A lush vineyard stretches across a sunlit hillside beneath a clear blue sky, with scattered trees and distant mountains in the background.
Tectonic pressure ridge foothills of Laughlin Range, four miles south of earthquake epicenter in Redwood Valley, Calif. on Saturday, May 23, 2026. (Rowena Forest/CalGeographic via Bay City News)

For several months now my research and writing has been laser-focused on the complex and intriguing setting of the Maacama fracture zone in Sonoma and Mendocino counties. My last column explored the Maacama fracture zone as the tectonic heart of Mendocino County’s landscapes, ecosystems and culture.

On the morning of June 24, I had just sat down to wrap up the final edits of a presentation on the mighty Maacama that I will be giving this summer in Ukiah when the earthquake hit.

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Rowena Forest is a physical geographer and science writer at Cal Geographic. To follow her in-depth explorations and investigations of California’s living landscapes, and for upcoming field trips please...