Social media could help monitor air pollution that physical monitors miss.
Wildfire
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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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What it’s like to fight wildfires in the West
A photojournalist and firefighter describes the challenges of battling wildland 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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Wildfires hit the West: ‘We’re stretched to our limits’
Fires this year have covered 1 million more acres than the 10-year average from January to July.
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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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This year’s burn bans are crucial in parched Colorado
Another dry summer sparks memories of past wildfires — and worries for the future.
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In a time of division and hate, wildfire unites a community
Disaster response offers an antidote to the era of “me.”
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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
Saving baby Jo from the smoke
A mother grapples with her decision to flee the 416 Fire with her infant daughter.
Posted inAugust 6, 2018: What Are We Doing Here?
In the Southwest, ‘drought’ doesn’t tell the whole story
Why ‘aridification’ is a better term for our new, more parched reality.
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The 416 Fire reminds us there’s no escape from climate change
Rumors that a popular tourist train sparked the fire have forced a reckoning.
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There’s nothing normal about ‘the new normal’
The phrase is the linguistic equivalent of a shrug.
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Exploring the West? Don’t start a wildfire.
Here are some tips on how to stay safe.
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The Forest Service faces a century-old call for equality
As early as 1924, women were asking the agency for equal treatment.
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How to celebrate Earth Day
Stand up for public lands, fight climate change and get outside this April 22 — and all year long.
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Firefighters, it’s time we led the way on ending harassment
Allegations that the Forest Service enabled a culture of harassment were no surprise.
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Fire funding fix comes with environmental rollbacks
The legislation sets up an emergency disaster fund but also weakens protections for trees and wildlife.
Posted inMarch 5, 2018: Drilling Chaco
From bears to condors, the West’s wildlife is finding ways to survive
Five ways science is finding unexpected resilience in animals.