California’s drought is intensifying this year’s fire season with dry conditions creating more fuel to keep large wildfires roaring.

Over 11,000 state, local and federal firefighters are battling California’s intense wildfires. According to officials from CAL FIRE, 11 large wildfires were blazing in California as of Aug. 6, charring over 145,000 combined acres so far. Fires are raging in Modoc, Siskiyou, Shasta and Mendocino counties.  Fires also are ablaze in the Klamath, Lassen  and Sierra national forests.

Two bills aimed at advancing sustainable management of California’s groundwater basins were amended earlier this week.

From marijuana cultivation to climate change to lawsuits, Region 1 members tackled an array of current issues and challenges at the recent North Coast Water Forum in Humboldt County, Region 1 Chair Aldaron Laird writes in the latest entry in the Voices on Water blog.

Read the blog post here.

Two new public opinion polls commissioned by ACWA, the California Alliance for Jobs and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) show that likely voters favor a scaled-down water bond for the November 2014 ballot.

Comedian and television talk show host Conan O’Brien is featured in a series of new public service announcements (PSAs) released today that call on Californians to conserve water during the state’s historic drought.

Six videos were released today featuring O’Brien and his sidekick Andy Richter talking about simple ways to save water so Californians can to do their part in cutting personal water use by 20%.

Gov. Jerry Brown today issued an emailed communication about California’s drought and the need for a water bond to address the state’s pressing water needs.

“Water is central to our lives, our wildlife and our food supply. Our economy depends on it,” Brown wrote in his message. “We must act now so that we can continue to manage as good stewards of this vital resource for generations to come.”

The California Natural Resources Agency on Aug. 1 released the Safeguarding California Plan for Reducing Climate Risk, a document intended to provide policy guidance for state decision makers on preparing for climate change.

The report seeks to plan and prepare for the unavoidable risks of climate change and is an updated version of the 2009 climate change assessment. The plan outlines an integrated, three-R’s strategy:

Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins appointed Aja Brown to serve as a Council member on the Delta Stewardship Council on Aug. 1. She replaces Gloria Gray, whose term expired.

Brown is mayor of Compton in Los Angeles County and is a community development professional with more than 10 years of experience working in urban communities.

Brown holds both a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Policy, Urban Planning and Development, and a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning with a concentration in Economic Development from the University of Southern California.

California Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein along with their House colleagues Reps. Grace Napolitano (D-CA-32) and Peter DeFazio (D-OR) introduced legislation to promote water conservation and recycling on July 31.

Members of Congress continue to work on merging competing pieces of drought relief legislation passed in the House and Senate earlier this year.

POLITICO reports that Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) recently sent a retooled version of her bill to the Republican-controlled House, where she hopes to win approval for her changes. Though a conference committee has not yet been formed to formally draft a bicameral bill, staff members in each house have been working to iron out differences now to speed up the process down the line.

Southern California Water Committee and Clear Channel Outdoor unveiled a new partnership and advertising campaign on July 31 to encourage Californians to save water during the ongoing drought.