Экстремальная жара и засуха опустошили парк штата Чино Хиллз: фото до и после

Before and after photos of Chino Hills show the toll of this summer’s drought and heat Your morning catch-up: This summer’s extreme heat and drought, inside the Lakers deal and more big stories - Share via See more from the L.A. Times in Google Search. Set us as preferred Chino Hills State Park is almost never crowded, except during a spring super bloom, when the hillsides erupt in California poppies and hordes of would-be influencers arrive to take photos for Instagram. I had last been there in March, after a winter of bountiful rain lifted California out of drought for the first time in 25 years. The hillsides were covered in every imaginable shade of green. I joked to my wife that it looked like the park was decorated for St. Patrick’s Day. But as the thermometer flirted with triple digits on Saturday, there wasn’t another soul in sight as I pedaled through the parking lot to the start of the Telegraph Canyon fire road, desperately searching for a breeze. It felt like I had the entire, massive park to myself. The place felt so eerily devoid of life, in fact, I began to wonder if this was a bad idea. Too hot even for the birds As I pedaled up into the hills, birds of prey floated in the sweltering breeze above the ridges, waiting for a squirrel, or a mouse, or even a little lizard to make the mistake of moving out in the open. I’m a pacifist at heart, always cheering for the prey in wildlife documentaries, but I started to feel sorry for those winged hunters. It seemed the only thing dumb enough to move through that scorched landscape was me. In my defense, I have an electric mountain bike. It’s the kind you have to pedal, but a motor between the cranks multiplies your effort many times over: It’s easily capable of carrying me up the steepest hills at 15 to 20 mph. On hot summer days, that breeze combined with a light sweat is a surprisingly efficient cooling system. I usually can ride for hours and stay very comfortable. But on Saturday, the faster I rode, the hotter it got. Speeding along those sun-scorched trails felt like sitting in front of a giant hair dryer. Dropping off the ridges into the canyons was like descending into a furnace. Not just hot, but dry too On top of the relentless heat this summer, Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties all just recorded their driest July since record-keeping began 132 years ago — and it shows. I’ve lived in California for nearly two decades. I know how dramatic the swings in the landscape can be even in relatively normal years. But I’ve never seen the Chino Hills looking quite so desolate. I lasted only about an hour and a half before the heat became too much to bear. I imagined getting a flat and having to sit still, beneath that baking sun, to make the repair. My breaking point was when the water in my Camelback started to taste like it had come from a hot shower. So I pointed the front wheel downhill and coasted most of the 10 miles or so back to my car. Luxuriating in the shade, sipping a LaCroix that was almost too cold to hold, I scrolled for news and saw the first reports of the French tourist who died in Death Valley after his car got stuck in mud, miles from help. Chino Hills is no Death Valley, but I shuddered at the news. I still think of Southern California as a place with perfect weather — so benign you rarely bother to check the forecast. I wonder if those days are numbered. More on the heat - Here’s why this summer’s L.A. heat waves feel so miserable. - L.A. is getting personnel in place for another week of very dangerous heat. Top stories Did Iger and Kushner get a good deal on the Lakers? - Josh Kushner and Bob Iger agreed to pay a record $12.5 billion for the Lakers, bailing out embattled owner Mark Walter and instantly topping the team’s already unprecedented $10-billion sale last year. - Some analysts say the buyers succumbed to “deal heat” and wildly overpaid, while others argue soaring media revenues, global branding and franchise scarcity justify the eye-popping valuation. Trump and college students - California promised undocumented college students a future. Now they are losing hope. - Trump cut grants for Hispanic-serving colleges. Now California campuses are losing programs. Supreme Court allows Trump to plan new mail ballot rules - California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta said his office expects to sue again within days. - About 30% of the nation’s voters — and 80% of Californians — cast their ballots by mail in 2024. Fed up with high prices, California weighs penalties against hospitals, other entities - California is weighing stiff penalties for hospitals and other healthcare entities that don’t stay under state spending limits. - The state potentially could levy hundreds of millions of dollars in fines if these providers don’t take steps to rein in rising healthcare costs. More news - John “Jed” York, the owner and CEO of the San Francisco 49ers, has pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors in Ohio after he was arrested on suspicion of engaging in prostitution. - A pre-dawn blaze tore through Old Town Newhall in Santa Clarita, destroying the Newhall Refinery restaurant, a theater and a boutique shop. - A former child actor alleged she was ‘repeatedly raped’ during filming of a Disney Channel movie - Nevada sued the Trump administration over its Colorado River plan. - California canceled a mediation session for the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery deal. - Emily Compagno joins Fox News’ ‘The Five’ as co-host. Commentary and opinion - Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco can’t catch a break. For columnist Anita Chabria, that’s a good thing. - Two good ideas from Republicans dead on arrival in Democratic Legislature, Capitol Journal Columnist George Skelton writes. - Sports columnist Bill Plaschke says that “Beneath the Dodgers’ latest sweep, the scary rumblings of a team sale persist.” Editor’s pick Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly returning to British soil along with their two children starting this month. Here’s why they left in the first place. Another pick - Mychal Threets returns with hope and positivity after psychiatric hold: ‘I’m on a journey.’ Things to do - ⛰️ Want an outdoors adventure? Here’s a look at the 70 best hikes in L.A. - 📖 Some say this hot new novel is about Natalie Portman. They’re missing the point. - ‘📺 Stamptown’s’ Jack Tucker turned a late-night clown carnage into a Netflix special Today’s recipe Many home cooks, afraid to cook fish at home, dip their toe in with salmon. It has a mild flavor, the texture is buttery and appealing, it has few bones to contend with, and, well, people like the way it tastes. It’s the chicken of fish. In this piece from June, Carolynn Carreño walks through ways to get a perfect medium rare salmon, and offers several recipes. Question for you What’s your favorite California summer song? - Reader Mark Rule suggests “It Never Rains in Southern California” by Albert Hammond. - Reader Rick Barthel suggests “California” by Joni Mitchell. - Reader Ross Hering suggests “Estimated Prophet” by the Grateful Dead. Keep ‘em coming! Email us at [email protected], and your response might appear in the newsletter this week. Photo of the day Games Here’s today’s mini crossword, plus our other free, daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and jigsaw games. Have a great day, from the Essential California team Jack Dolan, investigative reporter Hugo Martín, assistant editor, Fast Break desk Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor Andrew J. Campa, weekend writer Karim Doumar, head of newsletters Shi Bradley, audience intern How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to [email protected].