{"id":494701,"date":"2026-10-13T14:08:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T14:08:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/494701\/"},"modified":"2026-10-13T14:08:13","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T14:08:13","slug":"nowhere-to-run-she-escaped-wildfires-now-the-ocean-is-at-her-door","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/494701\/","title":{"rendered":"Nowhere to run: She escaped wildfires, now the ocean is at her door"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As we stood on Long Beach\u2019s now-infamous Peninsula, watching the waves crash over the boardwalk and down a side street, resident Genevieve Beals said she still has mild PTSD from the wildfires that chased her out of her condo in Corona.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had to be evacuated twice,\u201d she said Monday, and now, whenever she sees anything as innocent as windows sparkling in the sunlight on a distant hillside, \u201cI get an anxious reaction. I just get triggered.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

A firefighter keeps the ground wet behind homes as the Serrano fire burns in a field near Tampico Circle in Corona on June 24, 2024.<\/p>\n

(Gina Ferazzi \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

She fled to the beach hoping to find a little peace.<\/p>\n

What she has endured instead \u2014 waves crashing into the boardwalk a few feet in front of her rented apartment and shooting three stories into the air, the thump-thump-thump of TV news helicopters constantly circling overhead, seawater rushing past her front door with seemingly every high tide \u2014 hasn\u2019t been quite the respite she had hoped for.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just, like, here I am again,\u201d she said with a resigned shrug.<\/p>\n

You’re reading the Essential California newsletter <\/p>\n

L.A. Times reporters guide you through the most important news, features and recommendations of the morning.<\/p>\n

By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service<\/a>, which include arbitration and a class action waiver. You agree that we and our third-party vendors may collect and use your information, including through cookies, pixels and similar technologies, for the purposes set forth in our Privacy Policy<\/a> such as personalizing your experience and ads. <\/p>\n

From one disaster to the next<\/p>\n

Beals is like a modern California Odysseus, reeling from one era-defining disaster to the next, trying to maintain her sense of perspective and her sense of humor through it all.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been getting warned about this for years,\u201d she said as another wave slammed into the boardwalk, sending saltwater spray onto her neighbors\u2019 balconies.<\/p>\n

Indeed, nobody in 2026 can claim they didn\u2019t know sea level rise is a threat.<\/p>\n

In 2019, Long Beach city officials told residents of the Peninsula they could safely stay for another decade, or two, if they were willing to tolerate substantial flooding that would become more frequent over the years. But they shouldn\u2019t expect an engineering miracle or government largess to bail them out.<\/p>\n

The only real solution was \u201can orderly exit from the coast,\u201d said Jerry Schubel, then-president and chief executive of the Aquarium of the Pacific. <\/p>\n

Likewise, nobody living in California\u2019s mountains can seriously claim they didn\u2019t realize there\u2019s an increased wildfire risk.<\/p>\n

Before buying the Corona condo with her dad, Beals said they knew it was in potential wildfire country and they \u201clooked at everything\u201d to try to make sure they were making a good decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen, sure enough, the fire came and I had to be evacuated, twice,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Beals relocated to the Peninsula 18 months ago, hoping she\u2019d found a safe haven. <\/p>\n

\"Crews <\/p>\n

Crews shovel sand on the Long Beach Peninsula after the storm damaged parts of the boardwalk on Sept. 11. <\/p>\n

(Christina House \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

The king tides came knocking<\/p>\n

Then, in August, came the first big king tide that sent punishing waves slamming into houses along the boardwalk.<\/p>\n

Since then, the beatings have been relentless.<\/p>\n

A series of tropical storms and hurricanes, fueled by the unusually hot water in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean during this year\u2019s El Ni\u00f1o, has sent round after round of powerful swells barreling toward the California coast.<\/p>\n

The south-facing shorelines of Long Beach and Newport Beach have been hit particularly hard.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s not much hope of conditions improving in the near future: the El Ni\u00f1o is expected to last at least until February, and its effects could linger well into spring.<\/p>\n

Where to escape California\u2019s disasters<\/p>\n

Beals showed me a notice the City of Long Beach sent residents warning of king tides expected to hit in late November, in December (on Christmas!) and again in late January.<\/p>\n

