KQED's Forum

Wednesday marks the start of classes at the University of California, Berkeley. Like other colleges and universities across the country, the school is trying  to adapt to the coronavirus pandemic while also facing a $340 million budget deficit. At the same, the nation is grappling with demands for social justice and racial equity -- struggles Berkeley has long wrestled with. “I don’t know of any time more difficult in my lived life as this one,” said UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ earlier this month during an address to the campus community. In this hour, we talk with Christ about how the university is responding to the pandemic, student needs, and financial challenges.

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A wide swath of stressors -- the coronavirus pandemic, economic recession, wildfires, upcoming election, remote learning, and racism, to name a few -- are putting a major strain on people’s mental health. Any one of those situations can be enough to trigger depression, anxiety and stress, let alone dealing with several at once. The cumulative toll is impacting the mental, physical, and emotional state of millions of Californians. In this hour, we talk with experts about how to cope with the current surge of troubles many are experiencing.

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As wildfires rage across the Bay Area, many of those who can help are offering their support through donations. But relief organizations like American Red Cross say they don't want physical items like used clothes or canned goods because they take extensive resources to examine and sort. Instead, many organizations prefer monetary donations. We talk to KQED reporter Lakshmi Sarah and Jennifer Adrio, CEO of American Red Cross Northern California Coastal Region, about how to best help those affected by wildfires.

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Record-breaking heat, dry vegetation, and lightning each played a role in sparking wildfires that have burnt more than one million acres across California. But to what extent were these factors caused by climate change? UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain, along with a team of researchers, published a study earlier this year that found that the “number of days with extreme fire weather during the autumn season has more than doubled since the late 1970s.” The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, calls climate change a key driver of the shift toward longer fire seasons. In this segment, we talk with Swain about the link between climate change and the risk of wildfires in California.

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We’ll get the latest on the wildfires raging throughout northern California and discuss the firefighter shortage.  

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At a virtual event this week that was termed an "unconventional convention” due to the pandemic, the Democratic Party nominated former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris for the 2020 Democratic ticket. In a historic speech Wednesday night, Sen. Harris became the first Black woman to accept the nomination for vice president of the United States with a major party. Former President Barack Obama also made history Wednesday when he delivered a forceful condemnation of his successor, President Trump. We’ll recap this year’s Democratic National Convention, including Gov. Newsom’s withdrawal from Thursday’s program because of California’s wildfire emergency. And we want to hear from you: have you been tuning in to the convention? What moments stand out to you most?

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Californians fatigued from wrestling with the coronavirus pandemic, economic downturn and months of sheltering in place are now dealing with another disaster that feels out of our control: wildfires. Poor air quality and fears of catching the virus are compounding to produce more stress, anxiety, and feelings of hopelessness. In this segment, we’ll hear from experts about how to deal with this double dose of disaster.

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As three major fire complexes continue to scorch more than 300,000 acres across northern California, we’ll get an update on containment and evacuations. We'll also hear about a new collaboration between the state emergency authority and Google that provides wildfire mapping in Google search results. And we'll talk with state officials about where to go for accurate, up-to-date information about fires, evacuations and road closures.

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In a standoff with California courts, ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft have threatened to shut down operations in the state if forced to reclassify their drivers as employees, as mandated by new law AB 5. Both companies have appealed a state judge’s order to reclassify their drivers, but without a stay of the ruling, they must comply with state law by Friday at midnight. Internally, both companies are reportedly exploring franchise-like business models, similar to what Uber already does in Germany and Spain, as an alternative way to continue operating in the state. The companies are also eyeing the November election where Proposition 22, which would exempt Uber and Lyft from California’s new employee classifications, will be on the ballot. We'll discuss what's at stake and we want to hear from you: how would you be affected if ride-hailing services shut down in California?

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We get the latest on the wildfires spreading through northern and central California and hear from health experts about how best to protect yourself from smoke and particulates.

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