Story perspectives

California Fault Stress Hits 1,000-Year High, Cajon Pass Risks Rupture

6/10/2026

Summary

Story summary

Liliane Burkhard’s study, published June 3 in Journal of Geophysical Research, Solid Earth, says California fault stress is at a 1,000-year high.
Simulations using radiocarbon and tree-ring data estimate 3.6 MPa on the San Jacinto-Bernardino segment and 2.8 MPa on the Mojave South segment of the San Andreas fault.
Researchers call Cajon Pass an “earthquake gate” that could trigger a joint rupture, warn the system may fail anytime, and urge communities to prepare.

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Story summary

Liliane Burkhard’s study, published June 3 in Journal of Geophysical Research, Solid Earth, says California fault stress is at a 1,000-year high.
Simulations using radiocarbon and tree-ring data estimate 3.6 MPa on the San Jacinto-Bernardino segment and 2.8 MPa on the Mojave South segment of the San Andreas fault.
Researchers call Cajon Pass an “earthquake gate” that could trigger a joint rupture, warn the system may fail anytime, and urge communities to prepare.