Her lease is up, so she can leave anytime she wants with a month\u2019s notice, but where would she go?<\/p>\n

The mountains and coastlines \u2014 California\u2019s most cherished landscapes \u2014 have both been a problem lately.<\/p>\n

Besides, she said, when the sun is out and the street is dry, she still loves the beach.<\/p>\n

Top stories \"A <\/a> <\/p>\n

A lifeguard keeps watch along a closed boardwalk as a Pacific Ocean wave crashes over a seawall protecting homes in Long Beach.<\/p>\n

(Mario Tama \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Hurricane activity in the Pacific Ocean is battering the California coastThe exceptionally active hurricane season in the Pacific<\/a> is influenced by a long-term ocean heating trend caused by global warming, and higher nearshore ocean temperatures and a decrease in wind shear from El Ni\u00f1o, which can significantly weaken hurricane activity.Researchers at Colorado State University confirmed that storms this summer have generated the highest level of accumulated cyclone energy ever recorded, surpassing the previous seasonal record set in 2018.El Ni\u00f1o shifts exotic ocean life to the California CoastMel\u2019s Drive-In faces demolitionFor decades, the bold, mid-century building at Lincoln and Olympics boulevards in Santa Monica has been the end of the line \u2014 the last address on the 2,400-mile westward journey of Route 66.But now its future is in doubt<\/a>. A property owner has filed preliminary plans to replace the diner with an eight-story apartment building.More newsCommentary and opinionEditor\u2019s pickMore picksThings to do \"An <\/a> <\/p>\n

An anniversary exhibit for L.A. band System of a Down in honor of their seminal album, \u201cToxicity,\u201d at Beyond the Streets gallery in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

(Christina House \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s recipe \"Roasted <\/a> <\/p>\n

(Mariah Tauger\/Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

If the idea of another pumpkin loaf doesn\u2019t make your eyes roll out of your head, give this recipe for roasted pumpkin loaves<\/a> a shot. It\u2019s a lightly sweet, kind of savory loaf, with butter slathered over the side with a drizzle of honey or with a thwack of ricotta and some chopped thyme. The best part? It\u2019s the type of pumpkin spice treat where the spices accent the pumpkin flavor, not overwhelm it.<\/p>\n

Question for you<\/p>\n

What is your favorite Halloween candy? <\/p>\n

Michael L. says, \u201cNothing says a warm Halloween in California quite like a Reese\u2019s Peanut Butter Cup. It\u2019s the very perfect compliment for the taste buds. As a kid, nothing made me happier than to see a Reese\u2019s being given out when we knocked on a door. They are even better in the fridge!\u201d<\/p>\n

Email us at essentialcalifornia@latimes.com<\/a>, and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.<\/p>\n

Photo of the day \"Griffith <\/a> <\/p>\n

(Christina House \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

Games \"Mini <\/p>\n

Here\u2019s today\u2019s mini crossword<\/a>, plus our other free, daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and jigsaw games<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Have a great day, from the Essential California team<\/p>\n

Jack Dolan, investigative reporter
Hugo Mart\u00edn, assistant editor, fast break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew Campa, weekend writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters<\/p>\n

How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com<\/a>. Check our top stories<\/a>, topics<\/a> and the latest articles<\/a> on latimes.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As we stood on Long Beach\u2019s now-infamous Peninsula, watching the waves crash over the boardwalk and down a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":494702,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[7,9,8,2299,1085,891,2300,2297,340,2303,63,2302,1086,1459,2301,2298,74,225,315,688],"class_list":["post-494701","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-california","tag-california","tag-california-headlines","tag-california-news","tag-civic-revolt","tag-covid","tag-covid-19","tag-days","tag-essential-california","tag-israel","tag-l-a","tag-los-angeles-times","tag-may","tag-pandemic","tag-part","tag-president-biden","tag-red-county","tag-san-diego","tag-state","tag-time","tag-years"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/494701","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=494701"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/494701\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/494702"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=494701"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=494701"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=494701"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}