Identifying where to reforest after wildfire
In the aftermath of megafires that devastated forests of the western United States, attention turns to whether forests will regenerate on their own or not. Forest managers can now look to a newly enhanced, predictive mapping tool to learn where fores.....»»
Oregon wildfire forms "fire clouds" that pose danger below
Smoke and heat from a massive wildfire in southeastern Oregon are creating giant "fire clouds" over the blaze—dangerous columns of smoke and ash that can reach up to 6 miles (10 kilometers) in the sky and are visible from more than 100 miles (160 k.....»»
What"s in wildfire smoke? A toxicologist explains its dangerous components
Something unusual happened this year in Idaho. Fire and health officials began issuing warnings about the health risks of wildfire smoke several weeks earlier than normal. With almost the entire U.S. West in drought, it was only a matter of time befo.....»»
Evacuations expand in Oregon as fire spreads erratically
More people living along the eastern edge of an Oregon wildfire were told to evacuate late Thursday as the inferno began spreading rapidly and erratically in hot afternoon winds and threatened to merge with a nearby, smaller fire that had also explod.....»»
"Extreme" wildfires and heavy smoke grip western US and Canada
A brutal start to the wildfire season in the western United States and Canada worsened Thursday as a massive Oregon blaze exploded in dry, windy conditions and a new California blaze threatened communities devastated by the 2018 Camp Fire......»»
Fires threaten Indigenous lands in desiccated Northwest
Karuk tribal citizen Troy Hockaday Sr. watched helplessly last fall as a raging wildfire leveled the homes of five of his family members, swallowed acres of forest where his people hunt deer, elk and black bear, and killed a longtime friend......»»
Fire operations-prescribed burning combo reduces wildfire severity up to 72%
Firefighters battling wildfires in the western United States use a variety of suppression tactics to get the flames under control. Prescribed burns, or controlled fires intentionally set to clear shrubs and forest litter before a wildfire ever ignite.....»»
July 4 fireworks caused second-highest air pollution level from the holiday in Southern California in a decade
This year's Fourth of July fireworks created the second-highest air pollution levels from the holiday in the last decade and were the highest since the Bobcat wildfire in September, the South Coast Air Quality Management District said Tuesday......»»
Identifying the spark of desire in fruit flies
Fruit flies have evolved an elaborate courtship ritual. Upon recognizing a suitable mate in his vicinity, a male fruit fly transforms into a dogged suitor, sometimes chasing the female for more than 26 yards, or nine miles in human terms, singing to.....»»
Why wildfire smoke is especially bad for your health
Coloradans woke up to hazy skies Monday morning, as smoke from the Morgan Creek wildfire near Steamboat Springs prompted air quality health advisories from Routt to Summit counties, and smoke from fires in California cast an eerie glow across the Fro.....»»
The shape of nanoparticles in body fluids may help identify the type of cancer
A recent study has shown that the shape of cell-derived nanoparticles, known as 'extracellular vesicles' (EVs), in body fluids could be a biomarker for identifying types of cancer. In the study, scientists successfully measured the shape distribution.....»»
Smoke, extreme heat pose harsh test for West Coast vineyards
The heat wave that recently hit the Pacific Northwest subjected the region's vineyards to record-breaking temperatures nine months after the fields that produce world-class wine were blanketed by wildfire smoke......»»
Mapping dengue hot spots pinpoints risk for Zika and chikungunya
Data from nine cities in Mexico confirms that identifying dengue fever 'hot spots' can provide a predictive map for future outbreaks of Zika and chikungunya. All three of these viral diseases are spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito......»»
Wildfires during Permian-Triassic transition caused vegetation change in ecosystem
Wildfire is an important part of the terrestrial ecosystem. It plays a significant role in many environmental and evolutionary innovations in geological history......»»
California Tests Off-the-Grid Solutions to Climate-Related Power Outages
California's energy commission has funded dozens of projects "serving as test beds for policies that might lead to commercialization of microgrids," reports the Associated Press: When a wildfire tore through Briceburg nearly two years ago, the tiny.....»»
Canadian Village Lytton Evacuated as Mayor Says "the Whole Town is on Fire"
Residents of a Canadian village which recorded the country's highest ever temperature, 49.6C (121.3F), have been forced to flee by a wildfire. From a report: A small B.C. village that endured the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Canada for days.....»»
Wildfire changes songbird plumage and testosterone
Fire can put a tropical songbird's sex life on ice......»»
Air pollution from wildfires impacts ability to observe birds
As smoky air becomes more common during Washington's wildfire season, many wildlife enthusiasts wonder: What happens to the birds?.....»»
Historic heat wave blasts Northwest as wildfire risks soar
The Pacific Northwest sweltered Friday and braced for even hotter weather through the weekend as a historic heat wave hit Washington and Oregon, with temperatures in many areas expected to top out up to 30 degrees above normal......»»
Deep Science: Keeping AI honest in medicine, climate science and vision
This week, we'll explore a number of projects aimed at identifying or confirming bias or cheating behaviors in machine learning systems, or failures in the data that support them. Research papers come out far too frequently for anyone to re.....»»
AI Could Spot Wildfires Faster Than Humans
A prediction system undergoes testing as the U.S. West braces for another potentially devastating wildfire season -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.....»»