It’s going to be crazy hot the next couple of days here in Ojai (112 on Friday they say) and in coastal Southern California this weekend. In the words of Weather West (aka climate scientist Daniel Swain): …in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties, especially, the heat from Fri-Sun will be extreme due to theContinue reading “Heat to blast SoCal: Fire Weather”
Author Archives: Kit Stolz
SoCal is losing its cool (the clouds)
On the eve of a hellacious heat wave — up to 110 this weekend they say — here’s a new fact to contemplate about life in Southern California. We’re losing our cool. Physically, that is. We’re losing clouds and fog in summer over our heads, according to scientific studies and meteorological observations. Here’s the lead from aContinue reading “SoCal is losing its cool (the clouds)”
“Puttering About in a Small Land” — Philip K. Dick in Ojai (review)
Philip K. Dick in Ojai Philip K. Dick, now widely considered the most brilliant of all science fiction writers, wrote hundreds of extraordinarily imaginative stories and forty-four novels, and — like an innovative artist who only becomes famous after his death — in recent years has had his work splashed across all sorts of screens,Continue reading ““Puttering About in a Small Land” — Philip K. Dick in Ojai (review)”
A true (but legal) horror — family separation
This blog mostly focuses on questions of climate, wilderness, drama and literature. Inevitably politics sneaks into the discussion, but for the most part against my wishes — my attitude as a reporter is that my opinion is no better than yours, especially on topics with which I have no personal experience. So why talk aboutContinue reading “A true (but legal) horror — family separation”
Why so many old-timers don’t see climate change as a problem
The climate is changing all across the country and around the world, but in traditional communities, people often refuse to accept the evidence of its workings, even if demonstrated by scientists. Along this line a story in The New Yorker — called Tangier, the sinking island in the Chesapeake — profiles Mayor James Eskridge, a long-time crabberContinue reading “Why so many old-timers don’t see climate change as a problem”
speeding wildfires and their dark beauty
Forty-six years ago a young fire ecologist published a paper that for the first time found a math to usefully describe the behavior of wildfires in the west, as modified by slope and wind. It’s a remarkable achievement and was, according to Wildfire Today, a team effort led by a man named Dick Rothermel. Rothermel, Anderson,Continue reading “speeding wildfires and their dark beauty”
Kurt Cobain will never die
In its heyday Nirvana would end live shows in classic rock style by smashing up instruments, sometimes to a guitar freak out called Nameless Endless (which kind of has to be seen to be believed). Being Nirvana, this began as an over-the-top squall of noise, the rawest slab of guitar scream smacked up against aContinue reading “Kurt Cobain will never die”
Fear of (wild) water: is it necessary to filter?
In February a brave writer in Slate published a column arguing that wild water is much over-feared, and that (with reasonable care) hikers in the mountains in places such as the Pacific Northwest need not reflexively filter or treat wild water taken from streams and lakes. To wit: To be clear, there’s no question that Giardia lamblia, CryptosporidiumContinue reading “Fear of (wild) water: is it necessary to filter?”
“The fire had me fully terrified” — T.C. Boyle on the Thomas Fire (and more)
For the Ojai Quarterly [pdf], yours truly had the opportunity to talk to T.C. Boyle about the Thomas fire, debris flows, climate change, and other scary realities of the 21st Century. The interview also motivated me to catch up on some past works of Boyle’s, and boy was that worth the reading. Check it out:Continue reading ““The fire had me fully terrified” — T.C. Boyle on the Thomas Fire (and more)”
Visiting winter in the Topa Topas after the fire
Though it’s been three months since the Thomas Fire, those of us in the burn zone can still see the blackness on the burned hillsides all around Ojai, all the way up to the ridge of our local mountains, the Topa Topas. Every winter for twenty-five years I have gone up to our mountains afterContinue reading “Visiting winter in the Topa Topas after the fire”
Kit Stolz 