After the smoke clears, a wildfire’s legacy can haunt rivers for years, putting drinking water at risk
Scientists analyzed water quality in 145 watersheds after wildfires and found dramatic spikes in contaminants.
June 23, 2025 • ~8 min
Scientists analyzed water quality in 145 watersheds after wildfires and found dramatic spikes in contaminants.
Changes to forests, and how close people and their livestock live to them, have changed tick habitats and the risks humans face of Lyme disease and other illnesses.
Park and forest managers can’t rely on the past any longer to understand future risks. Fires, pests and climate change are changing the game.
A long-time leader of California’s climate efforts explains how governors from Brazil to Indonesia have become the leading edge in fighting climate change. Several are meeting this week in Brazil.
The administration wants to cut funding for programs that help communities adapt to wildfire risk, sea-level rise and invasive species, among many other risks.
The administration wants to cut funding for programs that help communities adapt to wildfire risk, sea-level rise and invasive species, among many other risks.
Harmful dioxins in Agent Orange, used to strip forests of their leaves, still linger in soil. Restoration work has been slow, and upheaval at USAID may slow it more.
Uncertainty from Washington along with staff and budget cuts have created turmoil for the US Forest Service’s fire management efforts.
Effective conservation of old-growth ecosystems will work best if it considers their varied ecology.
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