Corral Fire in San Joaquin County | Farmworker Deaths on Roadways | Yolo County ‘Cultivo’ Food Program for Agricultural Workers
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The Corral Fire burns near Tracy on June 2, 2024.
Cal Fire
An update on the Corral Fire in San Joaquin County. Also, why farmworkers continue to die in crashes — in vans state law doesn’t cover. Finally, how the Yolo County ‘Cultivo’ program curbs food insecurity for agricultural worker households.
Corral Fire in San Joaquin County
The Corral Fire ignited near Tracy in San Joaquin County on Saturday. The fire, which grew to more than 14,000 acres this morning, also destroyed a home and injured two firefighters. Portions of I-580 were closed over the weekend, but Caltrans said all lanes reopened last night. Cal Fire says the fire is now 75% contained and evacuation orders have been downgraded to warnings. Cecile Juliette is a Public Information Officer with Cal Fire and explains how officials hope to continue to gain ground, as well as provides an outlook on wildfire preparedness for the drier months.
Farmworker Deaths on Roadways
California cracked down after a crash killed 13 farmworkers in 1999. The tragedy 25 years ago pushed state lawmakers and the California Highway Patrol to make farmworkers’ commutes safer. But farmworkers are still dying in crashes - in vans the law doesn’t cover. CalMatters Capitol Reporter Jeanne Kuang joins us with her reporting, which found that this unique workforce, half of whom are undocumented immigrants, routinely die in traffic at higher rates than other workers who die on the job.
Yolo County ‘Cultivo’ Food Program for Agricultural Workers
A recent food survey in Yolo County found that more than half of agricultural worker households are food insecure. In response, a new initiative is trying to solve hunger for these crucial members of our community. The Cultivo program, established by the Yolo Food Bank and Sutter Health, is nourishing these workers in the workplace and at home with year-round distributions. Maria Segoviano is the food bank’s Director of Development and Communications and talks about the scale of the food insecurity problem, as well as how it influenced the creation of this new program.