California Fact check: Is Sam Altman right that almonds use more water than ChatGPT queries? By Rachel Becker | CalMatters | September 3, 2026 Limited public data makes it difficult to verify data center water use.
climate change Federal wildfire crews are stretched thin. California is stepping in to help By Rachel Becker | CalMatters | August 25, 2026 The stakes — and costs — are high for California, where wildfires have burned through millions of acres in the last decade.
Environment Forest fires follow roads. The Trump administration wants to build more By Rachel Becker | CalMatters | August 18, 2026 Under a new federal rule, some of California’s most remote backcountry could open to new roads and development.
climate change Band-Aid, not a cure: federal Colorado River plan leaves states guessing every two years By Rachel Becker | CalMatters | August 5, 2026 Key agreements for managing the river are expiring at the end of this year.
climate change California fire season has been quiet. A heat wave could change that fast By Rachel Becker | CalMatters | July 29, 2026 California has so far escaped devastating fires this summer, but a coming heat wave increases the potential for dangerous conditions.
climate change California can’t replant its forests fast enough to keep up with wildfires By Rachel Becker | CalMatters | July 24, 2026 Climate change and more than a century of overzealous fire suppression are fueling severe wildfires.
climate change Data centers are guzzling California’s water. We have no idea how much By Rachel Becker | CalMatters | May 17, 2026 Data centers are the ganglia of artificial intelligence — and they are spreading to regions reliant on overtapped groundwater.
climate change California salmon fishing poised to finally reopen. Can the industry recover? By Rachel Becker | CalMatters | April 11, 2026 State and federal decisions could reshape California’s water systems and rivers.
climate change Endangered salmon returned to California’s far north — then the money dried up By Rachel Becker | CalMatters | April 5, 2026 State officials say the one-time funds were tied to the state’s drought response and have now been used up.
climate change Sparse snowpack in California fuels concern over fast-approaching fire season By Rachel Becker | CalMatters | April 1, 2026 Only the extreme drought year of 2015 beat this year’s snowpack for the worst on record.