meet our wildfire eligibility guidelines... We will not renew this policy when it expires."
Have you received a notice like the one above? Insurance companies are increasingly dropping policies of California customers with notices of non-renewal like these. However, your non-renewal notice may be a mistake. And depending on the circumstances, your policy may still be protected by California law.
California Senate Bill 824 prevents insurers from canceling or not renewing a policy during the year after a state of emergency declaration ...
1. Animal Injuries
Dog bites, as most people know, make up the majority of injuries caused by animals. In fact, the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) has estimated that more than 4 million people are bitten by dogs in a year.[1] And of these cases, more than 350,000 require medical attention each year.[2] Children are the most common victims of dog bites, according to the CDC.[3]
Other kinds of animals, however, injure and kill thousands of people ever year in the United States. Injuries caused by horses and cattle are the top of the list of animals that most commonly injure and kill ...
The California Court of Appeal once explained:
Keeping a pet dog is undoubtedly one of the most cherished forms in which the constitutionally protected right to own personal property is exercised. To most people it is more than ownership of mere personal property. More than once courts have recognized that the keeping of such pets is such an important part of our way of life, and have recognized the perhaps sentimental but nonetheless universally strong affection of [hu]mankind for the dog.[1]
With that sentiment in mind, it is no surprise there are dogs in more than 48 million ...