Stephanie O'Neill

After surgery for separate hand injuries, a father and son endured lengthy occupational therapy, which their insurer considered to be an alternative treatment. The family owed more than $8,500.

More than two months since a massive and deadly debris flow slammed the community of Montecito, Calif., hundreds of volunteers are working to carve paths to front doors and dig out kitchens.

In California, officials continue to investigate the Thomas Fire — the largest wildfire in modern California history. A growing number of lawsuits claim a failed water system is a key reason hundreds of homes burned.

Mudslides and debris flow in Southern California killed more than 20 people in January. Public safety officials say people in flow-prone areas throughout the western U.S. need to spend more time preparing for the possibility of these natural disasters.

Thousands of Californians have been evacuated from the Santa Barbara area among fears of mudslides after heavy rains hit the hillsides denuded by the enormous Thomas fire.

The massive Thomas Fire in Southern California is now 89 percent contained and evacuees are starting to return home. The Upper Ojai Valley was especially hard-hit. About a quarter of the homes there were destroyed.

As the massive Thomas Fire burns in California, the Santa Barbara Zoo's elaborate evacuation plan involves 150 species, tranquilizers and maybe even throwing a towel over an alligator's head.

The massive wildfire in California's Ventura and Santa Barbara counties has destroyed hundreds of homes. Now some residents are bringing lawsuits claiming utility companies are to blame.

The fires in Southern California have forced many residents to evacuate multiple times within just a few days. That's leading to confusion about where to head next.

The largest wildfire in Southern California is in Ventura County north of Los Angeles. Fast-moving winds have caused the fire to scorch more than 95,000 acres since Monday night.