Blue Cut blaze forces 80,000 to flee

A ferocious wildfire in the Cajon Pass exploded overnight, forcing the evacuation of more than 80,000 people and scorching at least 30,000 acres.

From Beatriz E. Valenzuela in the Press Enterprise: "The 15 Freeway, the main artery in and out of the High Desert, remains closed Wednesday morning as firefighters battled the out-of-control Blue Cut Fire in the Cajon Pass overnight."

"The massive wind-driven wildfire devoured 30,000 acres and multiple buildings Tuesday, forcing more than 80,000 people to evacuate their homes. It is not contained."

"The 15 freeway was shut down shortly after the fire was first spotted around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday west of the 15 Freeway near Kenwood Avenue. It along with Highway 138 from the 2 Freeway to the 18 Freeway are still shut down Wednesday morning, according to the California Highway Patrol."

READ MORE related to Environment: Real life repercussions confront lawmakers haggling over cap-and-trade program's future -- Melanie Mason with L.A. Times; Buildings burn, residents flee as out-of-control brush fire burns 18,000 acres in Cajon Pass -- Paloma Esquivel, James Queally and Sarah Parvini with L.A. Times

Despite serious drought, water agencies across the state took advantage of Gov. Brown's administrative choice to allow districts to set their own conservation targets: 84% of the state set a target of "0", and now critics contain about  'lawmaker laissez-faire' in the matter.

Paul Rogers reporting for East Bay Times writes: "Under fire from water agencies who were losing millions of dollars in lost water sales, Gov. Jerry Brown's administration two months ago dropped all mandatory water conservation targets and allowed cities, water districts and private water companies across the state to set their own targets."

"Now, the results are in: 343 urban water agencies -- or 84 percent of the 411 largest in the state -- gave themselves a conservation target of zero for the rest of this year."

"When the figures were released Tuesday, state water board officials defended their decision. But critics said the new numbers proved that the move was reckless, given that half the state is still in a severe drought."

Political powerhouse Tom Steyer may make a run for governor in 2018 -- or not  -- but he is eyeing his options. 

Capitol Weekly's Lisa Renner reports: "While media reports keep predicting that billionaire Tom Steyer will run for California governor in 2018, Steyer says he has not made a decision yet."

"There are a lot of factors to consider first, including the coming election, said the 59-year-old former hedge fund manager."

"I’m going to keep working on the issues. I’m passionate about it,” he said. “I don’t know the best format to do that yet."

Meanwhile, Michael Bloomberg could be making a prominent transition into California's political scene as he moves to host a fundraiser for Senate frontrunner Kamala Harris.

Phil Willon with L.A. Times writes: "Former New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg is dabbling in California’s historic Democrat-vs.-Democrat U.S. Senate race."

"Bloomberg is hosting a fundraiser for California Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris in New York tonight, with Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) as the event’s “special guest.” Schumer this month endorsed Harris over her rival, Rep. Loretta Sanchez of Orange County."

"In November, Harris and Sanchez face off in the race to succeed Barbara Boxer, who is retiring after four terms in the Senate."

Some metadata mining has brought a revelation to the public that 'big oil' is behind the recent audit of the State's climate change program. 

Liam Dillon reporting for L.A. Times writes: "When Assemblyman Adam Gray (D-Merced) renewed his request this month to audit the state agency in charge of spending billions of dollars generated from California’s primary climate change program, he knew what the response from his opponents would be."

"I think the environmentalists are going to point you over here and say he's taking oil money, he's trying to block the program,” Gray said in an interview. “I'm not trying to block the program. I'm for fighting climate change."

"But in pushing for the audit, Gray got a big assist from the oil industry. The industry’s main lobbyist wrote the request."

Speaking of Climate Change, recent research by U.C. Berkeley has had a startling reveal: Environmental change and the impacts of global warming could seriously threaten future Olympic events.

The Daily Californian's Logan Goldberg writes: "By the year 2085, San Francisco may be the only city in the United States cool enough to host the Summer Olympic Games, according to a commentary co-authored by several UC Berkeley researchers."

"That commentary — published Saturday in the Lancet — is part of a larger study led by campus global environmental health professor Kirk Smith, who said the study’s focus on climate change at the Summer Olympics was the first of its kind. The researchers who co-authored the commentary, most of whom are based in California and New Zealand, concluded that San Francisco would be one of only three cities in all of North America likely to be viable locations for the Summer Games by 2085."

"According to the commentary, not a single city in Latin America or in Africa would be suitable for the Olympics by that date, while the other two potential North American cities, Vancouver and Calgary, have both previously hosted the Winter Games. The study assumed that cities with a 10 percent chance or greater of having to cancel a marathon — one of the Summer Olympics’ most notable outdoor events — would not be able to hold the games."