We need every tool to fight wildfires today

We need every tool to fight wildfires today

Wildfire acts as a multi-spectrum environmental catalyst. A well-described burn will do the same. Peak of a hermit fire, as seen from Holman Hill in Mora County, New Mexico, April 30, 2022. Photography by Jim O’Donnell. by Steve Payne We now know that the largest recorded fire in New Mexico history was started by a […]

Wildfires in Arizona sweep land rich with ancient sites, artifacts

Wildfires in Arizona sweep land rich with ancient sites, artifacts

Flagstaff, AZ (AP) – As Jason Nez explores the rugged mountains, the deserts, and the wonders of the Southwest, he recalls that they were part of a larger image. And fire is not new to them. “They have been burned many, many times, and this is healthy,” says Navajo archaeologist and firefighter. “Many of our […]

Hundreds of homeless die in extreme heat

Hundreds of homeless die in extreme heat

PHOENIX (AP) – Hundreds of blue, green and gray tents are pitched under the sun’s burning rays in downtown Phoenix, a jumble of thin canvas and plastic along dusty sidewalks. Here, in the hottest big city in America, thousands of homeless people swell as summer’s triple digit temperatures dawn. The stuffy tent city ballooned amid […]

Washington Smoke Information: Schneider Springs Fire: A Closer Look

Washington Smoke Information: Schneider Springs Fire: A Closer Look

A quick look at the fire and smoke map at the top of this page reveals that the Yakima area is currently experiencing some of the worst air quality in the state. Since the Schneider Springs fire broke out on August 3, there have only been six days Good Air quality in Yakima Prefecture. Compared […]

Most of the areas affected by smoke in Washington during the summer of 2021

Most of the areas affected by smoke in Washington during the summer of 2021

As we await the rain likely to end this weekend, this may be our last post for Summer 2021. So we’re focusing on the two areas most affected by smoke in summer 2021: parts of Yakima and Okanogan Prefectures. Fires in the Metho Valley caused poorer air quality in Okanogan County earlier in the season […]

Man Who Started Wildfire That Killed California Condors Gets 24 Years

Man Who Started Wildfire That Killed California Condors Gets 24 Years

A man who the authorities said started a wildfire in central California two years ago that killed 12 endangered condors has been sentenced to 24 years in state prison. Ivan Gomez, 31, was found guilty in a California court last month of 16 felony counts related to the Dolan fire in Big Sur, including arson […]

430-Million-Year-Old Charcoal Deposits Reveal the Oldest Wildfires on Record

Researchers have unearthed 430 million years of coal deposits in Wales and Poland, and have discovered the first forest fires to date. The evidence is overwhelming. Wildfires found in coal deposits have been found Organic matter can be highly dependent on fresh water, so it may be distributed early and may not develop in arid […]