San Andreas Fault news
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The gist
San Jose State University research finds San Andreas Fault slipping faster than thought.
Faster slip may mean more frequent quakes, raising California's earthquake risk.
Background
The San Andreas Fault is a major strike-slip fault running about 800 miles through California, responsible for historic earthquakes like the 1906 San Francisco and 1989 Loma Prieta events. New research from San Jose State University, led by Professor Kim Blisniuk, studied the fault segment at Sanborn County Park and found it is slipping at a faster, more consistent rate than previously estimated. This comes just a week after a magnitude 3.9 earthquake on the nearby Hayward Fault, and follows a University of Hawaii study suggesting the fault has reached its highest stress level in 1,000 years.
How it unfolded
- Aug 6, 2026Kim Blisniuk surveys Sanborn County Park in Saratoga, where the San Andreas Fault runs underneath, as part of her research.
- Aug 19, 2026San Francisco Chronicle reports on the new research, noting the Santa Cruz Mountains portion of the fault is slipping faster than earlier estimates.
- Aug 20, 2026ABC7 San Francisco covers the research, highlighting that it comes a week after a 3.9 magnitude earthquake on the Hayward Fault.
- Aug 21, 2026Multiple outlets (NY Post, KTLA, Fox Weather) report on the findings, noting the research has not yet been peer-reviewed.
- Aug 22, 2026Yahoo News and Discover Magazine further publicize the research, emphasizing the potential implications for earthquake risk.
Who’s saying what
- Researcher
- Kim Blisniuk says the slip rate is consistent with the northern section, not decreasing as previously thought, and that historical earthquakes along the fault mean future ones are inevitable.
- Caution
- The research has not been peer-reviewed or published, and Blisniuk plans to present it at a conference in October for USGS review.
Still unverified
The research has not yet been peer-reviewed or published in a scientific journal; findings are preliminary and subject to change after review.