Air quality
New Brunswick researchers have secured a $4 million grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to study the potential effects of wildfire smoke on fertility and reproductive health. The research program, led by Philip Demokritou and Shuo Xiao, will examine how wildfire smoke may impact fertility and reproductive
Natural resources
A growing phenomenon in the United States is seeing state-managed insurance plans, such as California's Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan, take on the role of a "last resort" for homeowners in areas prone to natural disasters. As private insurance companies retreat from these high-risk
Natural resources
A prescribed fire operation is being planned by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfire, promote forest health, and improve wildlife habitat near Suncrest. The operation, which may start as soon as Wednesday, October 22, will take place on up to 433
Natural resources
The devastating wildfire that struck the town of Jasper in July 2024 was sparked by three lightning strikes within three minutes, igniting fires that quickly merged about 23 kilometres south of the town. The resulting fire, which ravaged roughly a third of the buildings in Jasper, exploded so quickly that
Air quality
Wildfire activity in Michigan remains minimal, with no significant concerns for air quality in the Upper Peninsula despite recent fires in lower Michigan. The environmental impact of last summer's Canadian wildfires, which led to hazy skies and air quality alerts across the western UP, is not comparable to
Natural resources
U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper's Fix Our Forests Act has gained significant support from western governors, the Southern Ute Tribe, and various water management and conservation organizations. The bipartisan legislation aims to strengthen forest management, support fire-safe communities, and streamline approvals for projects that protect communities and ecosystems
Climate change
Research conducted by scientists at Shandong University of Science and Technology, in collaboration with other institutions, has revealed that wildfires played a significant role in regulating carbon accumulation in ancient peatlands. The study focused on the Middle Jurassic Xishanyao Formation in the high-latitude Junggar Basin, NW China, and found that
Climate change
Research conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has revealed that pinyon and juniper ecosystems in the interior western United States are undergoing significant changes due to various disturbances such as wildfire, drought, climate change, and associated disturbances like insect outbreaks. These disturbances are not only affecting the ecosystems
Weather
Wildfires were expected to be a major threat in California this year, but unseasonable rain has significantly reduced the risk of a large fire breaking out before year's end. Experts attribute the reduced threat to an early-season storm that brought much-needed rain to the state, dropping as much
Weather
Wildfires were expected to be a major threat in California this year, but unseasonable rain has significantly reduced the risk of a large fire breaking out before year's end. Experts attribute the reduced threat to an early-season storm that brought much-needed rain to the state, dropping as much
Weather
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has reported that atmospheric carbon dioxide levels rose by a record amount in 2024, reaching new highs and locking in further long-term warming and extreme weather. The surge in CO2 levels was driven by continued human emissions, more wildfire activity, and weakened absorption by land
Weather
Climate Change Committee (CCC) advisers have cautioned the UK government to be prepared for weather extremes at least 2C of global warming by 2050. The warning comes as the UK is already experiencing worsening weather events, such as heatwaves, droughts, wildfires, and flooding, at current levels of 1.4C of
