California Catastrophes: The Natural Disaster History of the Golden State

This comprehensive account of California’s numerous and perilous natural disasters explores how a unique combination of forces has affected Californians throughout the state’s history and carries a sobering message about our short disaster memories.

California has more natural hazards per square mile than any other state, but this hasn’t deterred people from moving here. Entire California towns and regions frequently contend with destruction caused by earthquakes, floods, landslides and debris flows, and sea-level rise and coastal erosion. As Gary Griggs demonstrates in California Catastrophes, few years go by without a disaster of some kind, and residents often rebuild in the same locations that were just destroyed.

Considering the current climate crisis and increasing environmental inequalities, the stakes are growing ever higher. This book dives into the history of the state’s vulnerability to natural hazards, why and where these events occur, and how Californians can better prepare going forward. A mix of photographs and maps both historical and contemporary orients readers within the state’s sprawling landscapes and provides glimpses of some of the geologic risks in each region. With the final chapter, Griggs issues a call to action and challenges readers to envision a safer, more equitable, and sustainable future.

Gary Griggs is Distinguished Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he has taught for more than fifty years. His research and teaching have focused on natural disasters and the California coast.