This month's selection of In Brief items includes: Legislative Analyst's Office suggests the state consider wildfire threats when planning developments near wilderness; Santa Ana voters support plans for Orange County's would-be tallest building; Private investors back away from plans for hotel and convention center; Battle over Bolsa Chica is perhaps over; and much more. >>read more

The wildfires of late October and early November - which some fire experts claim were the worst in the state's history - have stimulated a whole new round of debate about whether and how to permit urban development in areas with naturally high fire risk.

It was cool and foggy along the Santa Barbara Channel coast in early June. So the delicate layer of ash coating everything outside and the faint smell of burnt sage seemed a bit incongruous.