Resilience depends on economics and history as much as fuel.
Forests
Posted inArticles
After the Camp Fire, forensic teams seek the lost
For response teams in Paradise, physical and emotional risks remain.
Posted inNovember 12, 2018: Old Wests, and new
Reforestation and remeandering in Leopold’s bootsteps
A new book follows a family’s mission to heal the land.
Posted inOctober 29, 2018: When your neighborhood goes BOOM
Enter the grandeur of the redwoods
Scientists, writers, environmentalists and photographers capture the wonder of this ancient forest.
Posted inNovember 26, 2018: Follow the fish
Tossing salmon for science
A decades-long experiment demonstrates how the iconic fish help trees grow.
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Vicki Christiansen to stay on as head of Forest Service
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue appoints a permanent Forest Service chief.
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Wildfires don’t hurt hot real estate markets
Our love for nature causes more homes to be built in the path of destructive wildfires and leads to more blazes.
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Gender diversity on the fire line
A photographer chronicles several of the firefighters combating and cleaning up after California’s Donnell Fire.
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Wildfire suppression is a decades-old conundrum
Wilderness managers are still trying to balance the risks and necessity of fire.
Posted inAugust 20, 2018: Where the West is Moving - and Why
Conservationists give assisted migration a second look
The West’s climate is changing too quickly for some species to keep up. Should people intervene?
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Latest: The Forest Service’s use of fire retardant has doubled since 2014
Despite environmental harms, the agency continues to rely on aerial drops to battle blazes.
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To protect a forest, a town agreed to leave it alone
With wildfires looming, Flagstaff came together to support national forest closures.
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Where there’s smoke, there’s suffering
The small, sad harms of a summer spent indoors to avoid wildfire smoke.
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A bird’s eye view of wildfire
Ecologically important blazes are a crucial part of Western landscapes.
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A fiery Fourth of July threatens Southwest economies
Wildfire, forest closures and canceled fireworks displays keep tourists at bay.
Posted inJuly 23, 2018: Pay for Prey
After Malheur, side effects of the Bundys’ extremism linger
But in Harney County, Oregon, collaboration around public lands grows.
Posted inJune 11, 2018: Reclaiming the Klamath
Latest: Northwest timber poaching increases
Forest Service rangers manage to bust some tree thieves — but most still get away.
Posted inArticles
Cottonwoods host a world of microbes within their leaves
That community of fungi and bacteria may be the key to keeping plants healthy.
Posted inMay 28, 2018: The River of Lost Souls
A bird’s song adds wonder to the world
If a song defines a place, what does it mean to lose it?
Posted inArticles
Exploring the West? Don’t start a wildfire.
Here are some tips on how to stay safe.